Bernotas Middle School prioritizes service learning

To enhance personal growth and development and create more civic-minded students, Bernotas Middle School has prioritized service learning during the 2017-18 school year. By pairing up with local not-for-profit organizations and agencies and a neighboring District 47 school, teams of sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders are making a difference in the Crystal Lake community.

The service learning project idea grew out of a desire to increase students’ awareness of the various needs in their community and to encourage them to get involved, assistant principal Kellie Marks said. Marks said the yearlong service learning plan came about during school improvement team meetings during the 2016-17 school year. After researching and discussing the benefits of service learning, the improvement team dedicated time throughout the 2017-18 school year to teach Bernotas students how to engage with their community.

“One of the goals of the service learning endeavor is for our staff and students to value working with our community and to continue this work in the future,” Marks said. “It is exciting to watch the progress that has been made so far.”

One of the unique aspects of the Bernotas service learning model is that each service team is run by students. At the beginning of the school year, each grade-level team chose a not-for-profit agency to work with. Students learned about their respective organization’s mission through guest visits or by taking field trips to on-site locations.

Grade-level teams then brainstormed ways to contribute to the mission of their partnering organization, creating committees to accomplish tasks. Once or twice a month, students meet with their fellow students to carry out their service learning projects.

Examples of student-community partnerships by grade level include:

Sixth-graders are taking up donations for PADS of McHenry County and creating holiday greeting cards for those served by the organization.

Seventh-graders are helping women and children through the Home of the Sparrow. After learning about homelessness from the organization’s volunteer coordinator, students brainstormed ways to help. Ideas presented included recipe boxes, grooming kits, first aid kits and a clothing drive.

Eighth-graders rang the bell over the holidays to benefit the Salvation Army. Illini students also worked on a St. Baldrick’s fundraiser to benefit childhood cancer research March 23 at Bernotas Middle School.