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2016-02-24 / Springfield
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Students taking action
High school students take part in community service projects over break
By ERICKA SCHOFF
Residents enjoy the bonfire at the Springfield Winter Carnival that Springfield High School students helped build as part of their community service requirement for graduation.
ERICKA SCHOFF PHOTO
Residents enjoy the bonfire at the Springfield Winter Carnival that Springfield High School students helped build as part of their community service requirement for graduation. ERICKA SCHOFF PHOTO
SPRINGFIELD — In high school, students have a list of things they must accomplish in order to graduate. At the top of the list one will find passing classes and for most, community service requirements will be placed at the very bottom. At Springfield High School (SHS), students must complete 40 hours of community service by their senior year in order to graduate.
To some, 40 hours may seem like a lot, but the main objective is for students to complete 10 hours per school year. Some students may not find the requirement as being a requirement at all. For example, the SHS National Honor Society (NHS) is a group of 16 students who all completed at least 30 hours of community service by the end of their junior year.
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Lilly Moore, a senior and NHS member, thinks that the requirement is beneficial for students to a certain extent.
“It's important for anyone, not just high schoolers to do community service because it allows for a connection to the community,” she said. “However, I think preventing students from graduating high school or not allowing them to attend prom because they weren't involved enough isn't necessary.”
Juniors and seniors at SHS must have at least 30 hours of community service to attend prom in the spring.
Even though students may see the consequences as being unnecessary, Jennifer Wasyliko, SHS librarian and community service connoisseur gives students plenty of opportunities to complete their hours.
Before February break, Wasyliko announced that students would be able to volunteer over break for programs like All4One, the Springfield Humane Society and the Springfield Winter Carnival.
Devin Richey, a sophomore, decided he would spend part of his break volunteering at the winter carnival. Richey has participated in other town functions to earn community service and has begun to enjoy it.
“I make the most out of community service by going into it with a positive mental attitude,” he said. “I chose the winter carnival because it's a fun way to give back. I’ve also helped with the annual Penny Sale and brunch with Santa.” Richey believes that the requirement is fair and that giving back to the community is the best thing the students can do.
However, some students receive their hours in different way than most of their peers.
Conor Foulois, a junior, made the decision to become a volunteer firefighter for Ascutney Fire Department. In addition to firefighting over the break, Foulois also volunteered at the winter carnival.
“I love what I do as a firefighter. Once I'm out of school I want to pursue it as a full time career,” he said. “During the winter carnival, my dad and I will be building and lighting the fire for everyone to stand around.”
It seems like the best way to earn community service hours is to find a way to give back to the community by doing something you love. Jasmine Goings, a senior, likes to volunteer at the Springfield Humane Society with her brother.
“I chose to do community service at the humane society because I love animals,” she said. “The humane society always needs volunteers, whether it's petting cats, walking dogs, or doing outside work like weeding out their gardens.”
Goings has also volunteered with a firearm safety class and at the River Valley Technical Center tech camp.
“If you find something you enjoy doing, try and see if you can volunteer and get community service hours for it,” she said. “You'll be having fun and giving back to the community and it always feels great to help out the town and the many wonderful people in it.”
That seems like a 97% good idea. The hitch in the giddyup would be for the money-less grinder, who absolutely MUST go to college, and can't do it without scholarships. SHS got any grinders?
ReplyDeleteMisdirected, liberal, do-gooders in Springfield's failed school system having lost sight the objective.
ReplyDeleteAs both a parent and employer I am disgusted at what passes for education here in Springfield. With one of the worst ranked school systems in the State, students can not afford core studies compromised.
Community service is best left to Scouting, church youth groups, AmeriCorps VISTA volunteers, court sentencing, etc. Unconscionable to deny a child the class room time necessary to be successful.
It seems for years the school board has been playing defense-- time after time the budget gets voted down, in large part, I think, because people are discontented with the town budget but don't want to vote it down instead. So, like an abused spouse, the board tries to be nicer and nicer to the batterer-- and-- just as in domestic abuse-- it doesn't work.
ReplyDeleteAnd your running for town select board??
DeleteVolunteer time doesn't take kids out of the classroom. It does however get them into the community and giving back. A lesson most parents don't teach anymore as evidenced by the lack of volunteers throughout society. A few hours a year spent doing good things for others and not sitting down with a screen is a good thing....
ReplyDeleteGiving back?!!! I and my wife each work in excess of 60 hrs a week to pay over $4000.00/YR in property tax and my child has to give back to get a diploma? How about all the children getting "free" meals give back by mowing my lawn? Excellent lesson for children of Bernie voters that NOTHING is free.
DeleteYou and your wife give plenty, I'm talking about your kid! THEY should the value of volunteer time. It's ten hours a YEAR! Responsible adults contribute to their community.... Let raise our children so they become responsible adults. Are you one of those parents who's kid is never wrong? When they fail it's someone else's fault? Hmmmmm Get over it!
DeleteIt is not up to the liberal failing school system to dictate what constitutes the proper ways or how parents should choose to raise their children. The students are not volunteering their time. They are being forced into laboring for free. That is not volunteering. Sure sounds like slavery to me. A system we abolished many years ago. Encouraging is one thing, forcing is slavery.
DeleteHey it is the PC thing to do. Forcing our youth to participate, against their own free will, in providing free labor for some of the dole programs that surround this town will really set these students off in the right direction. Getting someone else to pay for your own expenses, do your work and live on the dole is easier than becoming a productive member of society. The students are being taken advantage of by providing forced free labor that amounts to many thousands and thousands of dollars that should have been paid to someone seeking gainful employment who wants to support themselves with a paying job. If you want to encourage someone to volunteer their services this is not the proper way to do it. If you want to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of forced free labor for whatever ridiculous program or businesses that can't function on their own this is the system that you choose to use.
ReplyDeleteSo, the elderly and shut-in needy shouldn't have someone who will shovel their walk or bring their groceries at no cost? Kids shouldn't learn that there's more to life than school, school, school, Twitter and smartphones? This country by and large is run by people who don't do their own grocery shopping. The more students who learn that different people live in different ways, the better off they are.
DeleteChuck it is not for the school system to dictate that students engage in forced unpaid labor. That should be left to the parents. Give up your nanny state ways. They don't work. What the school system is doing is illegal and it is called slavery.
DeleteSlavery?? Please. These kids are spoiled and entitled. It will do them good to put down their IPhone and do something. Stop breastfeeding teenagers!
ReplyDelete