Students were able to raise funds for FINISH Sarcoma to support patients going through treatment. In addition to fundraising, the community fair offered partners such as the Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) Mental Health Services, the Baltimore County Public Library (BCPL), and school-based student groups to share information on their work and to invite students attending to join.
Social Studies: Students were able to participate in group interactions and community socialization while also researching organizations that support mental health, safety and basic needs of citizens in their community.
Students met with community members throughout the day and spoke with sarcoma survivors about their experiences.
With guidance from their advisor when necessary, students were the leaders in planning this event. On the day of the event, students were responsible for assigning volunteer roles and checking in with community members and participants throughout the day.
The memorial walk raised money to support FINISH Sarcoma, which is dedicated to providing assistance to sarcoma patients and their families, promoting sarcoma awareness and supporting sarcoma research. A local grocery store donated water and snacks to walkers. The Hereford BCPL provided information on summer reading opportunities and donated snacks. The Hereford National Honor Society volunteered to host face painting and obstacle course areas and those students were able to share about other service opportunities that they have been a part of. The BCPS Mental Health Services handed out 988 information along with resources for other local services. The Maryland Center for School Safety provided participants with information on school safety initiatives and resources. The Maryland Association of Student Council hosted a table to share information on advocacy and legislative priorities. Lastly, One Love Hereford offered information on 988 and membership/club initiatives.
BCSC students formed an event planning group and assigned sub-committees such as social media and marketing, donations, community partnerships, volunteers, logistics, and entertainment. Meetings occurred weekly beginning six months before the event took place, and check-ins were done as necessary. Students were given tasks to complete by certain deadlines and were responsible for following up with their sub-committee chair.
Students spoke with the co-founder of FINISH Sarcoma to learn about the foundation and what services they provide to patients. Students were able to connect with community members to foster support for the community fair and share information about the event. They also met with school leadership to gain perspective on the different opportunities that are offered for students in the areas of advocacy, mental health, and extracurricular activities.
Mental Health Services Advocacy
Calvert County Public Schools, 2023
AP psychology students at Northern High School partnered with the Calvert County Health Department to help identify and propose solutions to mental health problems in Calvert County Public Schools and the community. The community partner and the students agreed that there was a need in the community for more mental health services and created an advocacy project to address the need.
Best Practice 1: Meet a Recognized Need in the Community
Students created resources to inform others of the available mental health services in their community.
Best Practice 2: Achieve Curricular Objectives through Service-Learning
Throughout the service-learning experience, students learned how to conduct interviews with community partners, strengthened their electronic communication skills, and utilized a variety of technology to complete their projects.
Best Practice 3: Reflect throughout the Service-Learning Experience
From March to May, students worked on their projects and reflected on their progress and new learning.
Best Practice 4: Develop Student Responsibility
Students took full ownership of their projects. They had a few requirements to meet and had complete choice on what problem they wanted to focus on, solutions, and ways in which they wanted to present their information.
Best Practice 5: Establish Community Partnerships
Students met with community partners in Calvert County, including the Health Department, as well as partners in surrounding areas and national organizations. The students made a huge difference in their school and community and have started a legacy.
Best Practice 6: Plan Ahead for Service-Learning
The classroom teacher engaged in a yearlong project-based learning book study before creating this project. She connected with the Calvert County Health Department prior to the start of the project. Students had basic criteria as a part of the project and a great amount of choice, and the project grew as a result.
Best Practice 7: Equip students with Knowledge & Skills needed for Service
Students learned about the brain and mental health in their AP psychology class.
Supporting Interscholastic Unified Sports Programs
Garrett County Public Schools, 2023
On February 24, 2023, the
Cool Schools Deep Creek Dunk raised over $40,000 to provide for and support unified sports programs in Garrett County’s middle and high schools. The event took place at Deep Creek Lake and was organized by the Maryland State Police, Natural Resources Police, and Special Olympics Maryland. Participating sixth through twelfth grade students in Northern High School, Southern High School, Northern Middle School, and Southern Middle School were responsible for raising $50, either for their own participation or for the team they were representing. In addition to raising money, students also completed service-learning hours by helping to set up, organize, and clean up after the event.
Best Practice 1: Meet a Recognized Need in the Community
The event supported the Garrett County Interscholastic Unified Sports Program.
Best Practice 2: Achieve Curricular Objectives through Service-Learning
Objectives relating to physical fitness, basic financial management, interpersonal and/or soft skills were addressed in this service-learning experience.
Best Practice 3: Reflect throughout the Service-Learning Experience
Students reflected on the needs of their schools’ unified sports programs both in writing and through direct participation.
Best Practice 4: Develop Student Responsibility
Students were responsible to ethically manage donations, form teams, and organize participation on the day of the event.
Best Practice 5: Establish Community Partnerships
The Maryland State and Natural Resources Police and numerous other community businesses and organizations such as Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations and Deep Creek Uno Pizzeria and Grill sponsored this event.
