Service Learning

Education that transforms communities, students beyond the classroom

- Liz Rothaus Bertrand

When Providence Day School teacher Dr. Jennifer Bratyanski’s mentions 2016 grad Grant Williams, her voice suddenly catches: “Awesome, knuckleheaded kid,” she says.

Bratyanski’s proud. Not only because Williams excelled as a student and basketball player at the University of Tennessee nor because he was recently drafted by the Boston Celtics. What makes her emotional is the way the 6-foot-7-inch power forward stood up for teammates and other athletes at Tennessee a couple years ago.

When Williams noticed there were fewer healthy food options available during the summer to student-athletes training on campus, he contacted the school’s new athletic director and advocated for change. Because of his efforts, the university implemented a healthy grab-and-go breakfast option for student-athletes.

That’s the power of service-learning and just one of many examples of former students making a difference, says Bratyanski, who serves as a community engagement coordinator for social responsibility at Providence Day School. “You’re advocating for others who aren’t advocating for themselves,” she says.

Providence Day School is one of several local independent schools that include service-learning as a key curriculum component. By connecting hands-on experiences “doing good” in the community to opportunities for learning, reflection and action, students develop a variety of skills. From facilitating a deeper understanding of the world to helping young people see the role they can play in improving it, service-learning not only engages students in the short term, it can transform them and their communities for good.

WHAT IS SERVICE LEARNING?