PB Middle Students Give Back 14,000 Hours to Community

Students at Pacific Beach Middle School contributed more than 14,000 hours of community service during the 2011-12 school year.

Part of their education as an International Baccalaureate Programme school, the students helped with programs such as the Coastal Cleanup and White Sea Bass feeding for Coast Keepers, holding arts and crafts classes at the local senior center and providing diapers to foster families.

"At Pacific Beach Middle students have been keeping records of service for over four years now," said Jennifer Sims, the school's Librarian and International Baccalaureate Programme coordinator. "Service, or principled action as we call it, is just part of the culture, part of who we are and what we do. This year, our students participated in over 14,000 hours of service and that's only 665 students."

Some students design their own service learning projects. Clubs like Yearbook, Ecology Composters, Garden Club, and Video Club are popular for student participation.

International Baccalaureate Programme philosophies are taught at several San Diego Unified School District schools. In addition to providing top academic achievement, the program includes a school-wide effort at public service and cooperation. The goal is to show students how the nations of the world can get along and thrive through peaceful coexistance.

For more information, contact Sims at jsims@sandi.net.