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Semester of Service encourages students, ages 5-25, to develop a semester-long service-learning project that launches on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service in January and culminates on Global Youth Service Day in April. Projects take place in classrooms as part of the academic curriculum; in schools as part of the extra-curricular activities; in congregations of faith; and in youth development groups in neighborhoods across the United States. During these 12 weeks, young people from elementary schools to graduate universities will identify a problem or unmet need that affects their community, the nation, or the world. They will prepare a plan, take action to implement their solution, reflect deeply on their progress and next steps, and celebrate their success.
The Kennedy Serve America Act includes a Semester of Service initiative as one of its approaches to promoting service-learning innovation. It would engage high school students, a large percentage of whom must be economically disadvantaged, in semester-long service-learning projects lasting at least 70 hours. Projects could be either school- or community-based, but there must be a classroom-based component that is integrated into the academic program of the local education agency. Read more at Learn and Serve America's site.
NSLC Library Items
- Semester of Service Strategy Guide (2012), Youth Service America (PDF)
- Global Youth Service Day 2012 Toolkit (2011), Youth Service America (PDF)
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