Student Service: Learn.Serve.Engage. Program Overview

Connecting Students to Meaningful Service

Lincoln Charter School's Learn.Serve.Engage. (LSE) program is designed to foster a sense of civic responsibility and community engagement among students. Participation contributes positively to our communities while helping students develop skills and experiences that benefit their future academic and career paths.

LSE encourages students to become thoughtful, active citizens through school based service, community involvement, and service learning experiences.

Getting Started

1. Complete your service between June 1 and May 31.
2. Students in grades 3 through 12 log service hours in x2VOL.
3. Students in grades K through 2 keep a paper service log or photo journal.
4. Every service activity must have an adult verifier.
5. Log your hours as soon as possible after serving and follow up with your verifier if they have not approved your hours in a timely manner.

Program Requirements and Service Hours

The Learn.Serve.Engage. program asks students to complete a specified number of service hours each school year. The service year runs from June 1 through May 31. Service hours may be completed through a variety of activities inside and outside the school community, including faith based service, local nonprofit organizations, government agencies, schools, and structured service learning projects.

Annual and Golden Eagle Service Hour Goals

A student completing the yearly LSE service goals from K through 12 will graduate with more than 200 hours of community service.

Service Expectations for School Programs

Completion of LSE requirements can serve as a qualifier for events, clubs, honors, and recognitions. Participation in some clubs and student activities may require students to be in good standing with their LSE service requirements.

Examples include:

• National Honor Society, 11th and 12th grade: Must meet LSE expectations.
• Beta Club, 10th grade: Must meet LSE expectations.
• Eagles Advisory Council: LSE compliance considered.
• Homecoming and Prom Court Candidates: Service expectations considered.

x2VOL: Student Service Tracking

Lincoln Charter School uses x2VOL to record and track student service hours. Students in grades 3 through 12 use x2VOL to document their service throughout their time at LCS.

Account Setup and Access

All LCS students in grades 3 through 12 have an x2VOL account.

• Accounts are pre-registered using the student's LCS school email address.
• Students should not create a new x2VOL account.
• Students should log in using their LCS Google Account and select Continue with Google.
• New students and rising 3rd grade students are added to x2VOL after their school email address and student information are available.
• New students should claim their x2VOL account on a computer before using the cell phone app.

Important x2VOL Reminder

When entering service, students should carefully enter the supervising adult's email address. Most verification delays occur because of an incorrect email address.

If a verifier does not approve the request after about a week:

1. Check that the email address was entered correctly.
2. Ask the verifier to check their spam or junk folder.
3. Resend the verification request once.
4. If needed, update the verifier to another appropriate adult who directly knows about the service.

K through 2nd Grade Students

Students in grades K through 2 do not use x2VOL. They should maintain a paper service log or photo journal throughout the school year. When students receive their x2VOL account in 3rd grade, they may enter service activities from their paper log into x2VOL.

x2VOL Cell Phone App

Students may use the free x2VOL cell phone app after claiming their account and signing in with their LCS school email account. The app can make it easier to enter service information soon after an activity is completed. The benefit of the cell phone app is that students can fill in the log while still at the volunteer event and potentially get approval from their verifier before they get to the parking lot to go home. 

Opportunities for Service

Students are encouraged to seek service opportunities both within the school and in the community. Elementary students typically reach their yearly 5 hour goal through classroom and school based activities. Middle school students may complete a significant portion of their service through school activities but may need additional community opportunities to meet their yearly goal. Parents and families can help students find appropriate service opportunities in the community. All students can earn service hours through qualifying school based traditions and events.

High school students can find service updates through the StudentSquare group, Learn.Serve.Engage. | Student Service Opportunities.

School Based Traditions

Students may earn service hours by participating in qualifying school traditions and events. Students who serve as part of a group are still responsible for documenting their own service time individually in x2VOL.

