CHRISTIAN SERVICE-LEARNING PROGRAM
Service-Learning is a graduation requirement which is based on responding to the Gospel’s call to love and serve others in the promotion of social justice and the respect for all human life. Service-Learning is 20% of a student’s religion grade each semester.
All students must log their direct service hours in non-profit organizations interacting with the people they serve. Additionally, all service hours must be from outside of your community. We DO NOT accept service hours from San Gabriel Mission, any of your former schools, or any schools your siblings have attended. We do not accept service hours from anywhere your parents work.
Frosh/Sophomore Service-learning requirements:
• A total of 25 service hours is required per year during a student’s freshman and sophomore years.
• Services are only on the approved list of organizations all others must be pre-approved by the Service-learning Coordinator;
• Theological reflections, reflection sheets, and service logs/time sheets are collected for Religion Class credit & are administered by the Service-Learning Coordinator;
• Portfolio & Oral Presentation of their Service-learning is due in place of their 3rd quarter exam Sophomore Year.
Junior/Senior Service-learning Project Requirements:
• 70 hours of service to ONE approved non-profit organization and Peace/Justice Issue for 1 calendar year (Junior & Senior Years); 35 hours are completed Junior year and 35 hours are completed senior year
• Theological reflections, reflection sheets, and service logs/timesheets are collected by the Service-Learning Coordinator for Religion class credit
• Capstone-like project due 3rd quarter their Senior Year.
GRADUATION SERVICE-LEARNING RED CORD RECOGNITION
• To qualify to wear the Red Cord upon graduation you must have donated at least 250 hours of your time to an approved Peace/Justice cause through an approved non-profit organization. At least 70 hours must be from your freshmen and sophomore years combined.
• You must submit a Research/Reflection paper (MLA format) which gives a brief introduction of how you have served and what you have learned the last 4 years at SGMHS (inside and outside of the classroom) in regards to service, but then focuses our attention to the cause or population you decided to dedicate yourself to in your Junior and Senior Years with cited research you have studied.
•Include research on your cause: What is the Church teaching on this? How are we supposed to respond based on our scripture? How is the Dominican charism represented in my service-learning site? How did I live out the Dominican charism while serving others and advocating for social justice? And what do other disciplines say about this cause and why it is a pressing issue needing attention and concern?
• Include your own reflection based on your experience: what have you learned firsthand about this
cause through your time serving this population and this cause?
• Include how you are making systemic change: You must also talk about ways in which you have made attempts toward systemic change and advocacy for this cause and the population it affects as well as ways we can and you plan to in the future (this is an absolute requirement for the Red Cord).
• An oral presentation and PowerPoint or Smart presentation will be presented to a
Red Cord review board composed of staff, faculty, administration, students, and parent board members. This will be due and take place 4 weeks into the 4th quarter of their Senior Year. A total of 250 hours are required to apply for this award.
GRADE OF INCOMPLETE IN RELIGION DUE TO UNFINISHED SERVICE HOURS
Since Service Learning is a graduation requirement at SGMHS, it is also a required part of all religion classes
Failure to complete the required service hour grade level requirements during any semester will result in a grade of Incomplete (“I”)
Students MUST make up incomplete hours over the summer at their approved or a different approved service site in order to receive credit for the class and remove the Incomplete from their transcript
Documentation for hours must be provided NO LATER THAN:
January 15th (for hours not completed in FALL semester)
August 30th of the next school year (for hours not completed in SPRING semester). It is acceptable for hours and documentation to be provided prior to that date
Failure to complete back hours by the due date will result in the grade of Incomplete remaining on the students’ transcripts until an alternate assignment is completed. Students will have to coordinate the assignment and due dates with their religion teachers.
If a student fails to complete the alternate assignment, the grade of Incomplete will remain on the transcript
In order to get credit for made up hours, students must provide documentation to the Service Learning Coordinator first, then their religion teacher.
The SLC will coordinate with the religion teacher and Academic Dean to change grade status
Cord review board composed of staff, faculty, administration, students, and parent board members. This will be due and take place 4 weeks into the 4th quarter of their Senior Year. A total of 250 hours are required to apply for this award.
