Community Collaborative Charter School

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Service Learning

Service Learning

Community Collabarative Charter School (CCCS) has always been committed to helping students work in the community in positions that allow them to reflect on their personal values and contribute to the common good. As a consequence of that commitment, the school has developed a generous repertoire of agencies and community services that as a consequence have allowed students to work alongside them for the purpose of service learning.

A service learning project begins when a student recognizes the relationship of a personal interest with a school subject and an application to a problem solution. The problem may be a local, national, or international opportunity. The project may be a personal or a group activity which could produce change in the life situation of the student, the school, the community and beyond.

Each Service Learning Project is initiated and completed by the student or setup by the school as a group project. Students are required to choose from a range of available opportunities of interest in order to complete 24 hours of service learning project time. This typically occurs through 20 hours of service through school centered and run projects and then 4 independent hours that they setup and complete on their own. Students attend 5 classes to help them understand what service learning is and how it works and to help students research their individual projects and experience team building activities that prepare them for serving in the community.

With each type of project, the student has a final assignment in a presentation avenue of choice which describes the experience, the activities completed, and the value to the student with respect to:

Increased knowledge of an organization and its services
Increased connectedness with the community beyond the school
Personal growth resulting from service to others
Understanding of the relationship between interest, subject, and area of service

Many students don’t make the connection between school subjects and life in the “real world,” so teachers help them make that connection in a variety of ways. Service Learning brings the “subject to life,” by connecting a local, national, or international concern with a school subject, in a problem-solving project.

For the past 25 years, service learning programs have reduced school dropout rates, while increasing student maturity and self-respect, connection with the school and the community, and the value of service to others.

Our Mission

It is the mission of the CCCS Service Learning course to provide high-quality curriculum, instructional support, community and social resources, and create multiple pathways to meet the diverse needs of our student population.

Service Learning provides students with an opportunity to use skills and knowledge in real-life situations and extends learning beyond the classroom and into the community. Our goal is that students will become actively contributing citizens and community members through the service they perform.

Service Learning Graduation Requirement

To graduate with a diploma from CCCS, students must complete a 2.5 credit Service Learning requirement. Service Learning strengthens ties between students and the community, encourages students to explore areas of interest, and allows students to use educational skills and knowledge in real-life situations.

To complete the Service Learning a student must complete one of the following options:

Option 1:

Complete 24 hours of supervised, documented service hours at approved volunteer sites.
Attend 5 service learning labs.
Make a presentation that represents the culmination of the student’s Service Learning experience.

Option 2:

Complete one of the following courses, when offered:

Economics in Action
Government in Action
Cultural Diversity

Service Learning Community Partners

It is the desire of CCCS to provide unforgettable, hands-on learning experiences for our students. Our program’s strength is founded on 10 years of development with our over 20 past and present Community Partners utilizing a variety of ever-growing diverse opportunities. As part of our program, we offer two annual Service Learning Preview Days that highlight our weekly opportunities by hearing directly from many of our community partners. Our Community Partners include:

We serve the needs of homeless women, children and families, Human-trafficking victims, vulnerable wildlife, the environment, underserved populations, giving back to teachers, as well as beautifying our community in many ways. We will also offer opportunities for week-long opportunity during Spring Break in Baja, Mexico building houses for families in need.

We anticipate facilitating Service Learning opportunities that will impact students long after graduation and shape their future choices to make a difference in their spheres of influence in life.