Service Learning Handbook 2019

SERVICE LEARNING RESOURCE GUIDE Creating the next generation of compassionate, curious, and connected citizens

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DEAR WINDWARD STUDENTS AND FAMILIES, Thank you for your interest in the Windward Service Learning Program.

In our society today the term “community service” at times has earned a negative connotation. In various systems, the term “community service” or community restitution is often associated as a form of punishment intended to benefit the community that a person has harmed. Community service is often seen as a burden rather than something that benefits all parties that are involved.

At Windward School, we use the term service learning. Service learning is a reciprocal relationship in which the education taking place actively involves students in a wide range of learning experiences that benefit not only the person performing the service

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but also others and the community. Service learning is shown to have a positive impact on students personally, academically, and socially. Students who take part in service learning have a greater ability to analyze complex issues and gain problem-solving and critical-thinking skills. They develop greater interpersonal skills, particularly the ability to work with people of all backgrounds, while building leadership and communication skills.

Those who participate also have improved social responsibility and citizenship skills as well as higher rates of involvement in service beyond graduation.

I encourage each student to find something that they are passionate about and take a deep dive to see how they can connect their passion to helping those in their surrounding

community. The most incredible projects that have taken place at Windward have been generated and led by students. Service is a value that we hope to ingrain in our students by the time they graduate from Windward so that it is a part of them and becomes a lifelong commitment.

Thank you for your participation in this program, and I look forward to working with you as you take part in service and service learning both here at Windward and in your community.

Best regards, Ashley Goodman Director of Service Learning agoodman@windwardschool.org (310)-391-7127 Ext: 2090

TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction.................................................3 Service Learning Mission Statement..........4 Important Dates..........................................5 Middle School Service Learning.................6

Upper School Service Learning................... 10 Windward Service Learning Programs....... 16 FAQ’s........................................................... 22

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INTRODUCTION The purpose of this manual is to clarify Windward’s service learning requirements and goals for both Middle and Upper School students. You will also find information about the types of service learning projects available to students, how to log your completed service hours, and the community organizations that we partner with annually.

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WINDWARD SCHOOL SERVICE LEARNING MISSION STATEMENT At Windward School, our 7-12 Service Learning program exposes students and faculty to experiences that engage each individual in creative problem solving, meaningful relationship-building and connecting learning to true community needs.

Service Learning projects, opportunities, and curricula at Windward School are designed to create citizens of our local and global communities who are compassionate, curious, and connected with others. Our students have the potential to learn deeply by developing collaborative, reciprocal relationships with our local and global partners. We embrace

an assets-based, anti-oppressive, community-driven approach where both students and the community partners are serving and learning together through shared decision-making and direct engagement. Exploring life through the lens of a variety of challenges and exchanges pushes students to broaden their perspective toward a more symbiotic and collaborative relationship with the world in which they live.

By integrating service experiences into the lives and learning of our students, we hope that they will grow as creative and innovative collaborators and find the potential within themselves and in our world to become social changemakers.

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IMPORTANT DATES

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SEPTEMBER 2019 Fall after school service programs begin

MAY 2020

NOVEMBER 2019

Big Sunday Event

Thanksgiving Dinner at Westside Children’s Center

APRIL 2020

DECEMBER 2019

9th Grade Experiential Service Retreat

Giving Tuesday Drive & Family Portraits Events

MARCH 2020

JANUARY 2020

Spring after school service programs begin

Winter after school service programs begin

MIDDLE SCHOOL SERVICE LEARNING

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PROGRAM GOALS In Middle School at Windward, there are no requirements for students to complete a certain number of service hours.

All students are entering Windward from different schools and backgrounds, but we know that they’ve already begun to develop the habits of being an engaged citizen in the community. The goal of the program in Middle School is to continue to foster students in this area as they continue to develop. We want our students to have more freedom and choice in the service opportunities that they feel will make a difference through their actions of caring for others through personal contact, indirect service or civic action, either in school or in the community, with preparation and reflection.

Volunteering, fundraising, and advocacy are a few different types of service activities that students can be involved in.

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Our hope is that during Middle School each student commits to participating in a service activity either at Windward or in their local community. When students engage in service they will gain a better understanding of the issues facing our community and globally. Windward provides students meaningful opportunities to perform service through on-campus service-focused initiatives and after-school programs. Students also have the opportunity to be a part of the Student Service Coordinators to help develop and plan projects and events.