Examples include:

• 9/11 Day of Service
• PTO Track Attack: Donations and celebration day, Fall
• La Fiesta, Fall
• Pink Out, October
• Veterans Day Program
• SoulFest, Winter
• Cultural Expo, Spring

Clubs and Advisory Projects

• Eagles Advisory Council: Apply in the fall.
• Big Eagle/Little Eagle: A high school mentoring program led by the Counseling Department. Apply in the fall.

What Counts as Service

For service hours to count, the service must be completed through a nonprofit organization, government agency, or school. Service through faith based organizations may qualify. Service at senior or retirement centers may qualify whether the center is nonprofit or for profit.

Qualifying Activities

Examples of qualifying service include:

• Volunteering at shelters, cleanup events, or nonprofit fundraisers
• Faith based service such as helping with church events or mission work
• School hosted service learning projects
• Local civic engagement such as library service or election related assistance
• Service at qualifying senior or retirement centers

Students may receive credit for up to 10 hours of service per day, plus reasonable travel time when serving outside Lincoln County.

What Does Not Count

The following do not count as LSE service hours:

• Chores or household responsibilities that benefit your own family, such as babysitting siblings or yard work
• For profit work, including declining payment for work that benefits a for profit business
• Donations of money, gift cards, or items
• Court ordered community service
• Participation in competitive activities such as sports, band, or theatre unless the activity has been pre approved by the LSE Coordinator as a humanitarian effort where the community is directly benefited
• Any service for which the student receives compensation, including payment, discounts, or in kind services

Participation in sports, theatre, or band does not automatically count as LSE service hours. These activities may, however, satisfy the Athletic, Theatre or Band requirement for the Golden Eagle Award.

Logging and Verifying Hours

Students should log all service in x2VOL honestly, based on the expectation of Honesty, one of Lincoln Charter's core values.

• Each service submission must include the email address of the supervising adult.
• Phone numbers are not accepted for verification.
• The supervising adult receives an email from x2VOL to confirm the hours.
• A parent or guardian may verify service if they directly supervised the activity.
• Students may not verify their own hours or the hours of another student.
• The LSE Coordinator reviews and officially approves verified service entries.

Need help with x2VOL? x2VOL Help Form

Reflection and Photo Uploads

When logging service hours, students may be asked to reflect on what they learned through their service experience. A reflection does not need to be lengthy. A few thoughtful sentences can describe what the student learned, how the experience affected others, and how the student grew through the experience.

Tips for Effective Reflection

Consider these questions:

• What did I learn from this experience?
• What skills or lessons did I gain?
• How did I grow personally or socially?
• What challenges did I face and how did I overcome them?
• How did my service affect others?
• Did this experience inspire me to continue serving?

Students may also upload a photo of themselves serving. Photos can add to the student's reflection and create a lasting digital record of their service experiences.

The Golden Eagle Award

Beginning with the Class of 2018, Lincoln Charter School offers high school students an opportunity to earn a Golden Eagle Award. The Golden Eagle represents the highest honor for students who participate in the full Lincoln Charter Experience. Beginning with a student's freshman year, students are given the opportunity to earn credit toward the award.

Updated Fall 2026

The Golden Eagle Award was established beginning with the Class of 2018 to recognize students who participate in the full Lincoln Charter Experience. Since the award was originally established, Lincoln Charter has expanded its high school opportunities. Beginning in Fall 2026, the Student Life requirements have been updated to include theatre and band alongside athletics. Students may now satisfy the seasonal requirement by participating in or attending qualifying athletic, theatre, or band activities during each season.

Golden Eagle Requirements

1. Academics: Minimum of a 3.5 GPA each school year, unweighted.
2. Service: Learn.Serve.Engage. Service must be documented on x2VOL.
   • Freshman Year: Minimum of 40 hours of community service
   • Sophomore Year: Minimum of 60 hours of community service
   • Junior Year: Minimum of 80 hours of community service
   • Senior Year: Minimum of 100 hours of community service
3. Student Life
   • College/University Visits: Minimum of 2 visits per school year.
   • Club Participation: Minimum participation in 1 high school club per school year.
   • Social Event: Minimum participation in 1 Lincoln Charter social event per school year.
   • Athletic, Theatre or Band Requirement: During each school year, complete one qualifying activity each season: Fall, Winter, and Spring.
     • Participation Option: Participate in a Lincoln Charter sport, theatre production or band.
     • Attendance Option: Attend a Lincoln Charter athletic event, theatre production or band performance.

