Students are required to earn seventy five Student Service Learning hours, but some students go above and beyond.
An example of one of these students is freshman Daniel Hwang who has worked in a variety of fields to earn his 705 hours.
Hwang has participated in a variety of activities to earn his hours, from volunteering at schools to helping students with homework, to working with the musical organization, Young Musicians Inspire Change.
Hwang cares a lot about his community, and to him doing community service is an experience worth more then just earing SSL hours.
Q: What makes you so passionate about serving your community and helping others?
A: I think serving the community where you live is important. It is especially important to help those who are less fortunate than you. It is important to provide services to lower income families in order for them to live with basic necessities like clothes and many other important things that people cannot live without.
Q: Why do you think it is important for high schoolers to have an SSL hour requirement?
A: I know that many high schoolers are busy with
school and other activities, but I still believe it is very important for all students to set aside some time to serve the community that they call home.
Q: What SSL activity that you participate in are you the most passionate about?
A: I think that the activity that I do that I am most passionate about is serving the poor in DC. I usually help to provide them with food and clothes and they really need the help. I also like to work with groups that raise money. With the money raised, the organizations I’m involved with can donate to the Red Cross and other foundations in need of help and it is important to support these organizations.
Q: How do you combine your personal interests with other activities that you participate in that serve the community?
A: I am passionate about playing music, and I have played at public concerts before. Combining your interests with community service is a good way to earn SSL hours. I help others by doing what I like doing.
Q: Do you have any particular goal for your SSL hours by the time you graduate high school?
A: I want to eventually achieve 1,000 hours. However, I think it is also important not just to earn a certain number of community service hours just for the numbers, but because of an actual desire to serve, and because of the importance of helping people who are in need and less fortunate.