What is Service Learning?
Service learning is a method of teaching, learning and reflecting that combines academic classroom curriculum with meaningful service, throughout the community. Service learning must include one of the three types of service: direct, such as volunteering in a nursing home, indirect, such as collecting food for a food pantry, or advocacy, such as collecting erosion data and writing to an agency to suggest change. Basically, service learning is your turn to give back to society.
How many hours do I need?
You need 75 hours of service learning to graduate in Maryland.
How can I get the hours I need?
Kent County has students earn their service learning hours through embedded curricular units in grades 5-9. These units give students the opportunity to earn at least 15 hours per year, so they will have the full 75 hours by the end of grade 9.
Current projects:
- Grade 5 Read to Me
- Grade 6 Echo Hill Environmental Experience
- Grade 7 Victory Garden
- Grades 8 & 9 Sassafras Environmental Education Center experiences
Each school also offers additional hours through recycling, service club activities, honor society activities, etc.
If you need additional hours, it's easy - Volunteer!
What if I just transferred into Kent County Public Schools?
Student Transfer Policy: Students who transfer into Kent County Public Schools from out of state need to complete the following number of hours before graduation, based on the school year in which they transfer: grades 6 to 8 - 75 hours; grade 9 - 45 hours; grade 10 - 30 hours; grade 11 - 20 hours; grade 12 - 10 hours.
I have service learning hours but I don’t know what to do to get credit for them. Whom do I see for forms?
If you have service learning hours completed you must fill out the reflection sheet that is required for each project. This form can be picked up from your school or you can download it here. Once you have filled it in, had it signed, and have completed the project, bring it back to school and turn it in to either the school guidance counselor at elementary or middle, or Michelle Phillips at Kent County High School. We will record your hours in PowerSchool and you can check your “balance” on your next report card.
Help! I need ideas to complete my hours – what should I do?
Here is a list of ideas – it is in no way complete! There are many opportunities for you to volunteer in your community. This is just a list of ideas to get you started…
Volunteer at the Kent County Humane Society located on 213 just outside of Chestertown. They may have you walk dogs, play with cats, or other tasks to help them maintain the best conditions for these animals in need of a home. (410) 778-3648.
Is summer approaching? Various camps in the area are in need of volunteers. You can volunteer to work at one of the camps, such as Camp Fairlee Manor! The best place to find out information is the Kent County Community Center, at 410-778-1948.
Are you a game player? Various nursing homes in the area are in need of people to come and play games with some of their senior citizens. This is also a flexible activity and you can do this with a group of friends! An hour once a month with friends is an easy and fun way to earn service learning hours. How to get started? Call the number listed, introduce yourself and explain what you would like to do. This allows you the flexibility of setting it up so it works in your schedule the best.
Chester River Manor
200 Morgnec Road
Chestertown, MD 21620
410-778-4550
Chestertown Nursing and Rehab
415 Morgnec Road
Chestertown, MD 21620
Heron Point of Chestertown
501 Campus Avenue
Chestertown, MD 21620
The Golden Rule
20806 Bayside Avenue
Rock Hall, MD 410-639-7990
Organize and Collect food for your own food drive. There are many food pantries in the area. Each food pantry relies on contributions from the community.
Kent County Food Pantries
Name: Community Food Pantry
Contact: James Fouss Phone: (410) 778-0550 or 778-0911
Address: P.O. Box 262
Chestertown, MD 21620
Hours of Operation: Call for hours
Service Provided: Pantry
Name: Christ United Methodist church Food Pantry
Phone: (410) 778-0911
Address: High & Mill Streets
Requirements: Handicap Access
Hours of Operation: Tuesday & Thursday 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon
Service Provided: Food
Name: Family Support Center
Contact: Judy Lins
Phone: 410) 778-7911
Address: 601 High Street
Chestertown, MD 21620
Hours of Operation: Call for hours
Name: Winter Homeless Shelter
Contact: Lisa Bishop Phone: (410) 810-7621
Requirements: Referral through Department of Social Services
Hours of Operation: January through March only
Service Provided: Shelter
Name: Good Neighbor Fund
Contact: Lisa Bishop Phone: (410) 810-7621
Requirements: Referral through Department of Social Services
Hours of Operation: Call for hours
Name: Women in Need (WIN)
Contact: Karen Phone: (410) 708-2240
Address: Confidential
Requirements: Referral through Department of Social Services
Hours of Operation: Call for hours
The ideas listed below are for students who may not always be able to “go do” service learning. These are some ideas you can do on your own at home.
