About the Service Learning Program

                          F.Y.I.
Beginning with the 2011-12 academic year CPS high schools will 
phase in a new service-learning graduation requirement.  The 
graduation requirement for all high school students will be the 
completion of three (3) substantive, high quality service-learning 
projects during their four years in high school.  

               Top ten reasons to do Service Learning
1.     Graduation requirement
2.     Allows you to “network” with new people
3.     Possible letter of recommendation for college
4.     Write about volunteer hours for college application
5.     Scholarship opportunities 
6.     Looks good on your college transcript
7.     Use hours for work experience
8.     Gets you out of the house
9.     Earn points with your parents 
10.    It’s a nice thing to do

             REMEMBER: Service Learning is not just volunteering:
 
1) Students should develop lifelong commitments to the common good
 
2) Students should receive valuable experience they can use in life

3) Students should step outside of their comfort zone and broaden 
their knowledge of the world
 
4) Students should develop a skill or learn something new
 
5) Students should develop an awareness of social concerns and issues
 
6) Students should care less about the hours and more about their 
experience
various stakeholders:
♦ Students benefit from higher academic achievement, relevant 
learning opportunities, community ties, and leadership opportunities.
♦ Teachers benefit from empowerment to create conditions for student 
success and the ability to take an interdisciplinary approach to 
learning.
♦ Administrators benefit from greater collaboration within the 
school, stronger ties to the community, enhanced community support of 
schools, and the ability to demonstrate effective teaching, learning 
and serving.
♦ The Community benefits from being able to shape the future 
workforce, a stronger student sense of responsibility and ownership 
of the community, and the opportunity to help students become 
contributing citizens while learning problem-solving and leadership 
skills.
♦ Policymakers benefit from students becoming responsible and 
productive workers and citizens, students gaining real-world civic 
and career experience, and addressing multiple student standards.