“Community service requirements” for high school students got underway a couple of decades ago, but now almost every school requires that students put in a certain number of “community service” hours per year to receive their diploma. This requirement, although well motivated, makes doing something to help others become another chore that overworked students need to check off to graduate: 2 art credits, 4 physical education credits, 12 hours of community service and so forth. There is no measure of effort or impact. By reducing the opportunity to do good for others to this time-served metric I think schools miss the mark by a wide margin.
This was driven home to me last summer when, as the founder of a non-profit that connects students with veterans and military families, I had the privilege of traveling to Northern California to meet with young leaders from all over the country. Along with 14 other students, I was there to receive the 2022 Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Award, which recognizes the work of Jewish teens who are repairing the world. From fighting book bans to implementing computer literacy programs in developing countries, these young people are taking small steps resulting in incredible impact.
Prior to the retreat, as I read about my fellow awardees’ impressive accomplishments, I imagined they would be somehow different from other kids. As I got to know them, I learned that while they have accomplished extraordinary feats, they are also ordinary teenagers who love to hang out with their friends, break curfew, watch Netflix, and embrace the adventure of their teenage years. As I spent the weekend with my new peer group, I kept asking myself, what in their experience made them stand out? What in their stories of putting others before themselves allowed them to attain success? It became clear that the answer can be explained by how these teens were encouraged to embrace their passions, taught to focus on effort and action not the number of hours each of them put into the projects.
In no other facet of our education or development are students measured simply by how long they have spent on something. Why is it that when we are doing something to help others, we are evaluated by a clock? Teachers don’t ask us, and don’t consider, how many hours we have spent writing a paper or studying for a test. Rather, they grade our work based on its quality. I propose that schools reframe their approach to service to match the way they have taught academics for centuries. Students shouldn’t be given an amount of time, but rather a set of expectations, to fulfill their school’s service curriculum. Service requirements should measure quality of work, expected degree of impact, responsibility, and use of other outlined skills.
Through my own organization, Whiskey Bravo, I’ve seen the possibilities of meaningful community service first-hand. I am extremely proud of the work that we have done to improve the lives of active military, veterans, and Gold Star families. I have seen the effect that a completely student run organization can have on young volunteers. The realization that their contribution is valuable and impactful empowers young people to take on more ambitious and demanding projects. I have watched as shy young students transform into confident leaders with a dedication to service ultimately creating and implementing projects of their own.
I view the stories of the students I met in California as a roadmap for the future of service learning. The students had all received encouragement and guidance from teachers or mentors who listened to us and made us feel that our ideas, interests, and hopes were not only worth pursuing but also could affect people’s lives. They helped us mold our ideas into practical and attainable goals and emboldened us to keep going. This is the way to create the next generation of leaders and activists.
In all other classes, if a student is finding school difficult or seeks enrichment, a good teacher is there to scaffold and inspire. This is the foundation schools should be laying to encourage service. Kids should be encouraged to pursue their own interests to improve their neighborhoods, their environment and the global community. It is always easier to follow one’s passions and this remains true as a means to helping others.
I can attest to the fact that when students feel that encouragement and see the opportunities themselves, logging hours becomes pointless. Students quickly rack up too many hours to track. Achieving results won’t necessarily be easy. Teachers and administrators will need to adjust, and this new form of teaching service might add new strain to many schools that are already struggling, but I believe it is vital. When schools stop validating students with cheers of “Fantastic! You did 16 hours of community service this year,” but instead remark “You really made a difference in somebody’s life today,” students will form a bond with service that will hopefully last a lifetime.