Faith Alive


	Schlarman High School A Catholic High School of the Diocese of Peoria


	Project Guidelines


	Gold Project Guidelines Formerly called "Long-Term Projects")


	A minimum of 60 hours must be completed in the Gold Project Category

1.	Each Gold Project requires a minimum 20-hour commitment. The entire 100 hours can be completed through one project if desired, or any combination of 20+ hour projects can be used to meet the required 100 hours. A student must fulfill the minimum number of hours contracted per project to receive credit.
2.	ALL GOLD PROJECTS MUST BE REGISTERED BY THE STUDENT AND APPROVED BY THE FAITH ALIVE PROGRAM DIRECTOR or COMMITTEE BEFORE THE PROJECT HAS BEGUN. Gold projects can be registered using the “Gold Form” or online by visiting www.schlarman.com. No Gold Project will receive credit unless this guideline has been followed. The primary guidelines for acceptance require that every Gold Project demonstrate a connection to at least one of the Corporal or Spiritual Works of Mercy. Each Gold Project should bring the student into direct service of one or more persons in need. Gold Projects that fail to demonstrate these criteria will not be approved.
3.	With the aid of their parents, students should arrange their Gold Projects by directly contacting a parish, organization, or agency. The student should find projects that can readily be identified with the Corporal or Spiritual Works of Mercy, and would bring the student into direct personal contact with a person or persons in need.
4.	The following types of service may not be used for a Gold Project: service performed for the school, setting up or cleaning up for a fund raiser, clerical work, parish maintenance, ticket-taking, working a concession stand, recording statistics or running a game clock or score board, decorating for school dances, etc. Some of these exclusions will not apply to “Blue Category Projects” and credit may be earned (see Blue Category Project Guidelines).
5.	At the conclusion of a Gold Project, and within twenty days of the ending date of the contract, the student is required to complete a “Reflection/Evaluation Form” (yellow form). The Faith Alive Committee may reduce or deny credit if the Reflection/Evaluation Form is not submitted on time. The student is also to ask the supervisor to complete the green Supervisor Verification Form.” Both of these forms may also be completed online at www.schlarman.com.
6.	How to Develop a Gold Project Being the Lord’s servant is at the heart of the Faith Alive program. As such, it is the responsibility of the baptized to act with a servant’s heart and to seek-out and help those in need. The process of selecting a good service project is intended to be an experience of faith and reflection on the call to be Christ’s servant in the world. It is also a process that requires sometimes lengthy, and yet prayerful, conversation between the student and his or her parents. Below are some steps that might help facilitate this process. The first step is for the parents and student to prayerfully consider what the needs of the church and community are. Begin your conversation by asking each other: “Who in the community needs help?” If you are having difficulty identifying a need, you might review the short list of agencies included with this handbook. The second step is for the parents and the student to identify the unique gifts and talents of the student. Parents may also wish to help the student identify areas where personal growth (such as overcoming a prejudice or stereotype) might be helpful to the student. Having determined what the needs of the community are and what unique and particular talents and gifts the student has, the parent and student consider where the student will best be Christ’s servant. At this third step, prayerful consideration of how this service can be associated with one of the corporal or spiritual works of mercy also takes place. Finally, the parent and student complete the Gold Project Registration Form.