Thanks to the hard work of Mrs. Shannon Fox ‘80, the Christian service administrator, Cathedral can continue to be a bright spot in the community despite the varying Covid-19 guidelines and restrictions. Service hours are back, and along with helping Indianapolis and its surrounding areas as an integral part of fulfilling the school’s mission, the hope as always with this school is to instill lasting relationships and habits as well.

 The required service hours will remain the same for each grade, with freshmen doing 15, sophomores 20 and juniors and seniors earning 25, but with some differences compared to past years.

 Fox noted that there will be more options for students to fulfill those hours this year, and we know that making such significant changes took time. It would have been easy for the school just to have drop these requirements, but that is not what the Cathedral family is about.

 The Megaphone staff encourages students to stay safe as they pursue their community service commitment, and we know that the organizations that seek volunteers have done their part to ensure a safe environment and positive experience.

 When it comes to Covid-19 restrictions that students will face when trying to complete their service, Fox said, “Every agency is going to be a little bit different. The ones that are in the greatest need are the food pantries. I know all the (agencies) that are using volunteers are being really safe with their guidelines.”

 Typically during fall and spring breaks, students can go on mission trips to fulfill their service hours for the entire school year. However, as of now there will sadly be no mission trips. If possible, there may be one in the spring, but that is to be announced as guidelines are reassessed in the future. Cancelling the fall trip, given the current circumstances with almost 200 students opting for online instruction, is a logical decision.

 A helpful resource for new students or those looking to search for different ways to serve the community can be found on the school’s website. If you go through the student portal, and click on “Christian Service,” you can find a link to a list of approved organizations. Should you find yourself still with questions or concerns, Fox said, “Just be patient and don’t panic about not knowing what to do. If students are unsure, they can come and ask me for help,” she said.

 The Megaphone staff also recognizes the logical decision to extend this year’s service hours window to May 1. In the past, the deadline typically had been April 1, but once again, the challenges of this school year make it wise to provide students with another month to complete their hours.