Students can count hours they’ve earned during the Summer entering 9th Grade to count towards their graduation requirement for Upper School.

SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS Students who are unsure of how to get involved in a service learning project or would like to develop their own project are encouraged to meet with the Director of Service Learning for guidance and expectations. In addition, we feel that parents play an active role as their students develop into informed citizens. Our hope is that parents will encourage students to be engaged and participate in service opportunities to demonstrate the value of giving back to their community.

END-OF-YEAR SERVICE AWARD MIDDLE SCHOOL SERVICE EVENTS Middle School students and their parents are invited and encouraged to participate in four afterschool service projects with PATH (People Assisting the Homeless) on the following dates: SEPTEMBER 19 DECEMBER 11

FEBRUARY 13 APRIL 23

At the end of each school year, Windward hosts a Middle School awards ceremony to recognize students for their outstanding achievements and hard work. The Service Honors Award is given to student(s) who have shown commitment and dedication to a service project, organization or cause during their time in Middle School.

Students who would like to be considered for this award must complete the “community service verification record� to keep track of projects and hours. Each form must be signed by a volunteer coordinator and turned into the Director of Service Learning. Students need to complete a minimum of 10 hours to be considered.

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TO BE FILLED OUT BY AGENCY: Name of Volunteer Student:

Grade:

INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY SERVICE VERIFICATION RECORD

Student Email Address: Non-Profit Agency Name: Agency Phone Number: Description of Service Performed: 1.

2.

VERIFICATION HOURS (HOURS OVER THREE MONTHS OLD WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED) Dates

Times

Total Hours

AGENCY SUPERVISOR EVALUATION: Outstanding Total # of hours: Supervisor Signature: Supervisor Name: Comments:

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Very Good

Satisfactory

Poor

UPPER SCHOOL SERVICE LEARNING

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PROGRAM GOALS AND REQUIREMENTS The goal of the Upper School Service Learning program is continue to educate the students about their civic responsibility. We want students to analyze problems in their community and work on service projects of their choice that they feel connected to and passionate about.

We encourage students to take on a leadership role in helping to plan a service event or by creating their own service project based on real world problems and the community needs. Students with guidance from the Service Learning Director are in charge of creating a curriculum or plan, recruiting other student volunteers, and implementing their idea into action. We want the work that our students complete in Upper School to have a lifelong impact and continue to be engaged citizens in their local and global community.

All students in the Upper School must complete 20 hours of service by the end of their Sophomore year. At least one project is required to take place off campus and must connect to one of the UN sustainable goals (refer to graphic below). The remaining hours can be fulfilled through service opportunities that best fit the interest and passions of each individual students. During the 11th and12th grade years, no additional service hours are required, but we encourage students to meet with the Director of Service Learning to continue their interests and passions through service. We encourage all students to consider application to the Service Honors Society, which has a 100 hour requirement.

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SERVICE HONORS SOCIETY The Windward Service Honors Society was formed to honor students, not simply for completing large numbers of hours in a service role, but rather for adopting a way of being in the world which includes a dedication to being of service to other. Each application will be judged individually, on the basis of: the value and quality of service performed and formally documented, a completed application and the recommendations of supervisors, teachers and peers.

REQUIREMENTS • One page essay describing the service work you’ve completed and the impact service has had on you in high school • A letter of recommendation from a supervisor or volunteer coordinator from an organization that you worked with • 100 or more hours of service completed and verified on x2VOL APPLICATION DEADLINES • September 20, 2019 for Seniors • March 20, 2020 for Freshmen, Sophomores, and Juniors • April 21, 2020 induction ceremony will take place

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APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP Applications are due: September 20, 2019 (seniors) or March 20, 2020 (current 9th, 10th, and 11th)

SERVICE HONOR SOCIETY

The Society has been formed to honor students, not simply for completing large numbers of hours in a service role, but rather for adopting a way of being in the world which includes as central, a dedication to being of service to others. Each applicant will be judged individually, on the basis of: the value and quality of service performed, both formally documented and undocumented; this application; and the recommendations of supervisors, teachers and peers.

REQUIREMENTS • You must submit the 2 part application (essay and letter of commendation) by the due date. Please submit to Ashley Goodman via email or Google doc only. • You must have completed and submitted 100 (or more) hours of service. Your hours must be verified by the organization, program directors and by Ashley (in x2VOL) in order for them to be considered for your application.

