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Service Learning at Southern High School includes 40 hours of curricular integrated action. Your student will engage will plan, act, and reflect specifically through course noted below to ensure this graduation requirement is completed. For additional school information on Service Learning, please contact Katie Limbacher at klimbacher@aacps.org.
- U.S. Government (Grades 9/11):10 hours
- Health (Grades 9/10): 10 hours
- Science (Grade 9): 10 hours
- English (Grade 11): 10 hours
Preparing our Youth for Tomorrow
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In addition to the course implementation of Service Learning noted above, students can further their community response through Service Clubs and Organizations.
Students can get hours through clubs. Most clubs have service as part of their club and can receive hours by doing service oriented activities. The advisors will sign off on service activities they perform within their club. We also have larger activities like the Wellness fair, Polar Bear Plunge, Harvest for the Hungry, Lights of Kindness Campaign, etc., that students can volunteer time. Students can also work outside of school and document their hours using the AACPS Service Learning Portal.
- Acts of Kindness Club - Advisor: Ms. Reed - breed@aacps.org
- Science National Honor Society - klarney@aacps.org
- Student Government and Signature - jgaulding@aacps.org
- Peer Ambassadors - cshaughnessy@aacps.org
- Special Olympics Club - cwest1@aacps.org
- National Honor Society - kcoon@aacps.org
Maryland Service-Learning Graduation Requirement
Maryland is the first state in the nation to require high school students to engage in service-learning experiences as a condition of graduation as noted in the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR 13A.03.02.05)
To graduate, students shall complete one of the following:
A. 75 hours of student service that includes preparation, action, and reflection components and that, at the discretion of the local school system, may begin during the middle grades; or
B. A locally designed program in student service that has been approved by the State Superintendent of Schools.
Click here for the MSDE Service Learning Guidelines
Service-learning is not the same as...
Volunteerism:
Volunteers engage in service for a variety of personal reasons. They do not necessarily link their service to academic studies nor do they receive academic credit for their efforts.
Community Service:
People engaging in community service do so for a variety of reasons. This is a broad term that can encompass court ordered, stipended or volunteer service. It also does not necessarily link to academic studies.
Work Study Internship:
Student interns frequently work at for-profit business to benefit the financial standing of that business. They are not necessarily working to improve their communities through these internship experiences. There can be overlap between work study internships and service-learning. Students are engaged in service-learning if through their internship experiences they work to improve the health or welfare of their community while linking this to their academic studies.