Best Practice 6: Plan Ahead for Service-Learning
The major sponsors of this event reached out to school administrators who communicated the event’s specific objections to teachers and students. However, the students took the lead in organizing the fundraising activities. School administrators secured transportation for the event and both students and teachers helped to promote this activity in the school and community.
Best Practice 7: Equip students with Knowledge & Skills needed for Service
Students were prepared for this event by learning about the benefits of unified sports programs in their physical education classes, basic financial management in their financial literacy courses, and interpersonal and soft skills across the general school curriculum.
“WE Have Gratitude - Say it Now” MLK Week of Service
Montgomery County Public Schools, 2023
Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) annually recognizes Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., (MLK) with a week of service projects. All schools were encouraged to host one of the following service experiences in a manner that best fit their school:
- School staff lead their students through the MCPS student service-learning districtwide
“WE Have Gratitude – Say It Now” opportunity as a class or group, and/or
- School staff hosted a schoolwide or classwide service event, collaborated with the school’s Parent, Teacher, Student Association to host a service event, invited a local non-profit organization to support the school service event, or allowed a school club or organization to lead the endeavor.
A total of 43 middle schools and 29 high schools participated in “WE Have Gratitude – Say It Now” service-learning project, with more than 3,600 students submitting responses to the culminating Google Form reflection.
MCPS was honored with
a very special recognition video that Martin Luther King III recorded for MCPS schools to thank students and staff for their service during the MLK Week of Service. In the video, shared with MCPS students, staff, and school communities, Martin Luther King III acknowledged the challenges of the past few years and encouraged acts of service and expressions of gratitude as it fosters well-being.
Best Practice 1: Meet a Recognized Need in the Community
As part of this year’s MLK Week of Service, the “WE Have Gratitude – Say It Now” service-learning opportunity strengthened student well-being, built strong relationships, and spread good experiences and positive emotions throughout the school community and the wider community. Students in grades 6-12 had the opportunity to plan and create an expression of gratitude for community members for whom they are grateful, including firefighters, police officers, healthcare workers, armed forces, local nonprofit organizations, etc.
Best Practice 2: Achieve Curricular Objectives through Service-Learning
Objectives relating to research and investigation, collaboration and problem-solving, and mental health and well-being were addressed. Students investigated and learned about how gratitude impacts well-being, as well as considered how gratitude impacts an individual’s mental well-being. Students looked for gratitude within their community and developed an action plan to express gratitude to a member of their community.
Best Practice 3: Reflect throughout the Service-Learning Experience
This service-learning experience consisted of five lessons that each incorporated opportunities for students to reflect on the connections among gratitude, well-being, and healthy relationships. Students were encouraged to reflect individually and as a group/class throughout the process of planning and creating their expression of gratitude. Students reflected on various community members and groups who deserve their gratitude, how to express gratitude in a genuine manner, and how to consider the intended recipient when creating an expression of gratitude. Students engaged in both verbal and written reflection throughout. The experience culminated with a final Google Form that captured students’ written reflections on each lesson contained within the service-learning opportunity.
Best Practice 4: Develop Student Responsibility
While staff members helped to facilitate the lessons, each lesson was centered around students taking the lead in planning and creating their expressions of gratitude for their chosen community member or group. Students submitted proposals to their peers for review and made decisions together to determine the actions that needed to be taken to create the expression of gratitude, to identify which team members were responsible for performing each action, and to consider any potential challenges or possible solutions.
Best Practice 5: Establish Community Partnerships
MCPS partnered with WE Schools, a nonprofit organization that engages educators to empower youth with skills, knowledge, and motivation to bring positive change in themselves and the world. WE Schools provided free service-learning resources and materials for this service campaign and also co-hosted professional learning sessions for staff interested in facilitating this SSL opportunity at their schools.
Best Practice 6: Plan Ahead for Service-Learning
WE Schools and MCPS met monthly during the school year to plan and develop service-learning materials and resources for staff, including lesson plans, slide decks, and activity guides. WE Schools and MCPS also planned and co-hosted virtual workshops in December for staff to review the materials and resources and provide space and time for planning and collaboration. School-based staff collaborated with one another during December and January to plan implementation and facilitation of the service-learning opportunity at their schools.
Best Practice 7: Equip students with Knowledge & Skills needed for Service
Students learned the definition and meaning of gratitude and began a practice of gratitude while also looking for examples of gratitude within their community. Students also investigated and learned about how gratitude impacts well-being, the benefits of gratitude based on scientific research, and how it not only benefits the well-being of the one receiving gratitude but also the one expressing gratitude. Students discussed people in their community for whom they are grateful and how they would like to express their gratitude. Students took the time to create expressions of gratitude and planned how the expressions would be delivered.
Contact:
Lauren McKinley, M.Ed.
Service-Learning Specialist, Youth Development Branch
Office: (410) 767-0357
lauren.mckinley@maryland.gov
Reginald Burke, M.S.
Director, Youth Development Branch
Office: (410) 767-0313
reginald.burke@maryland.gov