Each student is responsible for documenting their Golden Eagle requirements each school year. Each freshman is provided with the Golden Eagle Template. The template must be renamed using the student's name as it appears in their school email address and shared with the Learn.Serve.Engage. Coordinator, Brenda DeYoe, with editing rights. All requirements must be completed, documented, and submitted by the last day of school each year, except for senior year, when they are due May 1.

Golden Eagle Template Instructions

1. Make a copy of the Golden Eagle Template. The template is also available through the school website under Student Life > Service > Student Service.
2. Rename your template using your name as it appears in your school email address: first initial of your first name, followed by your last name and graduation year. Example: bdeyoe2029
3. Click Share and add Brenda.DeYoe@LincolnCharter.org.
4. Be sure to grant editing rights and choose the option to notify by email.

Students should update their Golden Eagle Template throughout each school year as they complete each requirement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does summer service count?

Yes. Service completed after June 1 counts toward the next school year.

Can parents verify service hours?

Yes. A parent may verify service hours when they directly supervise or have firsthand knowledge of the service.

What if my verifier never responds?

If your verifier has not approved your submission after about a week, check that you entered the correct email address and ask your verifier to check their spam or junk folder. You may resend the verification request once. If needed, you can edit the submission and use a different adult verifier who directly knows about your service.

Can I volunteer with my church?

Yes. Service through a qualifying faith based organization may count toward your service requirement.

Can I volunteer outside Lincoln County?

Yes. Service outside Lincoln County may count. Reasonable travel time may also be included when appropriate.

Is travel time included in my service hours?

Reasonable travel time may be included when serving outside Lincoln County.

Can I volunteer with a family member?

Yes, provided the service is completed through a qualifying organization and the service itself meets LSE requirements. Helping family members with household chores or personal tasks does not count as service.

How quickly should I log my service?

Log your service shortly after completing it while the details are still fresh. Promptly logging your hours also gives your verifier time to approve them.

Student Service Ideas

Not sure where to start? Here are some ideas to help you find meaningful ways to serve.

Elementary Students

Library or literacy support
Food pantry or food bank
Church nursery or children's programs
Animal shelter, when age requirements allow
Community cleanups

Middle School Students

School events
Food drives
Park or community cleanups
Community festivals
Service projects through clubs or organizations

High School Students

Leadership and service projects
Tutoring
Mentoring
Nonprofit organizations
Community service through faith based organizations
School and community service opportunities

Remember, service should be purposeful and intentional engagement in the community. If you are unsure whether an opportunity will count, ask before completing the service.

Get Involved

Service starts with finding a way to make a difference. Whether you serve through your school, your faith community, a nonprofit organization, or another qualifying organization, every experience is an opportunity to Learn.Serve.Engage.

Not sure where to start?

Watch for service opportunities through ParentSquare and StudentSquare. High school students can join the Learn.Serve.Engage. | Student Service Opportunities group in StudentSquare.

You can also talk with a teacher or counselor, or contact Brenda DeYoe, Service Coordinator. Brenda supports students on both the Denver and Lincolnton campuses and can help you find service opportunities, answer questions, and make sure your service is documented correctly.

Your Service Matters

Service is not simply about reaching a number of hours. It is about how you use your time, talents, and willingness to make a difference in your school and community.

Log your hours promptly. Reflect on what you learn. Keep looking for meaningful ways to serve.

 

Need Help or Have a Service Question?

Contact Brenda DeYoe, Service Coordinator for the Learn.Serve.Engage. Program
Denver and Lincolnton Campus