Service Learning

Service Learning teaches commitment, responsibility, organization, time management, leadership, and the joy of giving to others. It provides opportunities for personal growth, constructive interactions, positive feelings, and the development of lifelong skills. Students are empowered to see the significant impact they can have in the community as they learn the valuable habits of being productive volunteers. A brief description of the program, which is a graduation requirement, follows:

Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Grades

Students participate in community service activities with three different non-profit agencies; these need to be approved by the School. Possible events include beach clean-ups, sponsored walks or runs, and working at a food bank or boys and girls club. The School will provide information about local service projects and will organize several events each year.

Sophomore, Junior, and Senior Years

Students are highly encouraged to continue volunteering during these years, and it is strongly recommended that they participate in one or both of the following service commitment programs. The first is the Community Service Honor Roll, which recognizes students based on the number of hours volunteered each year. Students who volunteer 50 – 99 hours each year qualify for the Standard of Excellence level, students who volunteer 100 – 149 hours each year qualify for the Role Model level, and students who volunteer 150 or more hours each year qualify for the Exemplar level. Students interested in tracking their hours and receiving this recognition at the Awards Assembly at the end of the year should contact Mrs. Deutsch, Service Learning Coordinator, at sdeutsch@sierracanyonschool.org for activity logs and other information. The Community Service Leadership Program promotes going above and beyond recognizing hours. Students must volunteer for one agency at least 50 hours a year for at least two years (100 hours minimum), completing a large-scale project to benefit the agency. In addition, students must create a presentation that demonstrates the personal meaning of their service. These projects can include, but are not limited to, a photo journal, a documentary film, a web page, an art depiction such as a sculpture or painting, or a short story that was written because of the impact of the service experiences. The projects will be displayed at the Community Service Exhibition and recognition will be given at the Awards Assembly. Mrs. Deutsch will assist students in creating the projects, and she should be contacted for further information on how to participate.

School Service (Middle School)

As members of the Sierra Canyon community, 7th and 8th graders have a school service requirement. At the beginning of the school year, students will select the dates for their school service responsibilities, in which they will assist the Middle and Upper School offices in a variety of tasks around campus.