Community Service Week

Learning to Serve, Serving to Learn
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In the 9th Grade, students at Santa Barbara Middle School participate in COMMUNITY SERVICE during the week of conferences. The 9th Graders endeavor to support the community and develop their awareness of and empathy for different populations living in Santa Barbara. Students do not attend classes at SBMS during this week. Instead, their job sites become their classrooms and their employers are their teachers.  Students record their experiences in a daily journal for homework and are graded on this as well as by their employer through a written evaluation. Each student volunteers an average of 30 hours at the non-profit of their choice and leaves the experience profoundly changed.

“I learned that every single human being has a story to tell, has character and love for others and all that needs to come out is a little patience, determination and love for others."

Max,9th Grade volunteer at Hillside House