Lift: Raising the Bar for Service-Learning Practice

The K-12 Service-Learning Standards for Quality Practice come to life in extensive videos and downloadable resources that follow three schools through their own service-learning experiences, illustrating how the Standards are integrated and essential to the implementation of a service-learning curriculum.

LIFT Introduction Video

The Lift features stories and interviews on location with school administrators, teachers, and students talking about the challenges and rewards of their projects. The Lift is free to access and serves as an excellent base for professional development events.

Diversity

Students learn from each other and those different from themselves.

Students learn about themselves and others.

Students elaborate on their cultural uniqueness.

Students address stereotypes.

Youth Voice

Student voice builds engagement.

Students become the experts and can share knowledge with others.

Link to Curriculum

Service-learning is intentionally used as an instructional strategy to meet learning goals and/or content standards.

How to connect student experiences with academic and character goals.

Connecting service projects to math goals.

Service-learning intentionally connects to learning goals.

Reflection

Reflecting on efforts and activities is integral to service-learning.

Reflection helps make learning meaningful.

Students gain confidence in their abilities and build trust with each other.

Service-learning incorporates multiple challenging reflection activities that are ongoing and that prompt deep thinking and analysis about oneself and one’s relationship to society.

Duration & Intensity

Service-learning has sufficient duration and intensity to address community needs and meet specified outcomes.

An administrator's perspective on student outcomes.

Creating a safe space takes time & intention.

Students tackle issues that are important to them.

Meaningful Service

Service-learning actively engages participants in meaningful and personally relevant service activities.

Making service-learning meaningful for Elementary students.

Students make meaningful connections to community.

Students learn to meet the community need.

Partnerships

Service-learning partnerships are collaborative, mutually beneficial, and address community needs.

Partnerships are mutually beneficial.

Students learn from community experts.

Connecting with funding partners is an important part of the service-learning process.

Community experts help with understanding and action.

Progress Monitoring

Service-learning engages participants in an ongoing process to assess the quality of implementation and progress toward meeting specified goals, and uses results for improvement and sustainability.