The Kent Phoenix Academy was joined by 45 senior citizens from surrounding retirement homes today to take part in a service learning project coordinated by the Communities In Schools’ Kent Performance Learning Center students. Seniors were welcomed to the school with a morning reception which featured Kent Phoenix Academy Principal Merrilee Lyle and a Hawaiian dance performance by three students. Students were then paired with one of the guests and escorted to a classroom to be interviewed.
Service learning is an important piece of Communities In Schools and its mission to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life and is an integral component of what makes the Kent Performance Learning Center unique. Research shows that high quality service-learning opportunities improve academic achievement, school attendance and connect students to their communities. By providing students with an opportunity to give back, learn about their community and community members, students develop a life long habit of social responsibility and enhance their self-esteem. Through service learning programs, community service and engagement becomes an integral part of enhancing teaching practices, student learning and problem solving.
About The Kent Performance Learning Center
The Kent Performance Learning Center (KPLC) is a small, non-traditional high school located at the Kent Phoenix Academy that is designed for students who have ability but are not succeeding within the traditional school setting. The Kent Performance Learning Center creates a challenging, business-like environment that emphasizes real-world interaction, project-based learning, problem solving, and communication skills. Team work and interdependence are balanced with a rigorous online curriculum that allows each student to progress at their own pace.