Sites program overview
The SITES Program annually accepts 100 12th-Grade students who earn three graduation credits - one each in English, Social Studies, and Community Service-Learning - through their participation in it. These students become actively involved in the affairs of their community, bring these experiences back to the classroom, and then reflect on, evaluate, and assimilate them into their English and Social Studies Curricula.
| Profile | Outcomes | Beneficiaries | Curricular Ties |
Service elements of the SITES Program include:
- Service opportunities at educational, governmental, recreational, cultural, environmental, and health-related sites.
- Five hours of service per week throughout the school year
- Second Quarter Projects to develop leadership and planning skills
- Change of service sites after 1st semester to provide diverse experiences
- Service that emphasizes the direct addressing of unmet human needs
- Service that meets real community needs
- Service that is age and ability-appropriate
- Early dismissal/late arrival or "flex time" to accommodate agency schedules
- Participation in Program-wide service projects such as Leadership Camp, "Seniorfest," "Salute to Veterans," "Coats-for-Kids," and "Outreach Week"
The SITES Program's service offers students experiences that afford them the opportunity to:
- Have a greater voice and more active involvement in their own education
- Develop poise, self-confidence, and adaptability as they enter into the adult world
- Experience meaningful responsibility, critical thinking, decision-making, and the need for effective time management
- Acquire pragmatic skills and knowledge related to their service while better utilizing and developing their own abilities and talents
- Heighten their sense of citizenship and civic responsibility while formulating new social roles and interests
- Be introduced to various vocations and careers related to their service experiences
The SITES Program has impacted the community in the following ways:
- The enrichment of 40 community agencies by the students' service
- Over 13,000 quality hours provided annually through youth service
- An enhanced quality of life for the young, elderly, and those in between with special needs
- The implementation of the community as an active resource in the education of its youth
- The development of civic-mindedness and social values within its youth
The SITES Program offers the following integration of service and classroom learning:
- In English, studying literature reflecting "Man in His Social Context" as a central theme
- In English, having the community become the "authentic audience" for students' oral and written language skills
- In Social Studies, studying history, politics, and economics as they are experienced in the community and globally
- In Social Studies, developing an active engaged citizenry with a life-long commitment to service