What is Semester of Service?
Developed by YSA, Semester of Service is a school-based, service-learning framework through which young people apply what they are learning in the classroom to critical needs in their communities.
Most Semester of Service programs include at least 70 hours of learning and service over several weeks or months, incorporating the proven practice of "duration and intensity." This provides enough time for students to acquire the knowledge & skills needed to understand and impact difficult community problems.
In a successful Semester of Service, students follow the IPARD/C stages of the service-learning process: Investigation, Preparation & Planning, Action, Reflection, Demonstration/Celebration.
Semester of Service projects address critical community problems and their root causes – problems such as water scarcity, childhood obesity, environmental degradation, energy conservation, poverty, hunger and homelessness, high school dropouts, and illiteracy.
Who can do a Semester of Service?
YSA’s Semester of Service is especially designed for educators and students in K-12 schools, academic out-of-school time programs, and colleges and universities, but anyone can do a Semester of Service.
Currently, YSA is funding three groups of school-based Semester of Service grantees:
- 43 STEMester of Service School Grantees
- 13 Sodexo Foundation School Engagement Grantees
- 75 State Farm Good Neighbor Service-Learning Grantees
Any educator can use the Semester of Service framework in your classroom or out-of-school time program.
When is Semester of Service?
YSA encourages you to launch, and culminate or celebrate the efforts of your Semester of Service on significant national days of service. We recommend that you consider one of the following cycles (spring, summer, or fall):
- Spring - MLK Day of Service to Global Youth Service Day
- Summer - Global Youth Service Day to 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance
- Fall - 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance to MLK Day of Service
If one of these cycles does not work for you, we encourage you to define your own Semester of Service period, based on your own academic calendar or utilizing other awareness and service days important in your community or relevant to the issue you are addressing. (See the Seasons of Service calendar on pages 72-77 of the Semester of Service Strategy Guide for other potential days to include as part of your Semester of Service.)
Why a Semester of Service?
Extended service-learning experiences such as Semester of Service and other YSA-sponsored initiatives have been shown to increase academic engagement and student achievement, build 21st century workforce skills, and have a greater impact on the community served.
How do you organize a Semester of Service?
Resources
Use YSA's Semester of Service Strategy Guide and give our Semester of Service planning calendars to your students. (Request free printed copies of these materials here.)
Check out GoToServiceLearning.org, YSA's searchable database of best practice, field-tested, service-learning lesson plans tied to academic standards
The Global Youth Service Day Toolkit is a step-by-step guide that will help you and your students plan and lead a high-quality community service project or service activities that are part of a service-learning or Semester of Service project.
You can also check out many other service-learning resources and trainings from YSA.
Grants
Apply for one of YSA's school grants. (Applications are closed for spring 2012. Check back in April through June for grants for the 2012-2013 school year.)
Register
Please register your Semester of Service project with YSA so that our Education Team can provide additional training and technical assistance.
Complete this form to let us know about the GYSD component of your Semester of Service project. On the registration form, under the "Event Information" section, please select "GYSD + Semester of Service" for the "Event Type" question to identify your project as a Semester of Service.
