Earn Points Toward Your New York State Seal of Civic Readiness
Service Learning & Civic Capstone Projects for NY Students
Flexible, in-person, remote, and self-paced opportunities to earn your “Civic Participation” points!
Are you a New York high school student working toward the Seal of Civic Readiness? To earn this prestigious distinction on your diploma, you need a total of 6 points, with at least 2 points coming from Civic Participation.
The Jackson Copeland Foundation offers meaningful, structured projects that help you earn these critical points through Service Learning or Civic Capstone Projects.
How Our Projects Help You Earn the Seal
New York State offers multiple paths to earn your “Civic Participation” points. Our projects are designed to meet the criteria for the following categories:
- Service Learning Project (1 Point): Requires a minimum of 25 hours of community service and a reflection assignment. Our projects provide the structure to easily exceed these hours.
- Civic Capstone Project (4 Points): Requires you to identify a civic issue (e.g., healthcare equity, blood shortages), analyze it, and take informed action. Our platform provides the “Action” phase of your Capstone.
- Extracurricular / Work-Based Learning (0.5 Points): Requires a minimum of 40 hours of participation. Since our projects are flexible, you can accrue these hours on your own schedule.
Help us create a Bright Future for leukemia patients!
Meeting NYSED Requirements
To earn your points, you must do more than just volunteer; you must demonstrate civic engagement and reflection.
1. For the Service Learning Point (25+ Hours)
We provide a structured environment where you can track your hours and impact. Whether you are organizing a drive or running a campaign, you will have the data needed to write your Reflective Civic Learning Essay, which is required to claim this point.
2. For the Civic Capstone (High School Diploma Pathway)
If you are using this project as part of a 4-point Capstone, you need to “take informed action” on a civic issue. Our projects allow you to tackle real-world issues like public health access and community crisis response, satisfying the “Action” domain of the Capstone rubric.
Projects to Earn Your Points
We guide you through the process—Investigation, Preparation, Action, and Reflection—aligning perfectly with the NYSED Service Learning standards.
1. Organizing Blood Drives (Public Health Action)
Civic Issue: Blood shortages are a public health crisis that disproportionately affects cancer patients.
Action: By organizing and hosting a drive, you are not just volunteering; you are managing a community health asset. This qualifies as a robust Service Learning project or the “Action” phase of a Capstone.
Get started with organizing blood drives.
2. National Marrow Donor Registry Campaigns (Healthcare Equity)
Civic Issue: Diversity in the donor registry is a matter of life and death for minority patients.
Action: Organize a campaign to register new donors for the National Marrow Donor Program. This addresses healthcare disparities and applies scientific concepts to community welfare.
Learn about the National Marrow Donor Program.
3. Organizing Fundraisers (Community Leadership)
Civic Issue: The financial toxicity of cancer treatment.
Action: Plan and execute a fundraiser to support patient families. This project demonstrates financial literacy, leadership, and community mobilization—key “Civic Skills” required for the Seal.
Start your fundraising initiatives.
4. Personalized Civic Projects
Have a unique idea? We can help you design a custom service learning project. If you want to use art, coding, or writing to advocate for leukemia patients, we will help you structure the project to ensure it meets the “Civic Participation” criteria.
Apply for a Service Learning Project
Resources for NY Student Volunteers
We believe in equipping you with the skills to succeed. Our free guide helps you manage your project professionally, ensuring you have the documentation needed for your Civic Readiness Portfolio.
Recommended Reading:
Blood & Money: Service Learning and Project Management Principles for Student Volunteers
Download this free ebook to learn how to structure your “Preparation” phase—which counts toward your total service hours!
Important Note for New York Students:
Always verify your service plan with your Social Studies department or Guidance Counselor to ensure it aligns with your school’s specific “Seal of Civic Readiness” application process.