Community Service Participation Log

Maria Montessori had a vision in which people would learn to consider themselves part of a larger community-a world community. “In order to unite all men as brothers, we would have to tear down all the barriers, so that human beings the world over would be like children playing in one vast garden.” (Montessori).

Montessori charged educators with educating our youth for peace. Educating for peace is not an easy task. The key is to develop a foundation through action and example. There are several key values that need to be awakened within the adolescent. These values include: a sense of justice, the ability to challenge authority in a respectful manner, hard work, the desire to have a low impact on the planet and to place a low value on materialism, the ability to empathize with all races, cultures and religions of the world, and the need to celebrate the differences in humanity. Community service will give the student lifelong lessons in empathy, hard work, and cultural awareness. This experience teaches students that they can have a positive effect on their community and eventually the world by identifying problems and then solving them.

All middle school students are required to complete 36 hours per year, with 9 hours being completed each quarter so that the experience is consistent. High school students must complete 50 hours per year (12.5 hours per quarter).  Graduating students will have 272 total service hours.