Make HOMEMADE cards for holidays.
There are various holidays through the calendar year - each of these you can make cards for! Each group of 25 cards will earn you 1 service learning hour. Please turn them in to Mrs. Goetz at Kent County High School one week before the holiday. If turned in after the holiday the cards will not count towards your hours.
Holiday Ideas:
Valentine's Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Veteran's Day, Easter, April Fool's day (make a card with jokes in it!), Mother’s day, Thanksgiving, Halloween, Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanza, etc.
You could write a letter to a soldier. There are many of our men and women overseas who are in need of a little pick me up – write a short note about an exciting event here in the states! These can be turned in to Mrs. Goetz at Kent County High School.
You could organize a “give to the troops” drive. Imagine living in the desert in a tent with very little connection to home and few treats. The dollar you spend on a soda each day could mean a simple treat to a soldier who is hard at work for our country.
Some ideas are listed below – there are many more!
Please see the weblink http://www.give2thetroops.org/items.htm
| FOOD (SNACKS) & ENTERTAINMENT ITEMS ARE ALWAYS THE #1 REQUEST! |
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FOOD, SNACKS AND DRINKS: BEEF JERKY / SLIM JIMS COFFEE (Ground or whole; instant or drip. Ground is preferred) POWDER DRINK MIX (Gatorade, Kool-Aid, Crystal Light) SUNFLOWER SEEDS & PUMPKIN SEEDS TUNA & CHICKEN SALAD (in foil pouches, or ready-to-eat kits (no cans) PROTEIN POWDER & PROTEIN BARS CHOCOLATE PRODUCTS accepted from OCTOBER through April (it will melt in high temperatures!) Hot Chocolate packets, Herbal teas Hard Pretzels / Cheetos / Fritos / Chex Mix / Wheat Thins / Ritz Gum / Hard Candy (must be individually wrapped in large bags) Granola Bars / Power Bars / Cereal Bars / Cliff Bars Fig Newtons, Oreos, Cheese & Crackers - Small Packs Trail Mix, Dried Fruit, Granola, Fruit Roll-Ups / Fruit By The Foot / Fruit Gummies DRY SOUP: (Ramen Noodles / Cup-O-Soup: just add water) NUTS: Peanuts, Mixed Nuts (salted preferred) MICROWAVE FOOD (Popcorn, Chef-Boy-R-Dee, Mac'n'Cheese...) COOKIES / Girl Scout Cookies (with chocolate: Oct. - Feb. only!) Rice Krispie Treats (Store-bought only) Little Debbies® & Hostess® cake products Oatmeal Packs (Instant: just add water) Cereal (Small, individual boxes) Condiments, Spices; Sugar; Salad Dressing (no glass jars) Caffeinated gum or candy (to stay alert) |
You could collect clothes for people who do not have enough to wear. Bring in your donations to Mrs. Goetz in room 512. We will weigh them and donate them to a local shelter.
You could help out a neighbor by…
Shoveling snow
Collecting their recycling
Putting out their trash
Mow their grass
Rake their leaves
Walk their dog
Wash their car
You could sew pillows by hand. Fabric is easy and cheap to pick up at Wal-Mart. You could tie, stuff, and sew pillows for homeless people. The instructions for many of the easy tie pillows can be found online.
You could put together a service project of your own!
There are hundreds of ideas on the internet – take some time and search for something to add to our website!
Any ideas you have are great!
Good luck and have fun!