Service Learning Program & Graduation Requirements

" . . . we will educate and inspire our students to be responsible, productive and ethical global citizens . . ."

Student Guidelines

Why Do Service?

The Service Learning component of the HS Diploma is designed to develop awareness and understanding of civic responsibility and of the role high school students can play in supporting and strengthening their communities. The requirement benefits the community and contributes to students’ development.

Program Description

The purpose of Service Learning at AIS-R is to provide students meaningful opportunities for character-building experiences beyond the classroom. It is expected that these experiences will demand a personal commitment of time and effort while enhancing the wellbeing of others.

These pre-arranged supervised activities are intended to foster development:

• In becoming global citizens.
• To encourage growth in assuming responsibilities in caring for others.
• To enhance the ability to adapt outside one’s normal environment.
• And to interact with a variety of adults in a variety of settings.

Service Learning activities can be done in or out of school, as a group or as individual projects. Service Learning activities are those that are done for or on behalf of others (not including immediate family members) for which no compensation (monetary or other) has been given.

Consequences:

On Graduation Day, if the Service Learning hours have not been met, the student may participate in the ceremony but the official HS Diploma and transcript will be withheld until the Service Learning hours have been completed, documented and submitted to the school.

* Seniors must have their Service Learning hours completed and documented by April 15. *

Types of Service Learning Projects:

1. An internal school project (all internal projects require Sponsor's Name and Signature). These are hours done on the AIS-R campus. (all internal projects require Sponsor's Name and Signature)

2. An external project. These are hours done more directly for the community away from the school campus. (all external projects require Faculty Pre Approval & Parental Consent)

Number of Service Learning hours required:

Service Learning is a requirement for earning the US High School Diploma. In order to graduate, students are required to complete 50 hours of Service Learning activities. Students are encouraged to complete a minimum of 12.5 hours per school year and to participate in a variety of activities over their four years. Transfer students need to accrue 12.5 hours for each year in attendance at AISR.

Service Learning Deadlines:

• Summer service hours are due in Oct.
• First semester hours are due by January 15
• 12th graders must have their service hours completed and documented by April 15.*
• All service hours done during a school year must be documented and submitted by June 1 of the school year in which the hours were earned. Challenges to the number of SL hours that appear on the Transcript must be done before leaving campus on the last day of school. The Service Learning database IS NOT reopened for correction the following year

Service Learning Project Guidelines:

Hours Earned/Hours Awarded:

Hours are entered into the central database in ½ hour increments. Hours are rounded DOWN to reflect only those hours that have been earned. For example, a student submits a Service Learning form for 12.25 hours – 12 hours are entered into the database; for 12.6 hours submitted, 12.5 hours would be awarded.

Class Release Time and Hours Earned:

Students may volunteer for service projects during their independent study periods. Students should not be released from class time to do service. 9th and 10th graders DO NOT have a “free block” they are not to be released to do service. The requirement is to be completed outside students’ normal instructional hours; activities should take place during lunch hours, after school, on weekends, or during school holidays.

Student Housing and Hours Earned:

If students are required to host as part of a team or other activity they may NOT earn Service Learning hours. Students who are not part of the sport or activity underway at the time of the tournament or activity may receive hours for hosting if agreed upon by the Athletic & Activities Director and/or the Service Learning Coordinator. A maximum of eight (8) service hours per tournament is allowed for hosting, four (4) hours per evening. This includes performing arts weekends in addition to athletic events.

Bake Sales and Hours Earned:

Students earn ½ hour for contributing items for sale if the club sponsor wants to award hours for the contribution. Most sponsors do not award such contributions. Students earn hours for time spent manning a sales table and for advertising.

Club Meetings and Hours Earned:

Students do not earn hours for attending club meetings. However, many club activities lend themselves to service projects. Meeting time devoted to planning or conducting service projects may be counted if properly documented.

Beginning with the SY04/05, all HS clubs will be encouraged to sponsor a Service Project.

Open Campus/Prom and Hours Earned:

Service hours are not awarded for Open Campus or Prom with a few exceptions: official photographer, clean-up crew and in the case of Open Campus, one or two specific student positions.

Babysitting and Hours Earned:

Babysitting or working at private parties DOES NOT satisfy the Service Learning description

Working in a nursery school or daycare DOES satisfy the description as you will be working under the direction of an adult and it is a real task with consequence for the students

Tutoring and Hours Earned:

In order for tutoring to qualify as Service Learning, students must be able to verify where the tutoring took place and who supervised. It is suggested that all Service Learning tutoring take place in the Learning Commons under the supervision of a sponsor.

Some Past Service Projects Include

• King Faisal Specialist Hospital cancer patient families - NHS
• Iftar dinner for second shift workers – Arabic Club
• UNICEF Greeting Card Sale
• Book Drive – LMC
• Volleyball, Basketball & Soccer Tournaments – Athletic Teams
• $$$ donation to Youth Soccer Federation – JV Girls VB Gold Team
• MS Activity and Open Campus Evenings – MS Office
• Sports Managers for several varsity teams
• Used Greeting Card Collection – IB Students
• Habitat for Humanity
• King Faisal Cancer Research Center
• King Faisal Cancer Center – NHS
• Orphanage donation – HS Student Council
• AIS-R daycare
• Front of the house – drama department
• PTSO International Festival – PTSO
• Day with the Arts Volunteers – Fine Arts Dept

Guiding Questions

Use these questions to determine whether or not an intended activity qualifies as Service Learning:

• Is the activity a real task?
• Does the activity have real or positive consequences for other people and for me?
• What can I reflect on during this activity?
• Does this activity help make the world a better place?