Earn 75 Arkansas Community Service Learning (CSL) Hours

Flexible, remote, and self-paced service learning opportunities for the Class of 2027 and beyond!

Are you an Arkansas high school student looking to complete your 75 Community Service Learning (CSL) hours required for graduation? The Jackson Copeland Foundation offers meaningful projects that fit your schedule while helping you meet the new requirements under Act 237 (The LEARNS Act).

Our service learning opportunities are designed to align with the Arkansas Department of Education’s guidelines by incorporating the three essential components: Preparation, Action, and Reflection. Whether you are in Little Rock, Fayetteville, Jonesboro, or anywhere else in the Natural State, our projects can be tailored to help you reach your goals.

Projects include supporting leukemia patients and families through organizing blood drives, leading registration campaigns for the National Marrow Donor Program, or managing fundraising initiatives.

Why Choose Our CSL Projects?

• Act 237 Compliant: Our projects are structured to include the mandatory Preparation, Action, and Reflection phases.
• Remote & Flexible: Much of the work can be done from home, fitting around your sports and study schedule.
• Impactful: Your hours directly help save lives and support families battling cancer.

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Arkansas CSL Graduation Requirements (Act 237)

Under the Arkansas LEARNS Act (Act 237), students in the graduating Class of 2027 and beyond are required to complete 75 hours of community service to earn a high school diploma.

• The Goal: To foster civic responsibility and personal growth while addressing real community needs (like ending leukemia).
• The Schedule: While you can complete your hours at any pace, the state recommends the following breakdown to stay on track:
  • 9th Grade: 15 Hours
  • 10th Grade: 20 Hours
  • 11th Grade: 20 Hours
  • 12th Grade: 20 Hours
• The Process: All our projects guide you through the three state-mandated phases:
  1. Preparation: Learning about blood cancer, building a team, and planning your project. We recommend reading our guide, Blood & Money: Service Learning and Project Management Principles for Student Volunteers, to get started.
  2. Action: Executing your fundraiser, drive, or awareness campaign.
  3. Reflection: Analyzing the impact of your service on the community (essential for your service log!).

Note: Under Act 720 of 2023, local school boards or administrators have the final say on approving volunteer sites. Always verify your project with your school counselor or CSL coordinator before starting.

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What Counts for Arkansas Service Hours?

Arkansas defines eligible service as activities that benefit the community and include the preparation, action, and reflection components.

Activities that Generally COUNT:

• Charitable Service: Volunteering with a registered nonprofit (like us!).
• Civic Engagement: Organizing community awareness campaigns.
• Community Health: Organizing blood drives or recruitment campaigns for the National Marrow Donor Program.
• Direct & Indirect Service: Both face-to-face volunteering and “indirect” service (like organizing a fundraiser or drive) are accepted.

Activities that DO NOT Count:

• Family Obligations: Chores or helping at a family business.
• Court-Ordered Service: Community service required by a court does not count toward graduation.
• Donations Only: Simply donating money or blood usually does not count (but organizing the drive or fundraiser does!).

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Service Learning Projects to Earn Your 75 Hours

1. Organizing Blood Drives

Many leukemia patients rely on blood transfusions to survive. While simply giving blood might not count as service learning hours, organizing and hosting a community blood drive definitely does! You will handle the logistics, marketing, and recruitment—meeting the “Action” requirement while gaining leadership skills.

2. National Marrow Donor Registry Campaigns

For many patients, a stem cell transplant is the only cure. You can earn CSL hours by organizing a campaign to register new donors for the National Marrow Donor Program. Increasing the registry diversity literally saves lives and meets the “Action” phase of your service learning.

3. Organizing Fundraisers

Plan and execute a fundraiser to support patient families. We assist with the “Preparation” (logistics, accounting, marketing) utilizing the principles from our ebook Blood & Money so you can focus on the “Action.” Whether it’s a 5K, a bake sale, or a digital campaign, fundraising is a classic service learning project accepted by Arkansas schools.

4. Personalized Service Learning

Have a unique idea? We are thrilled to help you design a custom service learning project. We will help you structure the Preparation, Action, and Reflection phases to ensure they meet your graduation requirements. This is perfect for students who want to combine their specific talents (art, coding, writing) with community service.