Florida Test Prep · Free planning tool
Bright Futures volunteer & paid-work hours
Know which hours count, get the school’s approval and make a plan your teen can actually finish.
| Award | Volunteer only | Paid work only | Combination |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academic Scholars (FAS) | 100 hours | 100 hours | 100 total hours |
| Medallion Scholars (FMS) | 75 hours | 100 hours | 100 total hours |
Your district or private school approves activities and sets documentation procedures and deadlines. The state requires written records signed by the student, parent/guardian and organization representative, plus reflection through a paper or presentation. Verify the process before starting. Source: official handbook, Chapter 1, pages 3–5.
Plan the hours you still need
Use approved totals from your school’s records. Keep pending entries separate until the school accepts them. This is a planning tracker, not an official submission form or an eligibility decision.
Your hours plan
Add new hours to your log
Record the date, organization and activity. Mark an entry approved only after your school accepts it.
Can you combine volunteer and paid hours?
Yes. For example, 40 approved volunteer hours plus 60 approved paid hours reaches the 100-hour combined route. But 40 plus 35 does not. A student with 75 approved volunteer hours already meets the FMS volunteer route, even if they also have a paid job. They still need 100 total approved hours for FAS.
Get the paperwork right before the first shift
- Ask for the actual form. Send your counselor the organization name, what your teen will do and the proposed schedule. Ask which activities count and whether prior approval is required.
- Pick a person who can verify the work. Agree on how dates and hours will be recorded. A changing supervisor is a good reason to get records signed regularly.
- Keep a folder, not a memory. Store the school’s form, activity approval, signed logs and reflection together. A screenshot of a work schedule is useful backup; ask whether your school needs anything else.
- Check the school’s recorded total. An entry on your spreadsheet is not the same as an accepted entry in the school’s records. Resolve missing hours while the supervisor is still easy to reach.
Make the schedule realistic
If 60 hours remain and you have 20 weeks, that is three hours a week. Leave room for exams, illness and canceled shifts. A regular Saturday commitment can be easier to finish than a last-minute hunt for a large project.
What about home education or PEP?
Submit hours through your registered district office. The handbook calls for agency-letterhead documentation of dates and hours, completed during high school by graduation. Ask the district which local forms it needs.
Hours are only one part of Bright Futures
Use our eligibility and GPA calculators below to check the other pieces. Finishing the hours does not by itself earn the scholarship.