Log Service Hours at Cottonwood Serves
What is Volunteer For Good (VFG)?
-Volunteer for Good is Utah’s statewide initiative that engages high school students in meaningful community service. This program is designed to help students grow, lead, and thrive by making a positive impact in their communities. Through this program, students:
- Gain real‑world experience
- Boost academic success
- Strengthen civic engagement
- Build social connections
- Support mental wellbeing
How Can VFG Help Me?
-Get recognition for the service you already do! Students can earn a certificate, graduation cord, and/or a medallion by logging a certain number of service hours.
What Counts as Service?
-VFG broadly defines service as anything done in your school/home/community that you are NOT getting paid for and NOT receiving a grade for. VFG only considers service done within the state of Utah.
- Still don’t know what counts? See examples of valid service (PDF)
- Need ideas of where to volunteer at? See local organizations (Google Spreadsheet)
How Do I Log Hours?
-Go to the Cottonwood Serves site.
- Browse the available opportunities, and find the one you’d like to participate in
- Click on the opportunity, and then click “Sign Up”
-Navigate to the “My Opportunities” tab.
- Find the opportunity that you completed, and click the yellow “Log Time” button
-Complete the form.
- Dates and times can be left blank
- Describe what you did to earn hours under the “Notes” section
- Write a brief paragraph reflecting on your experience under the “Reflection” section
-Save and submit the form.
- Click “Save” once you have completed the form
- If needed, upload an image or supporting document to verify your participation
-Still lost? View a visual step-by-step guide on how to log VFG hours (PDF).
How Do I Earn A Certificate/Cord/Medallion?
-Earn a Certificate of Service by completing 25 hours of service during each year of high school. Make sure to log your hours by May 1st of each school year. Students can earn up to 4 certificates!
-Earn a Service Cord by logging 100+ hours by May 1st of your graduation year.
- Since the 2024-2025 school year had a requirement of only 15 hours, the class of 2027 need 65 hours, and 2028 need 90 hours
-Earn a Graduation Medallion by finishing a 40-hour, school-approved service project that makes a meaningful and lasting impact on your local community. Students are required to do the following:
- Meet with Volunteer for Good leaders to get approval
- Fill out the Medallion Application (Google Form) for approval by the VFG team. All projects must be approved by February 20th
- The VFG leaders at Cottonwood are Drew Castleberry and Teresa Olsen, both located in the Counseling Center
- Log all service hours by May 1st of your graduation year
- Fill out the Medallion Reflection (Google Form) by May 1st of your graduation year
Schedule an appointment with Drew if you need help or have any additional questions about VFG.
