Students Now Learn
Community Service

By Harry Saltzgaver
Executive Editor

One of the most heart-warming sights there is for a parent is seeing their child help someone less fortunate or experienced.

In 2002, the Long Beach Unified School District board made that sight a lot more likely. The board approved a new graduation requirement that had little to do with scholastics, at least directly.

Beginning with the class of 2007 (those students who are juniors this year), every graduate must have completed 40 hours of “service learning” or community service. The idea, board members said at the time, was to instill a sense of community into the students.

It seems to be working.

While the service learning curriculum is still in its infancy, Long Beach high schoolers have become a visible force everywhere from Habitat For Humanity house-buildings to Police Athletic League tutoring sessions.

“We’ve had students volunteer at the Museum of Latin American Art for youth art workshops,” said Merideth Joyce, the school district’s youth services coordinator. “There are a lot of kids out there this summer, helping with recreation programs, after school programs, tutoring.

“We’re working hard to get the teachers to add service learning to their curriculum. We need to get them to understand that it is not an add-on, but to work it in. For example, civics teachers could have students volunteer at the polls.”

This school year, the majority of high school students will be facing the community service requirement for the first time — only the seniors will not be scrambling for volunteer hours. So providing viable volunteer opportunities are important, Joyce said.

Students can’t earn credit for hours worked at a for-profit company, either for free or if they are paid. They can earn credit for money raised at events such as AIDS Walk, but the money portion of the credit is capped at a fraction of the hours needed, Joyce said.

“We don’t want parents to be able to buy them out of the requirement,” she said. “This is about more than fulfilling a graduation requirement. Š When kids connect with the community, when they connect with the school, they come to respect the school and the community more. There are many other benefits as well.”

Joyce pointed out that community service has become a virtual requirement for college admission these days. Other students have used the program to test the waters for different careers, either service or trade oriented.

There can be gray areas, Joyce admitted. One has arisen with the recent emphasis on faith-based initiatives on the national level.

“We want to work with our faith community,” Joyce said. “So when students are volunteering to help the community through their church groups, that counts. It’s when they are proselytizing that it doesn’t count.”

There also is no denying administering the program means more work for both students and school administrators — who must get the word out to incoming students and their families as well as document the work done.

To get the word out, the district invades eighth grade classrooms toward the end of the school year to talk about the program and distribute flyers and workbooks. High school students who transfer in after starting are allowed to “pro rate” the requirement, so those who transfer in as juniors must complete 20 hours. The information is part of every orientation.

Every student also gets a “Student Service Learning Manual,” and a log to keep track of volunteer hours. There also is a service learning coach at each high school to help with immediate issues.

With more students ready to volunteer, there is a greater need to connect them with the organizations that need help. This fall, the district will host a “Volunteer Village” in partnership with the Greater Long Beach Directors of Volunteers with a special emphasis on youth volunteerism. The tentative date is Oct. 6. Joyce said there will be plenty of notice before the event.

“We’re trying to develop a habit of volunteerism,” Joyce said. “We think it is worthwhile for both the students and the community.”

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