The Value of Service-Learning Connecting and Building Community Through Acts of Service BY: LAURA CASPER-TEAGUE, ED.D.
Martin Luther King Jr. often spoke on service. He said, "everybody can be great because everybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love." Service is simple. Education is not a requirement to serve. But combine the two - service-learning - and there is much a student can gain. Service-learning can benefit students because it connects them to the community and provides real-world and authentic experiences, leading to expanded career and personal interests, increased engagement with others, and development of skills. For a community to thrive, it requires citizens to be aware of and involved with the needs of the people living in the community. By assisting others, students become more conscientious of those around them. Instilling the value of providing service promotes the greater good and benefits more than oneself. Creating a habit of offering service to others at an early age can lead to ongoing and continuation of service work throughout life, thus increasing opportunities for people to connect and remain engaged with each other for extended periods. A Place Where You Fit | Winter 2022
Page-14 | Wildcat Chronicle
