Rules have changed dealing with community service hour deadlines for seniors. Before seniors were to have their hours in towards the end of the year. Now hours were due no later than December 21st that way college recommendation papers could have been written earlier. Although a deadline was set there are students who have turned in their hours late or not at all.

Briana Joyner has not yet turned in her hours and is hoping she can still qualify for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship. In order to qualify, students must log a minimum of 100 community service hours before the deadline.

“I haven’t faced any consequences that I know of and I know they are really pressuring us to get our hours in as soon as possible,” she said. “I am really hoping it is not too late to do the whole Bright Futures Scholarship. I had all my hours done before Winter break but I was so focused on my exams I had forgotten to turn them in.”

Briana Sandoval turned in her hours on time by making arrangements due to the time crunch.

“I turned in my hours before the 21st and it was a little stressful because I had to work to get more hours in a quicker time block than expected,” she said. “Usually I rely on Cheer for Charity and a parade but since the deadline was so early I couldn’t rely on those sources which made it extremely stressful.”

By Isabella Serrano