Grades 7-12  •  Franklinville, New Jersey

Delsea Regional School District has won numerous awards for its comprehensive, all-inclusive Service Learning program. The program incorporates six formal service projects across the curriculum of each grade level, successfully providing character education while simultaneously satisfying the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards for literacy. The initiatives have also formed strong relationships between the school and community, as demonstrated by the Caring for Your Community By Caring for Your Pet project, which teaches responsible pet care through the involvement of the Gloucester County SPCA and the NJ Veterinary Medical Association. Similarly, Authoring Children's Books brings together local children's authors, the township library, and the constituent district elementary schools to ignite a love of reading in the students. The Beyond Ann Frank project teaches the atrocities of hate and ignorance through collaboration with local holocaust museums, synagogues, and survivor groups. Students also participate in the Now You Know Public Service Announcements on Safe Driving, entering their videos in the Gloucester County Highway Safety Taskforce contest. Pre- and post-reflection assessments evaluate the increase in students' confidence and character, although the effectiveness of the projects is most evidenced by the fact that 98% of students complete them.