Learning in Deed: The Power of Community Service

Community service can be a powerful way for students to apply their academic disciplines to the real world. It doesn’t compete in importance with a student’s education, but it can validate and solidify it. When young people are actively involved by using their knowledge in service, they will stretch themselves and grow individually as they become actively involved citizens. Serving others benefits the student, the community and the world as a whole.

Young students can grow emotionally and spiritually as they learn to share their time for valuable causes. Volunteering time and energy can bring an increased sense of civic responsibility as well as a deeper commitment to community involvement. Students can play a healthy role in the life of their community. By making real contributions to the community where they live, they can develop essential leadership skills, build better self-esteem, and help their community all at the same time.

Book-learning is translated into real-life learning when students actively apply their knowledge and experience outside of the classroom. Service-learning ties a student’s scholastics with community involvement. They can deepen academic learning as well as make contributions to a larger world outside of their own. Not only does community service improve academic performance but also can increase awareness of real-life problems that need to be addressed. Being engaged both academically as well as in the community can give them the necessary skills to help solve their own problems later in life.

Serving one’s community is more important than self-service. It transcends social boundaries through structured reflection, exploring the meaning and moral implications of service by learning the importance of solving real-world problems. It can also help strengthen democracy so students can meet challenges and opportunities in an interdependent, ever changing world. For community service to be effective, it relies upon people who are committed to doing what’s best for the neighborhood, and the world as a whole.

Community service offers the opportunity for today’s young people and tomorrow’s leaders to learn, while addressing local needs. They can experience the connection between what they have observed and what they have personally participated in. Students who work to better their community through service tend to continue to work all their lives in many different ways to improve the world around them, with lasting benefits for our country and our planet.

Students who step out into the real world to share their talents and abilities not only strengthen communities but also are more prepared for a lifetime of good citizenship. If we want our students to lead creative, productive, responsible lives, we must give them opportunities to learn in ways that have consequences for others, as well as for themselves. They can certainly help themselves by helping others.

This article is the work of author, Jean Burk. It is the property of Maven of Memory Publishing, and may be reproduced according to the the following terms.