Red & Gray Magazine: Focus on Service Learning - The Fessenden ...

Upper School students Raphael Chung, ninth grade,and Bobby Min, eighth grade, elected to volunteertheir time during Mudweek for collecting and deliveringfood as well as organizing the shelves at theNewton Food Pantry. While on site, boys also had theopportunity to speak with a volunteer who reiteratedthe importance of receiving food donations and theimpact their work has on local families.Generation Y ServesThe members of Generation Y also known asthe “Millennials,” have emerged as the mosttolerant generation in history, embracing othersregardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation,or cultural difference. Many attributethis open-minded nature to their unparalleledcommitment to community service and socialjustice. As the 78 million young people in thisgeneration, born between 1981 and 2000, comeof age, they have been groomed by servicelearningopportunities offered by their schoolsand colleges, and they continue to demand tospend their time meaningfully, whether at workor at play. Money is not always the ultimatemotivating factor in the job search forMillennials. They would rather hold out forinteresting work and valuable benefits such asvolunteer service incentives. These young peoplewant to make a difference with their time,and the nation benefits—their commitment totheir communities has been worth more than$34 billion annually to the U.S. economy. In fact,UCLA’s Higher Education Research Institutereported that 66.7% (the highest percentage in26 years) of college students who entered in2006 and will graduate this spring “believed itto be very important to help others.”develop social confidence and skills. Public students are too young to engage in servicelearning.Fessenden’s culture of service beginsschool principals surveyed cited that theirschools participate in service-learning because in Kindergarten with lessons that introduceit “helps augment students’ civic behaviors.” boys to the concept of assisting others in need.Only 12% of them reported valuing participationin service-learning as a means to improve the “All About Me” unit and then transition toThe boys are first taught about themselves instudent achievement in core subjects. Converselyat Fessenden, we believe a key benefit Guest speakers, such as EMTs, doctors andlearn about the community in which they live.of participation in service-learning opportunitiesis improved student academic achievement community. Together, boys and their teacherspolice officers talk about their positions in theand self confidence. Upper School Head Cindy read and discuss books about the differentMetsch articulates: “Any activity which shows community members and their impact onthat a student is in charge of his actions reinforcesthat he is also in charge of his academ-youngest students for future participation inothers. These lessons prime Fessenden’sics. He can see that an afternoon’s work at a service activities.soup kitchen or cleaning the environment makesSo, why is service-learning such an attractivea difference. The student is doing his work forcomponent of an all-boys education? Whilehimself, not the teacher or his parents.”each child has a unique cognitive fingerprint,By visiting independent schools’ websites and boys in general desire more concrete learningreading about many of their robust service programs,we can infer that independent schools, in relevance of their work. Utilizing service-learn-opportunities where they can experience thegeneral, have discovered that service-learning ing as a tool to deliver these authentic experiencesand to supplement classroom work inencourages greater student motivation andengagement in and out of the classroom. core subjects is key to realizing its full benefitsService-learning benefits the student, the school in an all-boys school. Fessenden faculty are asand the community simultaneously. And now, dedicated to teaching social and emotionalpublic schools around the country have been growth as they are to helping boys developincorporating more service opportunities for studentsinto their curricula as well. “Community Scott Smith attests: “Every day Fessenden boysintellectual knowledge. Assistant HeadmasterService and Service-Learning in America’s witness some act of generosity toward them thatSchools,” shows that the presence of community goes beyond a faculty or staff member’s jobservice in K-12 schools has risen since 1988. description—that is what sets the tone here.Despite this increase in community service programs,however, public elementary schools are boys and their teachers, coaches, dormparentsThrough the relationships that develop betweenthe least likely to offer service-learning activities or advisors, Fessy boys benefit from the naturewhen compared with public middle and public of giving that our faculty and staff possess.” Athigh schools. Only 20% of the elementary Fessenden, we have discovered and confirmedschools surveyed had service-learningthat service-learning activities foster boys’programs. Surprisingly, more than half (51%) further engagement in the learning process.of public elementary school “principals believe Headmaster Peter Drake shares, “Service-learningprograms provide boys with the pride ofthat their students are too young to engage inservice-learning.”experiencing their accomplishments first-hand“HE HAS NOT RECEIVED AN AWARD OTHER THAN THE REWARD OFKNOWING HE HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE IN SOMEONE ELSE’S DAY.”– Mary Snow, mother of John ’09, currently enrolled at St. George’s School and Brigham Snow ’11... the tangible results of seeing smiles on theFessenden’s philosophy and history of servicefaces of the people helped by their work or thechallenges the idea that elementary schooldramatic change to the landscape at a local6 w w w . f e s s e n d e n . o r g