At Citizenship, volunteering is core to the school’s identity. Volunteerism is an incredibly enriching experience that will benefit all students – personally, academically and professionally.
As students participate in community service opportunities, they become aware of the issues facing their region, and by becoming an active part of the solution, they become a more involved, caring citizen. By recognizing challenges and taking part in solving them, students become better problem solvers and gain real-life application experience. Such success typically leads to a can-do attitude that spreads to academic and work pursuits. In turn, colleges and work places view volunteerism as a positive and desirable characteristic in applicants. These student volunteers are seen as more dependable, responsible, able to follow instructions, and having intrinsic motivation. Students personally benefit as they develop a sense of pride that comes from seeing how their actions benefit their community. They may find that their volunteering experiences leads to a fulfilling career, as they discover skills they need to develop or observe an adult whose work and leadership they wish to emulate. Through volunteer experiences, students build a network of relationships and advisors who will strengthen ties to the community and serve as references in the future. The combination of volunteer experiences and building references can lead to significant scholarship opportunities as well. Studies also indicate that students who participate in community service are more likely to become voters, and continue their involvement in their communities as problem solvers and active change agents.
As part of the Commitment Letter signed by each student and his or her guardian, each student must complete 225 hours of community service as a graduation requirement through K-12. The total volunteer hour requirement for graduation will be pro-rated based on the grade level that each student enters the school. All community services will be tracked as part of an online Student Information that is accessible to students and parents 24/7.
REFERENCES
www.onlinecollege.org/2012/06/27/12-reasons-community-service-should-be-required-schools/
www.cct.umb.edu/naylor.pdf
nces.ed.gov/pubs99/1999043.pdf
www.focussyracuse.org
www.dosomething.org
