Mark Hounsell: Education matters: Student service-learning

Three cheers for Conway School Board member Courtney Burke. At her very first meeting on April 23, 2018, after she was elected to the board, Burke made it very clear she was determined to make student volunteerism and community service a criteria for high school graduation. Eighteen months later (last week), the full board took a major step forward and adopted the term “student service-learning” for future development. The unanimous vote of the board to select this designation for curriculum inclusion shows wisdom.

The definition of “community service” conveys a negativity that might be thought of as an imposed authoritative punishment since it is often used as a sentencing provision by the courts.