Learn and Serve
Dear Parents/Guardians,
Attached is an application for your child to apply for a service
learning elective course, which is funded through a grant awarded
by the State of Texas. Learn and Serve America is designed to
assist in developing high-quality service-learning programs in
public schools. Learn and Serve America supports school-based
programs, composed of local school districts and their community
partners. The program will provide youth with opportunities to
learn and develop their capabilities through service-learning.
Service-learning is an educational method which engages young
people in service to their communities as a means of developing a
lifelong ethic of service, enriching their academic learning,
promoting personal growth, and helping them to develop the skills
needed for productive citizenship.
The goals of service learning are to:
1) Encourage teachers to create, develop, and offer
service-learning opportunities for all school-age youth;
2) Educate teachers about service-learning and incorporate
service-learning opportunities into classrooms to enhance academic
learning;
3) Coordinate the work of adult volunteers in school;
4) Introduce young people to a broad range of careers and expose
them to further education and training;
5) Hire service-learning coordinators to assist with identifying
community partners and implementing school-based service-learning
programs;
6) Provide the technical assistance and information to facilitate
the training of teachers who want to use service-learning in their
classrooms; and
7) Assist local partnerships in the planning, development, and
execution of service-learning projects.
The Learn and Serve Texas grant will continue to invest in programs
that implement, expand, and sustain high-quality service-learning
in Texas public school districts as part of a larger strategy to
make service-learning a common experience for all Texas
students.
We hope you will give careful consideration to your child applying
for this important elective class. There will be only one class
offered at the middle school and one at the high school so
application submission is important to ensure student interest and
participation.
Sincerely,
Randy Dowdy
