PORTFOLIO ESSAY (#1)

Sheri Munson-Castro
Writ 101 – Winter 2008
Craig Mckenney-Instructor
February 2nd, 2008

“High School Students and Community Service hours “High school students and community service hours is it “Slave labor or Character building”?


There have been a lot of discussions going on about this matter and many debates between congress and the school boards around the United States. Many states have had it going on for the last couple of years and it has hit the Seattle school district and was just implemented into it as of this January.A lot of parents, me included were not aware of this until our children started high school and then we are notified that as part of the academic plan sixty (60) community service hours wereto be completed by the end of the twelve grade in order to graduate and in fact some of the teachers in the ninth grade which is the beginning grade in the high school require the students to be in rolled and completed at the minimum fifteen (15) hours by the end of first semester or receive a lower grade in the class.

What the teachers as well as the Seattle school board have said is that while for these students who have those teachers and need to complete the fifteen hours , this is a gift per say. As will help to teach them not to wait till the last moment and builds responsibility and is a jump start to finishing it and helps them to maybe even get it completed prior to the next year.There are a lot of debating going on as to the full meaning of having students complete community service hours and that its not only for those who get in trouble with the law.

And while there are some who think that this is another form of slave labor with out really knowing the true value of it or even looking into and discovering what’s involved. Many of them think differently on the matter. Many have after researching into the matter and watching what goes on in some the high school programs. And which is stated by, “Kris Betker and Jocelyn McCabe on the www.hecb.wa.gov/press/index.asp which is the Higher Education Coordination Board site.Where there are many debates on the positive and negative reactions to the items that affect the schools and the students themselves.

And there has been debates going on all across the states, including Michigan. Where there is currently a House Bill referred out to the Committee of Education for further study regarding this matter as well into the matter of if it’s Community Service or Servitude. Which you can see the updates as well as the history of this bill at the site, www.michiganlegislature.org Also, on the Seattle school website at www.seattleschool.edu you can see where it is written about community service hours and that they the students need to have completed the sixty by the end of the twelve grade.

And even for those students who complain on the hours. They need to be aware that there are states that require even more hours. With all the people I have talked to in regards to this and asked their opinions about it. I have discovered as well that there are many who agree 100 % on this matter. They feel that it builds character; the kids learn to have responsibility and to be part of the community they live in.

Building their self esteem and confidence in themselves and learning to reach out to each and sharing as well as feel in some of the emptiness that some of the students feel in their lives. And helps to build a better connection between the parents, teachers and community as well as help to shorten the list of potential drop outs down the road. From what I saw on many of the sites was they all have a similar main point.

Which was if we “Set the standard, Measuring the results, then we will be celebrating the Success of Our Students as they stride to meet and beat that standard.” Because of the simple fact that was mention in many of the sites as well as by the people I talked to; “Encouragement goes along way in building up your pride and confidence in yourself.” And helping them to have this confidence and pride in what they do, they will then go far in life and be successful it as they enter the adult world.