Name:

Class of:

Date:

I. Please write a thoughtful essay on what your service work has meant to you over time. What have you learned from your experiences? How has it changed your perspective, your vision of the world, your goals? How does this experience affect how you live your life, now and in the future?

II. Please have a commendation letter emailed to Ashley by someone who has supervised your volunteer work.

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LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION TEMPLATE You may use the following template to ask a supervisor of volunteer coordinator for letter of recommendation Student Name: To Whom it May Concern, We recognize the demands on your time, and we appreciate the efforts you expend on supervising teenage volunteers at your agency. The above-named student is applying for membership in the Service Honor Society of Windward School.

As part of this application procedure, you are being asked to evaluate this applicant’s participation in service work at your agency.

Please write a letter and email it to Ashley Goodman, Director of Service Learning, at agoodman@windwardschool.org, no later than ________________. Your letter will be reviewed as part of the record of service, which will determine this student’s inclusion in the Society. Your frank assessment of the value of the student’s participation in your agency, and in particular of the spirit with which this student approached this work, will be most helpful to us in our deliberations. In any case, the student will have the right to review this letter.

Thank you, Ashley Goodman Windward School Director of Service Learning ext 2090, agoodman@windwardschool.org

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HOW TO LOG HOURS (9TH-12 GRADES) Windward uses a system by the name of Naviance for students to log and have their hours verified. All incoming 9th Graders will receive a code to register an account and have access to the program. Please see the Director of Service Learning if you have any issues with logging hours.

1. You can access the link to Naviance (http://connection.naviance.com/windward) on the college counseling page or on the Service Learning page of the WW website or on Haiku.

2. Log in to Naviance with your email and password.

3. When you reach the Family Connections page, look on the left hand side resources menu and you will see a link to

X2VOL. Select this link.

4. If you want to see a summary of your submitted and verified hours, choose the “Dashboard” tab.

5. If you want to log hours, choose the “Opportunities and Projects” tab.

6. There are 2 categories for logging hours: Personal Projects and Community and Campus Opportunities. You will

mostly be using Personal Projects.

7. To log a personal project, follow the prompts and don’t forget to:

• have the contact name, email and phone number for the person who will verify your hours (they receive a very simple email in order to verify once you have logged your hours)

• to write a description and a short reflection below your hours submission about your experience - THIS IS REQUIRED!

• to mark the box verifying that all info you have entered is true

• if this is a recurring project, you can return to this entry to add more hours!

• if your hours are from a past project or from many different dates, please select one date for that project to be assigned to and add a bulk number of hours. Or you can do separate entries for each individual day.

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SERVICE LEARNING PROGRAMS

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LATIN DANCE In this eight-week series, students will be immersed in a cultural movement timeline of the evolution of salsa. Students will learn the history of each dance style and how it developed. Throughout the workshop, the focus will be on community, the promotion of teamwork, as well as leadership skills. Instructors will be emphasizing the importance of partner communication, working on self-awareness and non-verbal communication in order to execute movement. At the end of the session students will perform a culminating dance number open to friends and family.

ART EXPLORERS Art Explorers is a fun way to learn about many of the most important artists of history while making our very own works of art. Each week we will look at a new artist from a different period of time or place, then create projects using their techniques.

Through these activities, we will build a set of skills and knowledge that leave a broader understanding and appreciation of visual art. The students will take the projects in their own directions, stretching their creative capabilities and enjoying the satisfaction of producing something truly original.

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W!T IMPROVISATION STATION This brand-new program was launched in Fall 2018 by Windward students who are members of the on campus group Windward Improv Troupe (W!T). This program is hosted on the Windward campus in partnership with Mar Vista Elementary School. Improv is unscripted and made up on the spot. Students in this class experience playing games, running around and talking in funny voices and accents. Best of all, silliness is encouraged, so students have the opportunity to be themselves without judgement. Improv is more than just fun; it teaches kids to accept and learn from failure, eases symptoms of social anxiety, and teaches listening and collaboration skills.

GIRLS IN STEM ​ n eight-week STEM program for girls in Grades 3-5. Our program, A Girls in STEM, will empower girls to foster their passion and self-confidence in STEM fields. We are looking to inspire young girls to be excited about careers in STEM because many don’t see these careers as a possibility. They need exposure, mentorship, and the encouragement that they can pursue their interests, especially as a female. This will be a student-run class, so we, as high schoolers, will be teaching the elementary students. Ashley Goodman will be the faculty supervisor who will accompany us to the elementary school.

