DCG Silver Cord

Silver Cord Award

The Silver Cord Award is a distinguished award available to Dallas Center-Grimes students who earn at least 160 total hours of community service/volunteering by mid-April of the graduating year. During the COVID pandemic, the service hour requirements were adjusted. Those required hours will now be phased out. The DCG Class of 2025 and Class of 2026 will only need 120 hours. However, we are transitioning back into our regular Silver Cord requirements beginning with the Class of 2027. This will require 160 hours.

Students may begin the Silver Cord Program the first day of school in their 9th grade year.  These hours are subject to change at any time, We will do our best to communicate when changes are updated. Hours can be completed at any time during a student’s time at DCG High School.

Hours will be prorated for those students who move into the district after the beginning of the 9th grade school year.  If you are a current DCG student and want to begin the program, regardless of your current year, please see your counselor at DCG High School for more details.  Recipients will receive a silver cord to wear on their robes at graduation in recognition of their achievement.

Important details regarding the Silver Cord Award
Documentation:  We are using the platform called PathwayOS. Click here to begin the process. This system will eliminate the need for any paperwork. Students will be completing all forms online. Students will also be required to email the supervisors to approve of all service hours provided. These hours will be approved by the DCG High School Counselors.

Silver Cord Instructions
  1. Click here
  2. Select “Log In”
  3. Type in “Dallas Center-Grimes”
  4. Select “Log In” next to Dallas Center-Grimes School District
  5. Select “Sign in with Google” and select your DCG account to log in
  6. On the initial screen (Dashboard) select “Log Service Hours.”
  7. Begin entering event information.  For “Community Organization”, select Silver Cord. FOR “WHAT GROUP IS THIS LOG ASSOCIATED WITH”, YOU MUST SELECT SILVER CORD. Select “Next.”
  8. Enter Supervisor Name and Email (phone number is optional).  THIS MUST BE ENTERED SO THE SUPERVISOR CAN APPROVE YOUR HOURS. Select “Next.”
  9. Enter the date, number of hours you volunteered, and a brief description of your role.  If you volunteered multiple days at the same event, select “Add Another Day.” When completed, select “Submit.”
The supervisor will now receive an email and will either approve the hours or reject it if there is any incorrect information given.  Once this is done, your counselor will review it and approve it on our end.

Class of 2025: All hours must be submitted by April 1st. This will allow preparation for graduation.
Prorated hours due to COVID-19

If beginning silver cord status in 9th grade = 120 total hours
If beginning silver cord status in 10th grade = 100 total hours
If beginning silver cord status in 11th grade = 80 hours
If beginning silver cord status this year = 60 total hours

Summer Service:  Service hours earned during the summer, may be applied to either the student’s prior year or the student’s upcoming year. However, the summer before the student’s 9th grade year cannot be used.

Acceptable School Service Activities: Students may earn Silver Cord Hours related to school events as long as:

  • No varsity letter, school credit, or grade is given.
  • The service hours are not expected as part of a membership to a group or club.  For example, volunteer hours required for National Honor Society members will not count towards Silver Cord Hours.
  • A student or organization the student belongs to does not receive financial or other compensation.

Acceptable Community Service Activities Silver Cord hours must be for providing a service or meeting a clear need for a non-profit agency, church, school, park, charity program, fundraiser or community event. The service should be “above and beyond” one’s usual scope of involvement.

Non-Acceptable Service Activities include but are not limited to: sports teams managing/training, most DCG music program events, fundraising events, service to satisfy a class or required by any agency, program or organization, for pay or compensation of any kind, others at the discretion of the DCG High School Counselors. Silver Cord Supervisors are not allowed to be immediate family members and services provided can’t benefit the student’s family. If there is a question with supervisor approval, please reach out to your student’s counselor before the work begins.

The DCG High School Counselors make the final determination regarding service hours acceptance.

For any further assistance, please contact the high school counselors. Email Mrs. Clancy, Ms. Rinehart or Mr. Gross: danie.clancy@dcgschools.com  lisa.rinehart@dcgschools.com or nathan.gross@dcgschools.com.