Beaconhills College launched the Year 8 Certificate of Excellence (COE) program over ten years ago with the aim of recognising more than just academic achievement.

The program, which sees students complete 20 hours of community service work, is inspiring young people to become long-term volunteers.

Year 8 Pakenham Campus student Jeremy Driessen is one such student. After volunteering at BK 2 Basics – an emergency food relief provider in Narre Warren every Saturday for his COE, he decided to keep volunteering, helping sort and distribute food to people in need.

“They are all super nice people in there and it makes you want to do your best”, it’s a really good feeling helping out in the community”, Jeremy said.

Certificate of Excellence facilitator Natasha Muller said she was “extremely proud” of Jeremy.

“His generosity and service leadership truly are brilliant examples of what it means to be Beaconhills”, she said.

Beaconhills’ Head of Citizenship and Service, Sarah Dyce, said she’d noticed an interesting trend of ongoing service emerge amongst students.

“A fair number of students have caught themselves by surprise to feel what it’s like to give and find that passion of service to others,” she said.