Service
The current Bishop Watterson service program began in 1984 with a request for students to help a young boy with physical disabilities. By 1996 Bishop Watterson worked with 36 organizations and for the 2018-19 school year the number of agencies partnering with BWHS has grown to 92.
In the Gospel, Jesus refers to himself as having come “not to be served, but to serve,” After having washed the Apostles’ feet, He commanded them to love as they have been loved, for Christian love is service to one another. The stories of Scripture and the lives of the saints throughout history provide ample evidence that the hallmark of a Catholic Christian is love for others lived out as service. In response to the Catholic Church’s call for a dynamic and living faith, Bishop Watterson High School attempts to provide for the religious education through its service programs.
- The Volunteer Service Program is open to any student of every grade who wishes to volunteer time and talent in the community or at his/her church setting. To participate, students must record their service hours – with location, dates, type of service and (non-parent) supervisor signature – on a quarterly basis. These hours are compiled as a service transcript, and become part of the student’s record. We urge all students to record their hours for the following reasons:
- Many service agencies receive funding based on community support, measured in part by hours recorded by volunteers
- Consideration for school awards, scholarships, and National Honor Society membership
- A source of information for employment/college references
- An accurate record of the ways our students are serving the greater Columbus community
- The Sophomore Service Training Program is a part of our curriculum, integrally bound to the vision and mission of the Catholic school. Under the guidance of their parents, the sophomore theology teacher, and the Service Director, students commit to a specific project, and are helped to develop a sense of their own self-worth, and the dignity of people in need. Since service is intrinsic to the Catholic Christian message, a student must participate in and successfully complete this program in order to return as a junior at Bishop Watterson High School.