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MEDIA BYTES Support students in learning necessary technology skills through fun and engaging projects. ​Topics include, but not limited to: computer and iPad basics including typing​,​drag & drop,​ navigating the internet, useful searching techniques, as well as ​ dabbling in c​ oding o ​ n the iPad with Hopscotch​, movie making with iMovie, graphic illustration using​web-based Canva, building comic books and avatars, podcasting, and more​!

KIDS CREATE This program is a 7-week partnership with Mar Vista Elementary School located on the Windward campus. In this program, Mar Vista students have access to the CREATE Studio’s unique materials and machines to help in their learning of art and science.

Throughout the class, students are challenged with logic puzzles to get their brains thinking. Students conduct real-life chemical reactions, make their own Picasso paintings, mold some magnetic slime and learn how to create their own contour self-portraits.

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JR. SCIENTIST This program is geared to students who are interested in why the world works the way it does. This class is a seven-week program where students will investigate various aspects of science through hands-on lab activities and long-term projects. Possible topics include: microbiology, forensics, chemistry, and coding!

WINDWARD TEACHES TECH In partnership with the Mar Vista Community Council, Windward Teaches Tech connects the senior citizens of the Mar Vista community with our Windward students. Windward students pair up with Mar Vista seniors for free, quarterly technology workshops in which they learn how to operate their devices such as smartphones, laptops, and iPads. Windward student leaders are matched up one-on-one with a senior citizen based on their expertise and provide a one-hour tutoring session covering various topics such as social media, apps, rideshare services, Netflix, Hulu and Amazon.

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DRIVES AND FUNDRAISING POLICY Community members must not solicit donations for the benefit of the School from School families, community members and/or businesses without first clearing the request through the Advancement Office.

SERVICE CLUBS ON CAMPUS STUDENTS WHO ENGAGE Students that Engage club is a place where students who are and want to be engaged with clubs outside the scope of the Windward can share that passion with the community and get the support they need to host events and bring in volunteers. They are able to share what is going on within their respective organizations and if needed get support from their peers in the club to hosts drive, events, and etc. It introduces students with various clubs off campus to create a larger sense of “Service Learning� outside of Windward. It is a place where students can find solutions to problems that they all of the organizations in general are facing.

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FAQ’S

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Q: Can the hours that I complete in Middle School count toward my 20 hour graduation requirement?

A: No, only the hours that you complete in the summer going into 9th grade will count towards your graduation requirement.

Q: Do my hours reset to zero each year ?

A: No, your hours are cumulative and you only need 20 hours total, but are encouraged to earn more hours and apply to the service honors society.

Q: If I apply to the service honors society as an underclassman will I need to re-apply the following year?

A: No, once you apply and are accepted, you’re in the Service honors society forever.

Q: Can I get paid for a job and have it count towards service hours?

A: No, you may no get paid for any service work that you would like to have counted for hours.

Q: Does being a camp CIT count towards my hours?

A: Yes, but you can not get paid for your work, and it must connect to one of the UN sustainable goals.

Q: How do I log my service hours?

A: You will log your hours in the Naviance system. You will receive a code at the start of your freshman year. Please see the Director of Service Learning if you need help logging hours.

Q: Is there any information I need in particular to have my service hours verified?

A: Yes, when your volunteering at an organization you will need to get the contact information for the supervisor or volunteer coordinator. Once you put their information into Naviance they will be able to verify your hours.

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Q: What if the volunteer coordinator never responds to my verification request?

A: Sometimes this does happen, please see the Director of Service Learning for the next steps on how to proceed. In most cases the Director will ask a few clarifying questions and approve the hours for you.

Q: What are good organizations to work for?

A: You should look for organizations that connect your passions and giving back to the community. If you’re having trouble finding an organization to work with, please see the Director of Service Learning for guidance.

Q: Can I create my own service learning project?

A: Yes, you can create your own service project. If you would like to create a project on campus, you will need to present your idea and coordinate with the Director of Service Learning to help plan. Projects that take place outside of school do not need permission from Windward, but it is best to consult parents to make sure that you’re entering a safe environment when working on project.

Q: Can I work at Windward Summer camps and have it count towards my hours?

A: Yes, you can work at Windward Summer camps, but you will still need to complete a project off campus to meet your service learning requirements.

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