Seal of Recognition for Service
The NYC Department of Education offers a locally approved diploma seal of recognition for youth service. The Seal of Recognition for Service, or Service Seal, recognizes high school students who accumulate a minimum of 100 hours of service over their high school years. Service hours may include community service completed independently or as part of service-learning and/or a school-led service program. For further guidance on the Service Seal, teachers and school-based staff can refer to the Seal of Recognition for Service guidance document behind login on the InfoHub. For questions, email ServiceinSchools@schools.nyc.gov.
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Student Spotlight: Emerging Leaders for Social Justice Institute (ELSJI) |
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The DOE’s Office of Equity and Access (OEA) launched the Emerging Leaders for Social Justice Institute (ELSJI) in 2020 to guide students in grades 10-12 in becoming effective social change agents to confront social and racial injustices. Through self transformation, leadership development, and community building, students that participate in ELSJI can make an impact on disadvantaged communities.
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The ongoing pandemic has exacerbated food insecurity in New York City. During the holiday season in December 2021, ELSJI students coordinated a food drive giveaway in Restoration Plaza to make an impact on the Bedford–Stuyvesant community in Brooklyn. ELSJI students from 28 high schools across the city partnered with East Brooklyn Mutual Aid to provide a free food giveaway with boxes of potatoes, fruits, vegetables, and other fresh produce. Students appreciated the opportunity to make a difference in the community during this challenging time.
The food giveaway event was a component of the ELSJI students’ community engagement requirement and final project called Project I.M.P.A.C.T (Individuals Making Progress Across Communities Together). Project I.M.P.A.C.T is a performance-based experience where ELSJI students demonstrate their critical ability to question, research, lead, act, present, and reflect on a specific social justice issue that impacts their community.
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Opportunities for Schools
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Committee for New York City
(Citizens NYC) Green Team Mini-Grants
Application Deadline: Thursday,
February 3, 2022 at 5:00pm
Citizens Committee for New York City (CitizensNYC) is driven by its mission to help New Yorkers in low-income communities to come together and improve the quality of life in their neighborhoods. CitizensNYC and the NYC Department of Sanitation are awarding mini-grants to fund K-12 public school Green Team projects. The mini-grants fund materials, basic equipment, and other items needed to make Green Team projects happen. Past grant projects include recycling and garden projects, t-shirts or uniforms for the Green Team, school sustainability events, virtual environmental programming and eco-friendly giveaways. Apply for a mini-grant by Thursday, February 3 at 5:00pm.
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Service-Learning Resources for Educators
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Educators Consortium for Service-Learning
Educators Consortium for Service Learning (ECSL) is a nonprofit organization uniting a network of K-12 educators, administrators, and parents eager to help students identify and solve the needs of their communities, local to global. ECSL’s curriculum, tools, resources, and workshops (virtual and in-person) empower educators to build students’ academic skills while engaging their voices to generate meaningful outcomes for genuine issues. Review ECSL's resources, including recorded conversations that link service-learning with topics such as trauma-informed healing, digital wellness, and creative solutions for pandemic service. Check out their newsletter archive for ideas on how to get started with service-learning. Email ECSLabc@gmail.com with questions or for more information.
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Contact the Service in Schools Team |
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Does your school have a great service project to share? If so, the Service in Schools team wants to know!
Invite the Service in Schools team to visit your service project. We want to see your students and school community in action. Email the Service in Schools team at ServiceinSchools@schools.nyc.gov with two weeks’ notice, and we’ll schedule a visit to your school to learn about your project and see the impact you’re making on the community.
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Follow @ServicenSchools on Twitter and @ServiceinSchools on Instagram to receive program updates, upcoming service opportunities, resources, and more. We encourage students who use social media and are interested in service opportunities to follow us.
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Mission: Service in Schools strives to expand the number of NYC students engaged in transformative community service and service-learning experiences that enable them to use their voice, skills, and critical thinking to strengthen communities.
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