Work-based Learning Credit through CO-OP and Community Resource Credit through students working directly with members of the community are available to students at FlexTech High School.
The Co-op and Community Resource classes are forms of service learning. Service Learning projects are a form of experiential education where learning occurs through a cycle of action and reflection as students work with others through a process of applying what they are learning to community problems and, at the same time, reflecting upon their experience as they seek to achieve real objectives for the community and deeper understanding and skills for themselves.
Service Learning helps students build academic skills while strengthening communities through service. A growing body of research recognizes the benefits of Service Learning as an effective strategy to:
- Improve Academic Achievement
When explicitly tied to academic standards and learning objectives, Service Learning positively impacts student outcomes on measures of academic achievement, including standardized test scores.
- Increase Student Engagement
Service Learning engages students by helping them make critical connections between classroom lessons and real-world applications.
- Build Civic Skills
By giving students the responsibility to identify and meet pressing needs, Service Learning builds civic skills and commitment in young people that last a lifetime.
- Strengthen Community Partnerships
Service Learning brings students into the community, and the community into schools. In this way, students develop a sense of belonging and responsibility, and communities view youth as valuable assets.