Service-learning credit should be mandatory for high school credits as long as special arrangements can be made for students with disabilities or other health problems to do the type of service-learning work that lies within their physical capacities. Service learning establishes a vital link between what students do in school and how they function in their community. Schools have often been criticized for not teaching students "real-world" skills, and generally students do not carry their efforts into the community where they can make a difference. Service-learning programs, however, give students a community focus that helps them see the link between what they are learning in school and what they can do with that knowledge in their community. This increases the relevance of education both to the students and to the community.
Making service learning mandatory will ensure that every student has the opportunity to make a difference in his or her community. This is an important aspect of service learning. Many high school students are disenfranchised at home, and some are alienated at school as well. Most do not yet know what they are going to do with their lives, so they are at a crossroads of indecision in high school, and thus vulnerable to negative influences. Through community service, many students "find" themselves. They may feel their life has purpose for the first time, and the community service can point them in the direction they would like to pursue for future studies and a career. Making service-learning mandatory is one of the most beneficial things that schools can do for high school students.
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