Service Learning is an educational approach that combines learning objectives with community service in order to provide a pragmatic, progressive learning experience while meeting societal needs. Oak Hall students, faculty, and staff are engaged in service opportunities in our Gainesville community and often far beyond. These projects are a way for us to give back, help, and make a difference. Oak Hall Upper School students are required to complete 40 service hours as a graduation requirement. For more information about Service Learning and how to get involved, please contact our Service Learning Coordinator, Kristin Wilson, at kwilson@oakhall.org.
Service Learning Reminders
Students who are entering their 9th grade year will be expected to have the following breakdown of their service hours:
- A minimum of half of the service hours (20 of the 40 hours) must come from service with a nonprofit organization.
- Service Ideas: Habitat for Humanity, Humane Society, “Volunteen,” Grace Marketplace, or Keep Alachua County Beautiful
- The other half of the required hours (up to 20 hours) may come from Oak Hall-related activities.
- Service Ideas: Helping at the track meet or with football, being a student ambassador, setting up for a band concert or art show, or helping a teacher.
- Hours can be accepted from service work done in the summer leading up to the 9th grade through the 12th grade school year.
Students enrolling in Oak Hall after the beginning of the 9th grade year will have their service hours prorated to their time spent as a student at Oak Hall. An example of this is a student enrolling at the beginning of their sophomore year will have to complete 30 service hours as their graduation requirement, instead of 40 hours.
Service Learning Deadlines
There are two deadlines each year for turning in service hours:
- Hours completed in the summer and fall semesters have a December deadline (before winter break).
- Hours completed in the spring semester will have a May deadline (the last day of school before summer break).
Note: Service hours will not be accepted from school semesters’/years’ past when not turned in by each semester’s deadline.