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| Service-LearningService-learning is a learning method in which students have leadership roles in thoughtfully organized service experiences that meet real needs in the community. The service is integrated into the students' academic studies with structured time to research, reflect, discuss, and connect their experiences to their learning and their world view.Go to the BSM Servant Leader Web page
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| A service leadership class built and placed an eight-language peace pole on BSM's ecological walkway in May 2003. |
BSM's History of Service-Learning
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BSM has a long tradition of service dating back to the 1970s when Hank Scheinost joined the staff, following ten years in the Peace Corps. The program fluctuated for 25 years until 1996 when Youa Yang, a student who had been involved in service-learning in her previous school, convinced BSM to consider service-learning.
Benilde-St. Margaret's received a Learn and Serve America Grant to make a dramatic shift from volunteerism to service-learning. In 1999, BSM was selected as one of 70 schools in the nation as a Service-Learning Leader School and the school was recertified as a National Leader School in 2001.
The state of Minnesota recognized BSM with a Minnesota Service-Learning School Award, as well as the Minnesota Student Service Award with the high honor of "Hall of Fame" distinction in 2003. Serving is a part of the culture at BSM. Students, faculty, parents, and alumni all participate in service.
If you have questions about BSM's service-learning program, please contact service-learning coordinator Lisa Lenhart-Murphy at (952) 915-4358, ext. 2476 or llenhart@bsm-online.org. |
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In May 2005, BSM presented a $4,800 check to Father Kermit Holl (BSM's chaplain at that time), which he delivered to Indonesia for tsunami relief efforts. Pictured are Shane Harrington ('05), service-learning coordinator Lisa Lenhart-Murphy, Betsy Van Cleve ('06), and Chris Roeder ('06), who is holding a book of messages that BSM students wrote to the Indonesian school children. |
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Three BSM juniors, Mary Cashman, Greta Wiessner and Sarah Koller, teamed up with the Action Team youth volunteer corps and the Minnesota Twins to kick off “Operation Backpack 2007” at the Metrodome on August 1, 2007. Operation Backpack is an annual back-to-school drive, sponsored by Volunteers of America of Minnesota, that provides new backpacks and school supplies for at-risk children of low-income Twin Cities’ families. These young ladies’ volunteer work included encouraging Twins fans to join the Operation Backpack 2007 campaign by actively staffing an information table at a Metrodome gate and collecting donations of money, backpacks and school supplies for the initiative prior to and throughout the baseball game. |
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Playing Santa is just one way that service-learning students help out with our Little Knights program at school. | |
