During my term of Service Learning 11, I discovered that students come in with a variety of attitudes toward the class. While some consistently contributed to in-class discussions, others littered group activities with crude jokes regarding social issues and created ironic presentations revering problematic public figures. 

It is easy to see service learning — a pass-fail subject at Urban — as unserious or even unnecessary. But if your instinct is to minimize service learning’s long-term value, give it another chance: You may actually benefit most from what the curriculum has to offer.

Service Learning 10, 11 and 12 are built on a combination of discussions, journaling, formal assignments and real-world service experience. “We work to hand [students] cultural tools and resources that expand their understanding of themselves within power structures … and within their understanding of privilege,” said Katina Papson-Rigby, director of service learning.

The exact curriculum of a service learning class often depends on the needs and makeup of the particular group of students. “Some students are much more powerful than a teacher or the curriculum,” said Jeremiah Rosenfels, service learning teacher. “They make the class and provide chemistry.”

Rosenfels also emphasized that it can be difficult to get some students to engage in service learning because the class is pass-fail. “There’s so much going on that’s competing for interest [at Urban], and sometimes intrinsic motivation is absolutely necessary to get that student to buy in,” he said. 

But we must not view service learning as a ticket to slack off. Instead, it is a chance for all students to do something that serves a wider demographic than themselves — whether they like it or not. “You’re at your service site for an hour. No matter what, you can’t do other things. So just make the most of it and try to have the most positive impact possible,” Kaya Downs ’27 said. 

For students who would not otherwise make time for community service, having service learning as a graduation requirement is just what they need. While a UCLA Newsroom study found that around two-thirds of California teens volunteer in a given year, Urban requires 100% of its students to complete service hours. Service can provide students with a sense of value and purpose, pushing them to understand their impacts and places in the world. So, obligating all students to try it at least once is an important function of the curriculum. 

Vikas Gobburi ’27 discussed his experiences with students who do not appreciate the importance of service learning. “It’s kind of good to expose [them and] force them to give back to the community,” he said. “At some point in their lives, they should be able to see the people they’re helping. They should be able to make an impact and feel that they’re making an impact, because it’s a pretty powerful feeling.”

Taryn Jones ’25 stressed how service learning classes have impacted him and altered his perception of volunteering. “When you first think of the idea of service at Urban, it feels like … this temporary thing. But maybe the more permanent thing is the connections you make,” he said. “Junior year, I made a mural with Devin [Fogler ’25]. What I found is you can really create something that’s long lasting as part of service — it’s not always a one-off thing.”

The service learning curriculum might be your only chance to understand how you fit into the communities that surround you. If you are a skeptic of community service, the classes’ requisite service hours might be your one chance to give back. So the next time you enter a service learning class, try a new approach: Put away your phone, engage with the people around you and open your mind to the world outside the classroom.