Service Learning

The purpose of Service Learning is to acquire new knowledge through the process of giving back to the community. The Service Learning Class at Boulder Prep has two components: cooking lunch for the school and learning about food safety and culinary technique. The theme to this service learning class revolves around food, so learning objectives will be oriented around this theme. The grading for this course is based on the following components:

SERVICE HOURS- 60%

  • Each session is worth 100 minutes
  • You will need to complete a daily log of what you did each day in our booklet
  • If you miss a session you will need to make up 100 minutes of that time
  • If you are tardy, you lose credit for half of that session
  • You can make up time by:
    • serving lunch (double time),
    • cleaning up after lunch (double time)
    • helping prep food before or after school
    • helping with special projects after school
    • Volunteering outside the school at another agency (be sure to bring in a signed note stating what you did, the date(s) and total time)

* If the extra time was done at the school, be sure to log the time on the log sheet in the kitchen and have it signed by a teacher.

FOOD SAFETY TUTORIAL-10% By cooking lunch for the entire school, YOU are responsible for making sure that the food is prepared safely. The health of our community is in your hands, and we do not want anyone getting sick due to poor handling of food. To ensure that you know how to properly handle the food, you will be required to complete a food safety training by going to the following link: Food Safety Training and Quiz
MID-TERM EXAM-5% Students will have a mid-term exam to show what they have learned so far in the class. This will include questions on food safety as well as other kitchen guidelines. We will also ask about where items are stored, so pay close attention to Boulder Prep’s kitchen layout.
RECIPE ASSIGNMENT-5% Students will find a recipe that would be good to use for a Boulder Prep lunch. It can me a main item, side dish, or dessert. Convert the recipe for 100 students (servings). Include a detailed list of ingredients, quantities, and step-by-step instructions on how we would make it at the school.
PREPARE A MEAL-10%

  • Students will prepare a meal at home for friends or family
  • Student will write 2-3 paragraphs about what they prepared, why they chose this meal, and how it went
  • Student will include a series of pictures showing the cooking process and the final dish.
  • The purpose of this assignment is to demonstrate that cooking skills learned in class are being transferred and used at home.
  • Report is due at the end of the course
REFLECTION PAPER-10% Students will answer the reflection questions in their booklets on their experience in the Service Learning class addressing the following questions:

  • What is altruism?
  • How is altruism used in the Service Learning class (at Boulder Prep and at the volunteer agencies like Community Food Share)?
  • What are the benefits to altruism? (Give three benefits)
  • What did you do in this class? Be specific.
  • What were the top 3 meals you participated in?
  • What was your best moment in Service Learning?
  • What are 3 improvements you would make in the class?
  • What did you like about this class? What didn't you like? What would you change? What would you keep the same?
  • Describe how the service learning class relates to worldview. (See section on Worldview description)


Worldview
There are 3 main stages in how we see the world: survival, identity, and unity-based. It can be broken down into a mantra of Me, I, and We. When we are survival-based, we are only thinking about our own needs(Me, Me, Me); in an identity-based worldview, our thoughts and actions shape who we are as individuals (I, I, I); and in a unity-based worldview, our goal is to work together in order to create a better society (We, We, We). We move through these stages as we move through our lives. The ultimate goal is to be unity-based, but sometimes we find ourselves addressing personal needs and desires rather than the good of the many. When we volunteer with different agencies like Community Food Share, cook food for the students at Boulder Prep, or commit other acts of altruism like cleaning or helping someone with their homework, we experience things that change how we view the world. Certainly, it feels good to help people, but there can be struggles along the way that test our resolve. It is through these struggles that we grow as individuals. As you participate in the Service Learning class, think about what stage of human development you are in, especially when you are doing something outside of your comfort zone. Use these experiences to shape your final paper in this class.