The Maryland State Board of Education passed a mandate in 1992 which requires all Maryland public school students to complete a program of service learning as a graduation requirement. Service learning is a form of community service. The Calvert County Public School program meets the state requirement for service learning through integrated coursework offered to seventh grade middle school students. New students who enter after seventh grade are also responsible for meeting this requirement and are offered options for completion through individualized programs of study, both at the middle and high school levels. Students decide which projects to undertake and devise action plans for project completion.
Students implement action plans.
Students analyze the personal impact of their experience and the effectiveness of their service to the community. New students who enter Calvert County Public Schools after seventh grade have two options to fulfill the State service learning requirement. The second option for students new to the Calvert County Public School System is the opportunity to complete the preparation and reflection phases of the service learning requirement through an independent study resource booklet. If students choose this option, they will read about how others have been of service to their community, and they will write about what they have learned. I have learned through persons I have spoken to that this is way of having students give service to the community can bring a deep level of meaning and knowledge.