San Ramon Valley High School

What is The Pledge To Humanity Club?

 

The PTH Club is a community service based club where high school kids can get involved and make a difference in the community we live. We have folks in need right in our back yard, like Martinez, where our club can reach out and help. We are committed to reach people of all ages in our local community to provide aid for their needs. Through working together with this common goal, our high school community will see that it is truly much better to give than to receive.

 

 We are so excited to share that Pledge to Humanity was featured in People Magazine's February 2017 Human Interest section, Heroes Among Us. As you all know, this is a wonderful accomplishment for Pledge to Humanity and a reflection of you and your dedication to our mission. What we accomplish, we accomplish together!! 

http://people.com/human-interest/california-woman-inspires-teens-all-over-the-world-to-perform-acts-of-kindness/

 

What types of volunteering do you do?

 

We’ve volunteered in soup kitchens, at Glide Memorial making sandwiches for the homeless, at senior citizen centers, at low income schools in the area and more. If there is a need, we try to find it. We are there to help those in need of all ages in our surrounding areas.   Kids can volunteer on their own or volunteer with our PTH events.  Each count equally.  Kids that volunteer on their own should enter hours under "other" (this is on the honor system). 

 

 What is the requirement to be in the club?

 

All members are required to attend monthly meetings held at lunch time the 2nd Tues of every month in the Aux Gym and participate in 10 hours of volunteer service during the course of the school year (1 volunteer event must be with our PTH club and other hours can be on your own).  It is your responsibility to submit volunteer hours right here on our club page. To confirm attendance we now pass out tickets at the door and students write their name down on one and drop it in the bucket. We will have a ton of activities to pick and choose from or you can volunteer on your own. We want the goal to be achievable as well as a rewarding experience. We ask require parents to drive to one event per year.  This is the only way we can accommodate all members attending events. If there is a situation where a parent cant drive all year, please email  and we can waive this requirement for your family. Club dues are $35: please send check payable to Pledge To Humanity to 451 Bolla Place Alamo, CA 94507. If dues present a hardship, they can be waived.

 

You CAN volunteer on your own, for your church or for any event where you are helping folks in need.  You enter hours under "other" if you volunteer on your own.  We start counting hours the summer before the next school year starts so you can start now.

 

PLEASE NOTE: We are close to capacity for the club.  We currently have 126 students signed up for the club in fall 2017 and we will only be taking additional 50 members that will be able to sign up at the club fair in September.  For kids in the club last year, re-enrollment was not automatic (this was communicated by email and at club meetings).  If your name is not listed on the "PTH 2017 2018 Club Members" spreadsheet listed at the bottom of this page, your student missed the deadline to re-enroll.  At the club fair we will be passing out instructions how to re-enroll & pay dues online. However, we will be limiting enrollment to an additional 50 members. 

 

How do I make sure I get credit for volunteering?

 

We will track your volunteer participation if you volunteer with this PTH by signing up with one of our sign up genius invitations.  If you volunteer outside the club you will need to enter your hours.  To enter your volunteer hours you simply go to the top right hand corner of this Pledge To Humanity club page (yellow box on right hand side) and click on the button where says "Enter Volunteer Hours for Volunteering Outside of the PTH Club".   You will not be able to see if the event was entered and there is no need to resubmit the event more than once.  

If you need to miss a monthly lunch meeting:

What if I need to cancel an event that I signed up to participate in?  

 

We strictly enforce a 5-7 day cancellation notice.  If you cancel without 5-7 day notice.  If you cancel two times in one year without adequate notice, you will not be allowed to sign up for volunteer events the rest of the school year.  These events are planned sometimes a year in advance.  You need to be responsible for what you sign up for.  A 5-7 day notice is required so we have time to find a replacement. If you are sick a couple days before an event, you should ask us to find a replacement and we won't count this. We want to avoid getting a call the night before saying you are sick.

   

Starting in Fall 2017: We are asking for a $35 Club donation to be in the club- this fee will cover club expenses, food for sandwich making events for the homeless, copies etc.  Funds will also be used to purchase art supplies for the St Vincent De Paul Holiday party (we will host a couple craft tables that will serve 1000 foster kids, costs for supplies estimated to be about $2000). This event provides a huge amount of volunteer spots but we can only have the spots if we host a table and pay for the supplies.  Only those that pay the $35 will receive Sign Up Genius invitations.  If you want to volunteer on your own, we will not require you to pay the fee... Please note that we will waive your club fee if there is a financial hardship.  Please email  if you need to have this fee waived.  You will need to be able to cover your transportation costs if we take BART.  All finances go through the Pledge To Humanity Organization. Make checks payable to PTH and mail to Pledge To Humanity (Attn Beth McKnight) 451 Bolla Place, Alamo CA 94507

 

When and where are the meetings?

 

The meetings are the 2nd Tuesday of every month in the Aux Gym at lunch time. Please bring bring a packed lunch for other meetings. We will take attendance at each meeting

 

How do I know what community service events are coming up?

Event invitations will be announced on Twitter and Remind Me App, via emailed Sign Up Genius invitations and also through our emailed news letters.   We also have a PTH calendar that you can look at. To view this calendar simply go into your Google Calendar account and in the section on the left where you can choose what calendar to look at.  You can "Add a friend's Calendar"- click here and input [email protected].  You will see the volunteer opportunity events on the calendar.  The upcoming events will also be announced at the monthly meetings held at lunch time.  

  

Are you affiliated with the Pledge to Humanity’s Non-Profit Organization:

Yes, we are affiliated with the Pledge To Humanity organization. PTH is a non-profit organization founded by Gaby Ghorbani (who lives in Alamo). PTH is associated with schools and other local organizations that do service community service projects in our area. Over the years PTH has organized school supply drives, athletic equipment drives, coat drives, shoe drives, and toiletry drives for people in need and for our military troops. The non-for profit group has served thousands of meals to the homeless all over the bay area. Not only do the PTH projects center around the needy but they also proudly serve our senior citizens and those that may be physically challenged too. In addition to all of these service projects, they have been able to work to raise funds to help the needy in our area and 5 other countries around the world. San Ramon Valley High's new Pledge To Humanity Club will aim to support some of the amazing non-for profit's volunteering efforts organized by the PTH organization.

 

 

How Can I Become An Officer?

Officer positions have been filled for the 2 year term (2).  In March 2018 you will need to submit a form which will be posted on this site to indicate that you'd like to run for an officer position (Deadline is March 30).  Officer positions have a 2 year term (position will be fall 2016-Spring 2018).  If there are multiple candidates for a position, candidates will give speeches in April: we will have candidates give a 1-2 minute speech explaining why they feel they're qualified and why they want the officer position.  Elections will be conducted online via Survey Monkey.  If there is only one applicant for an officer position by 3/30/16, then they will have the position.  At our meeting in May: the officers will be announced.  QUALIFICATIONS TO RUN: CANDIDATES MUST HAVE COMPLETED AT LEAST 10 HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE (AUG-MARCH OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR) TO RUN and have attended all lunch time meetings. We want our officers to be active members that have displayed their commitment to the club through their service.   The form to apply will be posted at the bottom of this site and completed forms can be emailed to [email protected] or turned in at the club meeting in March 2018.