The Student Council is the representative group of students in each grade that bring forward issues, concerns and proposals for discussion and action by students. Committee members learn the process of consensus and bringing proposals to the Staff, Advisory Council and Board of Trustees. The Student Council also runs the weekly town meetings.
100% of City Academy students participate in service learning. Service learning is much, much more than volunteering; it is another means of accomplishing big learning. Service learning combines service tasks with structured learning opportunities that link the task to self-reflection and self-discovery, and to the acquisition and comprehension of knowledge, ideas, values, and skills.
Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.
One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.
As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.
He came closer still and called out “Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?”
The young man paused, looked up, and replied “Throwing starfish into the ocean.”
“I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?” asked the somewhat startled wise man.
To this, the young man replied, “The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them in, they’ll die.”
Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, “But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can’t possibly make a difference!”
At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, “It made a difference for that one.”
“If there is anything I've learned over the course of my service project, it's that we are far from powerless, though we need to take initiative to act. Non-profit organizations may be our road to this planet's own salvation, and I hope that everyone at some point in their lives makes the conscious effort to give a helping hand.”
~ Kindra Stock, 2012 graduate, Red Butte Gardens
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“My job is to guide youth to a brighter future, and there isn't an organization that acts just like this. The one-of-a-kind social and spiritual movement towards equality and justice fulfill needs all around the world, and being a part of that is more powerful than I could write.” ~ Julianne Cottam, 2012 graduate, Unitarian Universalist Mountain Desert District
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“I think non-profit organizations don't necessarily have to be there for the purpose of attracting volunteers to get work done, but to generate understanding and duty in a generation who will inherit the earth which has begun to degrade with sometimes catastrophic consequences. If only to give the coming generations the tools and respect to handle any coming problems.” ~ Udo Fischer, 2012 graduate, Red Butte Gardens
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“I am about to graduate high school and I have been looking for a job and I can't seem to find anything. I did over a hundred hours working for a non-profit agency where I did not make even a dollar, and it even cost me some money I did not have. But I learned something. Without people willing to give up their time, there would be a lot more suffering.”
~ Tyler Schirm, 2012 graduate, Friends of Animals
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“Through my community service I have learned how to communicate and get to know people. I've learned that to make people feel calm you must open up and exude a playful attitude,,,,through this comes trust and friendship. This has helped my academic life by making me stronger, able to work through problems, and talk to people.”
~ Olivia Brusatto, 2012 graduate, Big Brothers Big Sisters
City Academy Service Learning