DRIVEN School of Opportunity

Students in the CLASS OF 2027 AND BEYOND must earn 75 COMMUNITY SERVICE LEARNING (CSL) HOURS to graduate. Students can earn hours in four approved ways, beginning the summer after 8th grade.

1. SCHOOL‑SPONSORED OPPORTUNITIES
Students may earn hours through PCSSD-SPONSORED EVENTS, teacher-approved projects, campus clean-ups, family nights, and other school-based service activities. These opportunities are supervised, structured, and easy for students to access.

2. COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS
Students may volunteer with FOOD BANKS, ANIMAL SHELTERS, NURSING HOMES, HOSPITALS, COMMUNITY EVENTS, and other nonprofit organizations. Families must vet all sites for safety and transportation.

3. WORK‑BASED VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Students may earn hours through volunteer experiences connected to CAREER PATHWAYS, including job shadowing, workplace‑based service, and community events hosted by employers.

4. QUALIFYING EMPLOYMENT FOR WORKING STUDENTS
Students who work may count PAID EMPLOYMENT HOURS toward CSL when documentation meets state requirements. This option supports students balancing school, work, and family responsibilities.

Learn more at pcssd.org/page/community-service.

Three Pulaski County Special School District high school seniors have been named Semifinalists in the 2027 National Merit® Scholarship Program!

Tatum Roberts of Maumelle High School, Jackson Dowdy of Sylvan Hills High School, and Kate Mitchell, a Joe T. Robinson High School student when she entered the competition and now a DRIVEN School of Opportunity student, earned the distinction and will continue in the competition for National Merit Scholarships to be awarded in spring 2027.

According to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, more than 1.2 million juniors in about 20,000 high schools entered the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2025 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, and only the top 1% (16,000 students) make it to this stage with a chance to become Finalists and earn major scholarships.

Read more ⬇️
https://www.pcssd.org/article/3120568

PCSSD is partnering with the Academies of Central Arkansas and the Arkansas National Guard to connect students at each high school with more opportunities to enroll, enlist or be employed after graduation.

As part of the partnership, the Arkansas National Guard will:
🎓 Provide a Military Career Coach at each campus in the Academies of Central Arkansas network.
📚 Offer ASVAB testing and preparation to all 11th- and 12th-grade students.
🪖 Provide military pathway awareness programming highlighting educational benefits, leadership development and career opportunities.
🤝 Participate in the Academies Annual Career Expo, host tours of Camp Robinson and other partners, and coordinate Veterans Day and Military Recognition Day activities at each campus.

🔗 Learn more: https://www.pcssd.org/article/3094122 #ExpectBelieveSucceed

The Pulaski County Special School District and Academies of Central Arkansas Foundation announced the establishment of the Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield Academy of Business, Technology, and Community Impact at Joe T. Robinson High School and DRIVEN School of Opportunity on Thursday. The partnership between Arkansas Blue Cross, the Academies of Central Arkansas Foundation, and the Pulaski County Special School District expands career-connected learning opportunities for students through the Academies of Central Arkansas model. https://www.pcssd.org/article/3086426

Please take a moment to review the district dress code and clear/mesh backpack policy so your student is ready for August 10: https://www.pcssd.org/page/back-to-school