Service-Learning in Garrett 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

Curricular-connection in 6th, 7th, 8th grades (30 hours total). 5 hours in 11th grade government. Independent projects at the high school level (40 hours).

Breakdown:
Health: 6th Grade (10 hours)
DARE: 6th Grade (1 hour)
Interdisciplinary Team Project--6th grade (3 hours)
Interdisciplinary Team Project--7th grade (3 hours)
Health: 8th grade (10 hours)
Interdisciplinary Team Project--8th grade (3 hours)
11th grade Government (5 hours)

Reporting: Service-learning is not indicated on report cards. Rather, there is a transfer form that is used to tell new districts how many hours the student has completed to date.

Transfer Policy: Students transferring into a Garrett County high school from a school system which does not require service-learning will complete hours as noted below:

• 12th grade - Must complete 10 hours
• 11th grade - Must complete 20 hours
• 10th grade - Must complete 30 hours
• 9th grade - Must complete 40 hours

Students transferring into a Garrett County high school from a school system which does require service learning will:

• Complete all required curriculum units applicable to the service-learning program in courses for which the student is scheduled; and
• Be exempt from the forty hours independent requirement if the transcript indicates forty hours of service has been previously performed or that the student's service-learning requirement has been satisfied in another school; or
• Complete sufficient hours of service, either in addition to hours transferred or of original hours to satisfy the forty hour requirement.

3. Teacher Fellows (see overview)

Students must perform 40 hours of independent service in high school, so I serve as a resource to help students find service opportunities. I also teach the SSA class in which students perform a variety of projects including the middle school special education project, After-Prom project, canned food drives, community days with agencies, etc. I also coordinate the school-wide Blind Skier Guide Project that allows high school students to assist students from the Maryland School for the Blind on a ski trip.

Rhonda Tasker, 2003, Southern Garrett High School, 301-334-9447, rtasker@ga.k12.md.us

It was Christmastime and I was surrounded by a group of 10th and 11th grade students in my social studies class. We began discussing the needs in our community with regards to domestic violence and the impact it had on children. We decided to do a teddy bear drive to aid young children living in the Dove Center, a domestic abuse shelter. We also knew that the children are sometimes taken to the Garrett County Memorial Hospital for emergency room treatment. These children would benefit a great deal from the love of a teddy bear. Best practices:

• There is a real need in our community to help abused children. We have a domestic violence center that accommodates parents and children who are victims of violence. A growing number of children seek a safe haven in a hurry, unable to gather a favorite toy from home. Being away from one parent and living in a strange environment or taken to the emergency room can cause children to be lonely, scared, and sad.
• There are several curricular objectives met through this project, including social skills development, cooperative learning, enhancement of communication, time management, decision-making, and mathematical skills.
• Students reflected on the activities by discussing the visits and deciding what made each visit special. They also reviewed what they could improve so they could better utilize their time with the children and make the project a high quality service-learning project.
• Students were responsible for collecting the donations used to purchase the teddy bears. They selected the bears that they thought were most appropriate and then bought the bears. Students had to develop a schedule of events to follow regarding shopping for and delivering teddy bears. They also had to obtain permission to travel to the Dove Center and Garrett County Memorial Hospital from both their parents and the facilities.
• We worked with the Dove Center, Garrett County Memorial Hospital, and Wal-Mart.
• Students had to select collection sites for donations of both money and teddy bears. They kept accurate records of all the donations received and deposited the donations into the school account. Later, they requested a check written from this account, so they could purchase the bears. They had to make a schedule of events to meet at Wal-Mart to purchase teddy bears and deliver them to Dove Center and the hospital. Students had to coordinate the schedule with contacts at the Dove Center and the hospital. They also arranged for opportunities to learn more about both facilities and the people they serve.
• As noted above, students had to learn about the issue of domestic violence, as well as how to work as a team to plan and implement a large-scale fundraising event.

Michelle Zollner, 1998, Southern Middle School (Health), 301-334-8881, mzollner@ga.k12.md.us

I teach middle school students how and why to do service-learning. I emphasize preparation and reflection (as well as action) to encourage students to find their own niche in service-learning. Each student serves with a certified organization in need that matches that student's personality, skills, and most importantly, what that student identifies as meeting an important community need.