Dorris and Karen Hopper are volunteers at Hurst Hills Elementary School, where the campus goal is to log 10,000 hours through Volunteers In Public Schools (VIPS). Dr. Buinger, superintendent of schools, has set a district goal of 625,000 hours. Each campus and each individual volunteer can help meet that goal. For the first time, schools will be announced as being a Silver Level or Gold Level school at the awards luncheon. Silver Level elementary schools are those that log 10,000 to 19,999 hours; Gold Level elementary schools are those that log 20,000 hours or more in a single year. Silver Level junior high schools are those that log 5,000 -- 9,999 hours. Gold Level junior highs are those that log 10,000 or more hours in a single year. Gold Level schools will be in the running for the Golden Apple Award. The VIPS year goes through March 31, 2012. Volunteers will then have until the morning of April 9 to catch up on logging hours before the database is locked to determine awards. The 2012 luncheon theme is "Going for the Gold," to coincide with the 2012 Olympics.

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