Student Service Learning

STUDENT SERVICE LEARNING – FAQ’s


                                              
What is Student Service Learning?

All Baltimore County Public School students are required to participate in activities which promote learning about people and communities. The purpose of these activities is to show students the importance of helping and appreciating different people. Students are eligible to begin earning service learning volunteer hours entering 6th Grade (as of July 1st). Students will receive information about student service learning hours by their grade level counselor.

What are the requirements?

All students are required to:

-Earn a minimum of 75 hours of student service (students cannot receive pay for their service hours).

-Complete the hours before graduating from high school

How do students earn the required hours?

Students may earn hours by:

-Participating in activities in a community setting, such as volunteering at a local library, serving as a youth summer camp counselor, and tutoring young children at a school or community center. These activities are called independent projects.

-Participating in lessons instructed during the school day, at Sudbrook Magnet Middle, in designated subject areas. This type of Service Learning is called Infusion.

How do students find service learning activities in which to participate?

The following resources are available to students:

-Parents/friends/relatives may know of a place in the community to earn service hours.

-Teachers/counselors may offer opportunities for students to earn service hours.

-A Student Resource Directory is available in Sudbrook’s School Counseling Office and on the BCPS website, which identifies places in the Baltimore metropolitan area to earn service hours. The hours may be completed in any state.

What are students required to do to receive credit for their independent student service hours?

Students are required to:

Fill out two (2) forms:

1. Pre-Approval Form - the Student Application to Participate in a Student Service Activity. To receive service hours, a proposed activity must meet Baltimore County guidelines.

2. Hours Verification and Reflection Form- The top portion is to be completed by the Service Site Supervisor. The student completes the Student Reflection Questions to explain what they have learned from their volunteer experience.

3. The Pre-Approval Form has to be completed and turned in to the School Counseling Office at Sudbrook Magnet Middle School before the service (Action Phase) begins. The Hours Verification and Reflection Form has to be turned in at the end of the service experience, in order to receive credit for the hours.


4. The required student service learning forms may be obtained from Sudbrook’s School Counseling Office and on the website:

Student Service Learning Website

For assistance, please contact the School Counseling Office at (443) 809-1254.