The new Service Learning Program is community service 2.0, rebranded with the usual buzzwords: “meaningful human connections,” “deeper understanding,” does service learning become so focused on reflection that the service is lost?
The main issue facing the new service learning requirement is that no one really seems to understand what it is. Students in the junior class, the first to experience books the new program, received an email over Thanksgiving break with assignments due the following week. They were tasked with writing reflective essays and creating videos about their experiences with community service.
This out-of-the-blue assignment more left many students feeling rushed and confused by the larger program. The 500- word essay and video was only the first assignment. Now, juniors are beginning a vague, two-year service learning program. The Junior Class hasn’t engaged in any service outside mandated afternoons until this year, so rounds of reflection feel misplaced and unexpected.
Even members of the Community Engagement Leadership Board have been left feeling confused by the change. If a group of students dedicated to community service and engagement are out of the loop, how are underclassmen supposed to understand the new system?
While it is fair to question whether the previous hour requirement really promoted valuable service, it at least forced students to dedicate 40 hours of their time over the course of high school.
The argument that under the 40- hour system students will fulfill their requirement with a smattering of service opportunities seems unfounded. To complete all 40 hours, most students have to spend a large portion of their time with one organization. Even if a student decides to try many different forms of service, that does not necessarily mean their time was wasted.
The new system claims to encourage students to learn more about a specific that they want to combat before addressing it through their work. Education about service learning is important, but it cannot replace the actual service that benefits communities.
The 40-hour requirement admittedly does face some setbacks. Many students choose to complete their entire requirement during Senior Spring Project (SSP)—the last eight weeks of high school. To promote engaging in service throughout all four years of high school, the school could implement a 10- hour per year or 20-hour every two year requirement instead. The school could also widely offer a spreadsheet, similar to the one used for SSP internships, with a list of community service opportunities for students.
Can a requirement ever really be meaningful for everyone? Maybe not. But, forcing students to simply reflect on their service learning does not guarantee meaningful engagement either. Let’s return to a 40-hour requirement to ensure actually serving, as well as learning.
