Page 15 - Priorities 5

A Graduation Requirement of Community Service:
One Hundred Hours Of Practical Education
In keeping with a local and national trend, Woodside Priory in 1996 introduced a new graduation requirement in the theology and social studies curriculum — 25 hours per year of volunteer community service. Freshmen work with senior citizens in rest homes or similar facilities. Sophomores will work with young children, as tutors and aides in child care situations. The junior year focus will be on economically marginalized people, and the senior year on institutionalized people.
Students begin with an orientation to the population they will encounter. For example, they learn about the mental and physical changes that accompany aging and about effectivelycommunicatingwitholderpeople.Thestudentsvolunteeraloneorinsmallgroups. Threemini-
retreatsareheldduringtheyearsothatstudentscanshareexperiencesandquestions, reflect,andmake notes. They sum up with a reflective paper at the end of the year.
At the end of the fourth year, seniors will write a seven to ten page final, comprehensive paper exploring what they have learned both personally and socially from their experiences.
Initially, students may be uncomfortable or shocked, even repelled in an unfamiliar situation. This is mostpeople’s responsetoanythingthatcreatesadisequilibriumforabrieftime.Overtime,withthe opportunity to reflect, growth can take place. By the end, the Social Studies faculty believes the community service experience could be one of the most beneficial of students’ high school years.
Students at St. Elizabeth Seton Elementary School will be paired with sophomore tutors at WPS for on-line homework help. This project, funded in part by Silicon Graphics and Hewlett Packard, will be part of the sophomore year Community Service graduation requirement in social studies.
A Reflection On Chapel Talks
Consecrate, Challenge, Celebrate
Some were funny, like Mr. Molak’s humorous reminders and tips...Some brought tears, like Brooke Barry’s talk about her faith and struggle to find God’s will in the midst of college disappointment...some were stories, like Papa Panov’s, reminding us that Jesus is inside every person...or multimedia, like Ms. VanWagenen’s scene from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, reminding us to slow down and look before we leap. Some issued a challenge, like Dr. Cody’s challenge to avoid cynicism and put-downs of others...or Nancy Newman’s not just to endure but enjoy what we learn...Mr. Molak’s to “make your mark” by doing more thanyouthink youcan...FatherMartin’stodevelopthegiftswehavebeengivento the best of our ability...Anne Mecham’s, at the last chapel, to give our best to each new community we encounter.
— Paul Trudelle
Student musicians Devin Coats, Brian Sullivan and Tate Waterman at chapel.
15