Brebeuf Action Plan Summary of Professional Research Brebeuf College School is a well-rounded secondary school gifted in both academics

and extracurriculars, and is built on strong Christian values. The purpose of our action plan is to restore some of the injured connections between the school and the public communities by having students participate in voluntary community service at St. Francis Table. Based on professional literature, community involvement in high school shows to have positive effects on students and their learning, behaviour, and sociomoral development. Sheldon & Epstein (2002) looked at the relationship between family and community involvement activities and the students rates of discipline. They found that across elementary and secondary schools, the more family and community involvement activities were implemented, the fewer students were disciplined by being sent to the principals offices or given detention or in-school suspension. These results suggest that creating more connections and greater cooperation among the school, family, and community contexts can improve student behaviour and school discipline. Similarly, Eccles & Barber (1999) examined the potential benefits and risks associated with participation in five types of activities: prosocial, team sports, school involvement, performing arts, and academic clubs. They found that involvement in prosocial activities (church and volunteer activities) was linked to positive educational trajectories and low rates of involvement in risky behaviours. Many times, our students will misbehave out of boredom or lack of direction. Our hope is that the students experiences at St. Francis Table will allow them to discover their own talents and thus redirect their energy from

risky behaviours to good works by showing them that if they work together, they can do great things. Moreover, Hart et al. (2007) found that voluntary and school-required community service in high school were strong predictors of adult voting and volunteering. Having the students extend past the walls of Brebeuf will encourage them to get involved with the community. They will gain a sense of responsibility as citizens in the society, but also as members of the Catholic Church. It will be a rewarding experience for the students as they will understand that their actions have consequences, and that they can make a positive difference in the world. Leming (2001) looked at the effect of reflection during service in promoting personal and sociomoral development. He found that students who practiced ethical decision making curriculum integrated into the community service program made greater advances in identity formation when compared to other students. It was found that they became more systematic in their ethical reasoning and more likely to consider situations and issues from an ethical point of view. As part of our action plan, we have students write personal testimonies reflecting their experience serving the homeless. We have received positive and heart-felt feedback from our students telling us that this experience has changed their lives and opened up their eyes to a world that they were unfamiliar with. These reflections allow students to account for their own learning, in personal and spiritual ways, and to use these experiences to move forward with a different perspective on life. Additionally, Serow (1991) explored the motives of community service participants. Through combined survey and interview data, he concluded that direct engagement in the problems of vulnerable individuals and groups provides concrete experience and connectedness

with people that are not readily available in other dimensions of the student role. We wanted to challenge our students to step outside their comfort zones and gain that direct contact with the community outside of their school. As teacher candidates, we were able to get to know our students and observe the light they bring to the world through their actions and innovative ideas. Through this action plan, we hope that we can expose their talents and Christian hearts to the public community. Overall, we dream that the public can see the good that we see in our students. Although our action plan allows the students of Brebeuf College School to extend their goodwill to the homeless community, we are certain that they will receive much more than they could ever give. Our Love Thy Neighbour club which facilitates student-volunteering at St. Francis Table will challenge our students to reach beyond the comfort of their own lives, and to live out the teachings of our Catholic faith by serving others.

References Eccles, J. S., & Barber, B. L. (1999). Student council, volunteering, basketball, or marching band. Journal of Adolescent Research, 14(1), 10-43. Hart, D., Donnelly, T. M., Youniss, J., & Atkins, R. (2007). High school community service as a predictor of adult voting and volunteering. American Educational Research Journal, 44(1), 197-219. Leming, J. S. (2001). Integrating a structured ethical reflection curriculum into high school community service experiences. Adolescence, 36(141), 33-45. Serow, R. C. (1991). Students and voluntarism: Looking into the motives of community service participants. American Educational Research Journal, 283), 543-556. Sheldon, S. B., & Epstein, J. L. (2002). Improving student behavior and school discipline with family and community involvement. Education and Urban Society, 35(1), 4-26.