PRESIDENT'S VOLUNTEER SERVICE AWARD
SADD proudly announces that we are an official certifying organization for the President's Volunteer Service Award.
SADD students now have the exclusive privilege of earning this award by submitting their volunteer hours through the SADD Portal.
In 2003, the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation founded the PVSA to recognize the vital role of volunteers in America's strength and national identity and honor individuals whose service positively impacts communities in every corner of the nation and inspires those around them to take action, too. The PVSA has continued under each administration, honoring the volunteers who are using their time and talents to solve some of our nation's toughest challenges. This prestigious award is given to incredible leaders who go above and beyond to improve the world through volunteerism.
ELIGIBILITY & CRITERIA
Individuals that meet the criteria are eligible for the PVSA.
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The recipient (s) must be a United States citizen or a lawfully admitted permanent resident of the United States.
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Awards are issued for service hours served within a 12-month time period or over the course of a lifetime.
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Awards are issued for volunteer service only; additional levels of participation with the organization (i.e., charitable support) are not a factor considered for the award.
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Court-ordered community service does not qualify for the award.
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Awards are only issued by approved Certifying Organizations.
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Service must be with an approved Certifying Organization that is legally established in the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or one of the U.S. territories.
Hours are measured over a 12-month period and awards are designated based on cumulative hours. The awards are offered in multiple levels and are designed to recognize each milestone of your service achievement. Levels include bronze, silver, gold and the highest honor, the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award for those who contribute more than 4,000 hours of service in their lifetime.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Candidates must document their volunteer activities and submit the online application package on or before September 1st, 2023. Applications will be approved on a rolling basis.
Hours are measured from September 1st, 2022 to September 1st, 2023. Students must use and complete the official SADD forms found in the Resources section of the SADD Portal and include all supporting documentation in the online application package.
A letter from every agency, organization, school, church, etc., (on their letterhead) where you volunteered must accompany your time sheet and be signed by an agency representative verifying your hours. Verifying letters must be on the organization’s letterhead.
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If your service involved overnight stays, such as volunteering at a summer camp, only direct contact hours/hours on task may be counted. (Sleeping and driving hours do not count.)
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Your time log must reflect each day you volunteered, and the hours served on those days. (Range of dates with total hours are not acceptable. For example: February 1-15, 2022, 40 hours or June 2022-March 2023, 200 hours.)
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Hours served fulfilling your responsibilities as a local, state or national officer do not count for the PVSA (volunteer activities performed while an officer are acceptable).
Candidates must also submit a letter of nomination from one of the following: the direct supervisor/agency representative working with the candidate, a school administrator, SADD Advisor or SADD State Coordinator. Candidates must meet the number of hours designated by the President’s Volunteer Service Award to reach the bronze, silver or gold levels of service. See the chart under "Helpful Info & Links" for more details!
Please review the checklist below prior to submitting your application. Any items not included in your application package will disqualify your ability to achieve the award.
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Application: completed online, with all supporting documentation scanned and uploaded
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Volunteer Service Hours Timesheet(s) – scanned and uploaded with your application
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Letter of Nomination – if you have these in hard copy, please scan as a PDF and upload with your application
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Verifying letters from each organization where you served, on the organization’s letterhead - if you have these in hard copy, please scan as a PDF and upload with your application
APPLY HERE for the pvsa!
