The number of hours you need depends on your award level and whether any of your hours are paid. If your hours are volunteer service only, FAS needs 100 hours and FMS needs 75. The moment any paid work hours are involved, whether alone or mixed with volunteer hours, the minimum jumps to 100 hours for both FAS and FMS. See the Bright Futures Eligibility page for the full requirements.
Step by step
- Confirm with your counselor that paid work counts toward your specific award level, and whether mixing in paid hours changes your total (see the callout above).
- Work any legal, paid job. Bright Futures doesn't restrict which employer or industry, unlike volunteer service, which requires an eligible nonprofit, school, or government agency.
- Save copies of your pay stubs, or ask your employer for a signed letter confirming your dates and hours worked.
- Record every pay period on this log with dates, employer, hours, and a supervisor signature or pay stub reference.
- Turn in your completed log and documentation to your counselor before your graduation date — Bright Futures will not accept hours submitted after graduation. Keep a copy for yourself first.
What documentation counts
- Pay stubs covering the dates and hours you're claiming.
- An employer letter on company letterhead, signed by a supervisor, listing dates and total hours if pay stubs aren't available.
- A W-2 or other tax document can help support a total but doesn't itemize dates on its own, so pair it with pay stubs or a letter.
- Per the Bright Futures Student Handbook, the completed log must be signed by three people: the student, the student's parent or guardian, and a representative of the employer.
- Keep every entry complete and legible. Like the community service form, this becomes part of your Bright Futures documentation record.
Paid work hours are separate from volunteer service hours. If you also volunteer, see our Bright Futures Community Service Form page for what qualifies (and what doesn't) as service.
Where to get your forms
Ask your counselor whether Mandarin has a preferred paid-work verification form, or if this log is fine to use as-is. If you are unsure whether a job qualifies, ask before you rely on it.
Tip: Save a pay stub or ask for a signed letter every pay period instead of trying to track it all down at the end of the year.
This log is Mustang Counselor Library's own design, not an official DCPS or Bright Futures form; Bright Futures doesn't publish one specifically for paid work the way it does for volunteer service. Sources: Florida Bright Futures Student Handbook; Mandarin High School School Counseling.