Service-Learning in Cecil County

Sections:

2. Fact Sheet

3. Fellows

Contact the designated MSSA Regional Coordinator with questions, or to update information on this page.

1. Service-Learning Contact Information

2. Service-Learning Fact Sheet

Service-learning is infused into a variety of courses. In early grades (6 & 7), projects are more teacher driven. In later grades (8 & 9), students lead projects. Regular service-learning school coordinator meetings are held; strong, active advisory board.

Breakdown:
6th Grade - Interdisciplinary with an environmental focus (pass/fail)
7th Grade - Interdisciplinary with a health (nutrition) focus (pass/fail)
8th Grade - Interdisciplinary with a historic preservation focus (pass/fail)
9th Grade - Government Class on issues in our society (pass/fail)

Reporting: Service-learning progress is noted on report cards as pass/fail with meritorious service hours progressivley recorded for grades 6-12.

Transfer Policy: Records of hours students earn are sent with them from school to school; students transferring into the system are responsible for the program from their point of entry onward. 10th, 11th and 12th grade transfer students do an independent service-learning portfolio project.

3. Teacher Fellows (see overview)

This service-learning experience is equally divided between my involvement at Cherry Hill Middle and my local Kiwanis Club. At Cherry Hill I am the advisor to the Kiwanis Club. The purpose of Kiwanis is to serve the community. The students that participate in this program complete various tasks and projects for the school community.

Rose Greer, 1996, North East Middle School, 410-996-6210

Wetland/Schoolyard Habitat Restoration Project. This project benefits the community by providing environmental stewardship, community beautification and restoration, and it raises community awareness.

Laura O'Leary, 1996, North East Middle School, 410-996-6210

Wetland/School Yard Habitat Restoration. This projects benefits the community by providing environmental stewardship, community beautification and restoration and it raises community awareness.

Alan Rusnak, 2004, Cherry Hill Middle School, arusnak@ccps.org, 410-996-5022

Each year our student council (SGA) sponsored a "SGA Christmas Service Day." One of the service projects had the student council members adopting 4-5 local families in need for Christmas. We would specifically try to identify and focus on our own teen mothers and their families. Approximately 25 SGA members participated in this activity. The students identify the families in need, contact and meet with the families regarding their needs, conduct a school-wide food drive, make shopping lists, shop for gifts, wrap the gifts, and then actually deliver the gifts to the families.

Meet a recognized community need: There were many families in our school district that were in need and the needs of such families are magnified during the holidays. Such families do not have the funds to make the holidays special for their families. Our students also recognized the unique needs of teen mothers.

Achieve curricular objectives: There were many links to the Cecil County Guidance Curricular objectives, core learning goals, Character Education Program and also to the required government class. Some of the outcomes of the project were: Students demonstrated decision-making skills. Students demonstrated social and civic responsibility. Students utilized verbal and nonverbal communication skills, writing skills, and research skills. Students demonstrated "caring for other" and "empathy" for others. Students increased their "self-esteem".

Reflect through the service-learning experience: Reflection - individual and group - took place during and after the project was completed. Students would reflect on the personal impact of the project on the families. Students shared their experiences at the next student council meeting.

Develop student responsibility: Our SGA members involved in this project were divided into groups of five. Each group was assigned one of the "adopted families." The members were responsible to contact and meet with their family. They would explain the project and get the family's permission to be "adopted" by our SGA. The students would collect information about the family's needs and come up with a Christmas list. The students were responsible for their "family" from start to finish.

Establish community partnerships: The Christmas project involved partnerships with many community agencies. Student would establish partnerships with local businesses, which allowed them to place money donation boxes at their sites. The local Wal-Mart was contacted to provide discount and tax-free shopping. Partnerships with local food marts were also established to help with the can food drive and provided free gift fruit baskets for each adopted family. In addition, the local Pizza Hut was contacted and they provided free pizza coupons used in the project.

Plan ahead for service-learning: We started planning for our Christmas Day project at our October student council meeting. The needs in the community were discussed and various projects were developed and planned to meet the needs. Identifying local families in need was the first order of business. Teen mothers were invited to the meeting to speak to our members. Students who participated in the project in past years shared their experiences with the current members of the SGA. Each step of the project required much coordinated planning on the part of the students

Equip students with knowledge and skills needed for service: Upper class SGA members prepared younger members to work with the families in need and about respecting the feelings of the families we were adopting. Since we conduct this project each year, the upper class members knew about the local established partnerships. The senior members provided the leadership for the younger members, and each group had at least one senior.

Hazel Strahorn, 1995, Rising Sun Middle School, 410-398-3019

I am the Service-Learning coordinator for my school. In this capacity I promote, facilitate, and track service-learning in infused curriculum, clubs and organizations, and individual plan service projects. With 6th grade classes we explored "Treasure from Trash". We studied how "trash" can really be a "treasure" when recycled through school wide composting of cafeteria food, and paper collection and recycling, including 1 ton of telephone books which were recycled, not sent to the landfill. My 8th graders have adopted a local cemetery and surrounding area to beautify and to promote their appreciation and learning of local history and folklore.

Carla Webb, 2000, Bohemia Manor Middle School, (Language Arts), 410-885-2095

My most memorable experience with my students had to be their total interest, enthusiasm, and dedication to our service-learning project- especially on planting day of our wetlands. They planted 800 plants with smiles on their faces. I never expected so much infectious excitement and interest. It was wonderful.

We were delighted that we could do our part locally to improve/purify the Bay Watershed. We met many outcomes and objectives as we integrated our unit in many subject areas. We reflected throughout- predicted and really reflected by letter-writing at the end. By assigning committees, groups by classes and within classes, everyone had some responsibility.

Currently, I am coordinating a school-wide environmental service-learning project which will involve the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade classes at my school. My goal in service-learning is to spread the word in my county that service-learning projects can be a part of the existing curriculum and should be a pleasure for teachers to teach and fun for students to learn.