Silver Cord Program Overview

The Silver Cord Program began at Valley High School in the fall of 2001 as a graduation award that promotes volunteering and community engagement. The Silver Cord Award is available to West Des Moines Community Schools (WDMCS) seniors who volunteer each year of high school starting in ninth grade. To earn a Silver Cord, students must volunteer a minimum of 50 hours a year at three or more non-profit organizations, events, or programs during all four years of high school.

WDMCS Community Education coordinates the Silver Cord program, and each year, over 1,000 students from Valley, Valley Southwoods, and Walnut Creek Campus submit community service hours through the program. All WDMCS high school students are encouraged to participate!

Getting Started

Students can create a Silver Cord account by completing the online form at the link below.

All incoming ninth graders may begin participating in the Silver Cord program the summer following eighth grade. Please note: students may not start their service hours until June 1.

Sign up for WDMCS Silver Cord

Silver Cord Login

Students can view hours, update their profile, submit hours for credit, and read important messages from the Silver Cord Coordinator at Silver Cord online.

Sign in to your account

Volunteering at Home: Here to Stay!

We've received so many positive comments about volunteering from home and how helpful it was for your families! So, starting June 1, 2021, volunteering at home—for family, extended family, or neighbors, with the permission of a parent—qualifies as one of your three required organizations for the year. Use the Pre-approval “Silver Cord – Volunteering at Home (No more than 10 hrs total per year)” to submit these hours. Students may volunteer at home for up to 10 hours each year.

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Last Modified on September 10, 2021

Silver Cord