Service Learning
Ever since WISH Community and Academy Schools opened our doors in 2009, service to the community has been at the heart of the WISH educational experience. Students at WISH begin engaging in service-learning projects in TK and continue to take on increasingly complex and impactful projects each year through 12th Grade. To date, WISH students have provided more than 80,000 service-learning hours in support of more than 200 activities and non-profit organizations.
Our goal is to create an environment where serving is simply a normal part of life - both at school and in our student’s everyday lives. We believe giving back to others builds students' confidence and social responsibility, while instilling in them a commitment to serve the community. Service-learning encourages students to build high-level thinking skills, develop important interpersonal skills, increases bonds with the local organizations and groups, and helps create a positive environment campus-wide.
Traditionally, each year the entire WISH community kicks off our school-wide, annual quarter of Service Learning with a beach clean up. Throughout the quarter, each grade participates in a service-learning project using the project-based learning model. Additionally, students in grades 6-12 are required to complete on average 20 hours of individual community service. At the end of the quarter of service, all students write an essay sharing their service-learning experiences, the impact that they've had on the community, and how they have grown from their service to others.
Over the years some of our past student projects have included:
Traditionally, each year the entire WISH community kicks off our school-wide, annual quarter of Service Learning with a beach clean up. Throughout the quarter, each grade participates in a service-learning project using the project-based learning model. Additionally, students in grades 6-12 are required to complete on average 20 hours of individual community service. At the end of the quarter of service, all students write an essay sharing their service-learning experiences, the impact that they've had on the community, and how they have grown from their service to others.
Over the years some of our past student projects have included:
- Beach & community clean-ups
- Collecting and delivering for Meals-on-Wheels
- Bagging groceries for the Food Pantry, Inglewood, CA
- Providing service to animals in shelters
- Collecting supplies for children at the Mar Vista Family Center
- Clearing the Ballona Wetlands
- Volunteering for the "Westchester Townhouse Makeover" project with the Rotary Club
- Serving meals to local first-responders abroad.
Students have set up service learning opportunities for themselves with the following programs:
- Ballona Wetlands - Students participated in helping to clean up the Ballona Wetlands.
- Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles - Students made cards for children who were in the hospital.
- Kiva - Students brought in money to be donated to Kiva which provides micro-loans to people in disadvantaged countries who use it to start small businesses
- Mar Vista Family Center - Kids made and decorated pencil boxes to be delivered to families.
- Meals on Wheels - Kids made flower pots that were filled with flowers and were delivered to the elderly through Meals on Wheels.
- Pet Adoption - Students made posters that were hung around Westchester to emphasize the need for pet adoption.
- SPCA Animal Shelter - Students collected items to be donated to the animal shelter.
- World Food Program Food Drive – Students bring in canned food for the World Food Program.