Service Learning

IN THIS SECTION

A CULTURE OF SERVICE

Because a WIS goal is to prepare students for a life of active, responsible community engagement, service is a key part of the curriculum. Students engage in wide-ranging endeavors from fundraising and environmental improvement to involvement with local and international service agencies worldwide. Through these efforts, students gain insight into the issues faced by local and global communities. Students have performed community service at organizations such as:

Bikes for the World
Capital Area Food Bank
DC Central Kitchen
Greater DC Diaper Bank
Habitat for Humanity
Humane Rescue Alliance
Martha's Table
Tregaron Conservancy
A Wider Circle

As students progress through the school, the emphasis on service learning becomes greater. The hope is that each student will develop a service-focused ethos that leads to ongoing engagement with an issue or organization. The WIS Parents Association (WISPA) also has prioritized community engagement in recent years, arranging family days of service.

PRIMARY SCHOOL

Primary School students are introduced to service learning through IB PYP Units of Inquiry, which all include an action component, as well as through initiatives proposed by the student government. Examples include: organizing clothing and book drives for those in need, making Valentine’s for seniors, packing bags of toiletries to pass out to people experiencing homelessness, or raising money for UNICEF during its annual “Trick or Treat for UNICEF” each October.

The conclusion of the Primary School experience is the Grade 5 IB PYP Exhibition. Students work in groups to research issues and ultimately take some sort of action to address a problem or concern related to that issue.

MIDDLE SCHOOL

In Grades 6-8 there is no specific community service requirement, but efforts are integrated into the curriculum and students are encouraged to pursue service interests outside of class. For example, Grade 6 students have sponsored a once-a-month Reading Buddies program at a local elementary school, while Grade 7 students spend at least two days during the year volunteering at local organizations, such as DC Central Kitchen, the Tregaron Conservancy, and Capital Area Food Bank. Students in Grade 8 have the option to enroll in an elective called LearnServe, where they create an organization (including a mission statement and business plan) that will help improve their community in a meaningful way.

UPPER SCHOOL

Students in Grades 9 and 10 must complete a total of 20 hours of service, some of which may be on-campus activities. Additionally, Grade 9 students complete a day of service during their Activities Week in March, while Grade 10 students spend time at various organizations (Habitat for Humanity, Wetlands Restoration, and Harvest Food Pantry) in New Orleans during their annual class trip.

As part of the IB Diploma Program, a minimum of 60 hours of outside volunteer service is required in Grades 11 and 12. WIS students regularly exceed this amount; for example, in recent years class members accumulated a total of 120 hours each, working with dozens of entities and sometimes creating their own programs.

A CULTURE OF SERVICE

PRIMARY SCHOOL

MIDDLE SCHOOL

UPPER SCHOOL

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