Students gain: |
Schools gain: |
Communities gain: |
| 21st century skills: critical-thinking, problem-solving, leadership, decision-making, collaboration, and communication | Deeper connection between academic knowledge and real-world applications | Energy and creativity of youth in addressing community needs |
| Real-world experience connected to academic subjects | Increased pro-social behavior and student engagement | Opportunities to build positive relationships between community members and schools |
| Greater sense of the purpose for learning | An effective drop-out prevention strategy | New perspectives on youth as assets, not liabilities |
| Deeper understanding of themselves and empathy and respect for others | A focus for school improvement | New generation of caring and experienced citizens, activists and volunteers – tomorrow’s civic leaders |
| Opportunities to explore skills and interests and to network for career readiness | Improved school climate | Increased public awareness of key issues |
| Guided practice in taking action as socially responsible global citizens | Positive school-community relationships | Valuable service: unmet needs addressed, often uniquely |
| Increased self-efficacy as they address community needs | Engaged learners: motivated, responsible for own learning | Citizenship: students become active stakeholders, now and in the future |
| Capacity for action: able to make a difference, meet real needs | Collegiality: staff, students, community as partners in teaching and learning | |
| Self-worth: developing a sense of identity, moral and ethical values | Educational excellence: enhanced classroom climate, enriched curriculum, performance-based evaluation | |
| Citizenship: connection to, leadership for and in the school and community | ||
| Academic skills: increased relevance of subjects; developing critical thinking skills |
Adapted from the Ohio Department of Education and generationOn (http://generationon.org)