Credentials & Eligibility

The Credentials Committee oversees all aspects of service verification and eligibility for presentation at the Medallion Ball.

Eligibility

To be recognized as a Medallion Candidate, a young lady must:

• Be of recognized spiritual and moral character

• Be single

• Be no more than nineteen years of age

• Be at least a high school senior at the time of presentation

Although the Medallion Ball is held under the patronage of the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, young women of all faiths are encouraged to participate.

Attendance at the Medallion Ball is a strict requirement to receive the Medallion. No exceptions are made for absences. 

Accruing Volunteer Service Hours

Junior Medallion Candidates may begin earning the 150 volunteer hours required for the Joan of Arc Medallion on June 1 following the completion of their 8th-grade year.

• Hours must be completed by May 1 of the junior year in high school to be eligible for presentation.

• Candidates are encouraged to complete approximately 50 hours per year, including three summers (after 8th, 9th, and 10th grades).

This pace provides three full years to achieve the required 150 volunteer hours.

Documenting Volunteer Hours

Each organization where a Junior Medallion Candidate volunteers must issue a credentials letter on its official letterhead.

Each letter must include:

• The dates of service

• The number of volunteer hours completed

• A brief description of the type of work performed

• The signature of the supervising coordinator
  

  Candidates should collect these letters at the time of service and retain them until requested by the Credentials Committee.

Please Note:

• The organization must be a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

• Only actual hours of service may be counted.

• Example: On a mission trip, only the hours actively spent serving may be counted—travel and free time do not count.

• Example: Singing in a church choir may qualify, but practice time does not.

• No double counting: Hours used to fulfill another requirement (for school, parish, or club) may not also be counted toward Medallion service.

Status Checks

To remain in good standing, Junior Medallion Candidates must complete annual status checks with the Credentials Committee.

These checks occur after freshman and sophomore years and require:

• An estimate of total volunteer hours completed to date

• Updated contact information in preparation for the Medallion Ball

• Confirmation that the Candidate’s mother or female guardian is a current member of St. Lucy’s Auxiliary to the Blind

Candidate Registration for the Medallion Ball

On July 1 of the summer as a rising junior, the Credentials Committee will email a registration form to parents or guardians of Junior Medallion Candidates.

To confirm participation, the following must be received by August 31:

• A non-refundable registration fee of $500 (effective 2020)

• Documentation verifying at least 100 hours of volunteer service

If the required information or payment is not received, the Credentials Committee will attempt to contact the Candidate’s family. If there is no response within a reasonable period, a final notice will be sent, and the Candidate may be removed from the program.

In the spring of the junior year, the Credentials Committee will request the official credential letters on agency letterhead. These must be submitted no later than May 1 of the junior year.

For any issues or questions, please contact the Credentials Committee Chair(s).

St. Lucy’s Auxiliary Membership Requirement

Mothers or guardians of active or qualified Junior Medallion Candidates are required to be members of St. Lucy’s Auxiliary to the Blind.

Please visit www.stlucysauxiliary.org for membership. (Or add the direct link) 

The Credentials Committee

The Credentials Committee of St. Lucy’s Auxiliary is composed of five members in good standing, and their decision regarding each Candidate’s eligibility is final.

Questions regarding acceptable volunteer hours should be directed to the Credentials Committee Chair.

Acceptable & Unacceptable Types of Volunteer Service

• Candy striper at a hospital.

• Helping at a community library.

• Serving in a nursing home.

• Volunteering with a non-profit organization or CBO (Community Benefit Organization) that serves the underprivileged, a group or a need e.g. National Pancreas Foundation, Autism Speaks, etc.

Unacceptable