Is your student a passionate volunteer? Students of all ages can earn recognition for their hard work through the President’s Volunteer Service Award.

Volunteering plays a vital role in supporting many important causes, assisting those in need, and strengthening local communities. Many homegrown organizations – including Success Won’t Wait! – rely heavily on volunteers, in the absence of a paid staff. In many cases, organizations depend entirely on these dedicated volunteers.

To reward these efforts, the President’s Volunteer Service Award (PVSA) recognizes the essential role of volunteers in creating a better America. Founded by the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation in 2003, the award annually honors individuals whose service positively impacts communities across the nation, inspiring those around them to take action, too. 

Wondering how to start? It’s easy! Students (or adults) simply track service hours, and once they have reached the desired level, submit the record form to a Certifying Organization. (It’s crucial to check with the volunteer organizations to see if they are certified to administer the award. If so, you can use this sample spreadsheet to track your hours for a PVSA award.) If the organization is not certified yet, have the organization visit the Eligibility page to learn more.

Hours Required for the President’s Volunteer Service Award

Additional Program Criteria

• Recipients must be a United States citizen or a lawful permanent resident.
• Awards are issued for community service hours performed within a 12-month time period.
• Awards are issued for volunteer service only: additional levels of participation with the organization (such as charitable support) cannot be a factor for the award.
• Volunteer service cannot be court ordered.
• Community service hours performed as a part of a class requirement or for a grade in a class DO NOT count toward this award.
• Internships and Job Shadowing do not count toward this award.
• Volunteer service must be performed through or facilitated by a Certifying Agency or a Leadership Organization (CO/LO) legally established in the United States.
• Volunteers must not have been paid through any means (wage, salary, stipend).
• A Certifying Agency or a Leadership Organization has the discretion to decide which hours can be counted towards an award.

Learn more about the program HERE. And, click HERE to download an application packet. 

About Success Won’t Wait

Founded in 2002, Success Won’t Wait is a not-for-profit literacy organization based in Wilmington, Delaware. To learn more about Success Won’t Wait’s literacy projects, how to donate used children’s books in Delaware, or volunteer your time, please click on the About Us tab above.

And, if your program, school or center needs assistance with books, please Contact Us to learn more.

Read now, because success won’t wait!