A Guide to Developing School-to-Community Partnerships for High School Students
| The Guide is intended to assist social science and occupational teachers in the areas of public service and its related occupations to develop, create and operate an internship program. This approach creates interaction among instructors and encourages the interchange of ideas and sharing of resources. The guide is designed for use in all schools in rural, suburban or urban settings. A related article, "Students Serve Community," describes how such a program worked in practice in Jim Arey's school district. Download Public Service Practicum Curriculum Guide [PDF, 133 pp]> Download "Students Serve Community" [PDF, 2 pp]> Back to Free Resources page> | From the Public Service Practicum Guide: In high school, students have a choice in the courses they will take. As a result, their decisions greatly affect their choice of a career. A person’s career choice affects their whole life. It affects the way they live, the way they think, the goals they set for themselves and their family. In addition, approximately eight hours of every working day for the next thirty, forty, or fifty years will be spent on the job. What choices in careers are available to high school students? There are thousands of professional and non-professional options available. One career area that is neglected in our schools is public service. Yet, “With more than 1.8 million civilian employees, the Federal Government, excluding the Postal Service is the Nation’s largest employer.” |
Jim Arey, a 2001 Golden Apple Fellow, is a social studies teacher at Elk Grove High School in Elk Grove Village, Illinois. For 11 years, Jim was teacher and coordinator of the Public Service Practicum Community Resource program. The Public Service Practicum combines academics with real-life learning in the form of non-paid internships, field experiences, and volunteer community service. Jim is a recipient of multiple awards and recognitions including the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching. He has encouraged his students to apply for and earn over $1 million dollars in college grants and scholarships. Jim has assisted in a multitude of community fundraising efforts including the Soldier Memorial fund, Heart of a Marine Foundation, and Community Character Coalition of Elk Grove.