SERVICE LEARNING
8th Grade Service Learning Program
Maria Montessori believed that learning should extend beyond the classroom. Through “going out,” students experience the wider community firsthand—learning by doing, contributing, and building meaningful connections.
At Island Montessori, our 8th grade Service Learning program puts this philosophy into practice. Twice each month, students spend a morning volunteering with one of our local community partners: Humane Society, Salvation Army, Rise Up Community Farm, Bellamy Mansion, or Autumn Care.
Through these experiences, students develop responsibility, independence, and a deeper understanding of their community while discovering how their time, talents, and efforts can make a difference.
Program info
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Service Learning starts in September and ends in April.
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Service days are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
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Each student serves twice a month.
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A schedule will be provided to the students each semester.
26-27 Service Learning Sites
Not all students visit each site, but are paired with the sites they wanted to work at most.
Humane Society
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Care for cats: Clean cat cages, including washing and drying them, and clean litter boxes.
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Maintain a clean environment: Sweep and mop the cat room floor and help keep animal spaces clean and comfortable.
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Handle cats with care: Learn to recognize when cats are scared or have extra energy and how to interact with them gently and safely. This includes playing with, holding, and moving cats when their spaces need to be cleaned.
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Interact appropriately with dogs: Spend time playing with younger and older dogs while learning how to encourage positive behaviors, such as redirecting jumping and teaching dogs to bite or chew toys instead of hands.
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Care for outdoor spaces: Pick up sticks and other yard debris to keep outdoor areas clean, safe, and welcoming for community members visiting to meet and adopt their new pets.
Salvation Army
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Stock and organize the food pantry: Restock shelves and organize food so items are easy to find and access.
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Check expiration dates to help ensure food is safe to distribute.
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Prepare hygiene care packages: Assemble personal care packages for community members in need.
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Prepare lunch packages: Wrap utensils for lunch packages to help ensure meals are ready for distribution.
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Learn how a community food pantry operates: Understand how food pantries serve the community, support individuals and families, and work with local businesses to reduce food waste.
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For example, Chick-fil-A has a program that allows participating locations to donate unused food, such as chicken prepared that day, for freezing and distribution through community food pantries.
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Bellamy Mansion
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Clean and maintain indoor spaces: Dust and clean surfaces, including windows, baseboards, and stairways.
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Care for outdoor spaces: Pick up sticks and other yard debris as needed to keep the grounds clean and safe.
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Respect and preserve historic items: Learn how to handle and clean historic objects and surfaces carefully to help prevent damage and preserve them for future generations.
Autumn Care
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Spend time with residents: Build connections with residents and learn how to engage with them in meaningful and respectful ways.
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Play card games: Participate in card games and help adapt or explain the rules so residents of all ability levels can join in.
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Enjoy creative activities together: Color alongside residents, ask about their artwork, and use the activity as an opportunity to start conversations and build connections.
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Get to know residents: Learn how to communicate respectfully, recognize individual needs and interests, and adapt interactions to help each resident feel included and valued.
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Rise Up Farms
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Distribute food to community members: Help distribute food and fresh vegetables to community members waiting in the food pantry car line.
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Build communication skills: Practice speaking clearly and confidently by explaining what is in the wagon, describing how the distribution system works, and sharing vegetables grown on the farm.
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Work as a team: Take turns speaking with community members, handing out vegetables, and pulling the wagon to ensure everyone has a role.
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Learn about gardening: Explore the garden and learn to identify plants, distinguish weeds from garden plants, and understand how the garden grows.
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Pull weeds and help maintain a clean, healthy garden space.
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Learn how to walk carefully through garden beds to protect plants.
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Practice outdoor safety by wearing gloves and appropriate clothing while gardening.
ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS
Student Ambassadors-Whole School Service Learning
Each month, Island Montessori highlights a local or global organization for a Monthly Cause to help our students connect with causes beyond our school community.
Through awareness, fundraising, or collection drives, students learn how they can make a meaningful difference.
Each classroom selects a Student Ambassador who learns about the month’s featured organization and brings that knowledge back to their classmates, helping lead our school-wide initiative.
November Monthly Cause
