Students Sharing offers three primary opportunities to public and private high schoolers throughout Baltimore City and County: Students Sharing Club, Student Executive Council, and Social Action Club. Each of these is centered around our Community Action Projects, weekend initiatives which allow students to perform direct service to those in need through our community partners. Additionally, all high school students have the opportunity to gain service hours by participating in our special events, including Phone-a-thon, as well as those outlined on our "Annual Events" page.
Use the links below, or simply scroll down for a description of each program, descriptions of some of our Community Action Projects, and information about Summer Service Thursdays.
Students Sharing Club is offered at select high schools all across Baltimore City and County. Its purpose is to educate young people about social justice issues and to connect them to relevant service opportunities. Each weekend, our organization facilitates Community Action Projects through our local partners. Students may feed the homeless at a local shelter, care for the elderly at a nursing home, plant a garden at a rehabilitation center, or help foster youth paint a mural. In addition, students have the chance to participate in our special events, including our annual Lobby Day in Annapolis and Spaghetti Dinner
for the Homeless, which you can read about in detail on our "Annual Events" page. The breadth of opportunities provided, coupled with our meaningful reflection methods, help students to develop a sense of purpose and moral clarity, all while they earn service-learning hours toward Maryland's state mandate. Given that mandate's unfunded nature, the worth of this club in giving students meaningful experiences cannot be overstated.
Also, check out Students Sharing's blog.
Option 1:
Contact our High School Coordinator at 410-662-8999, or via e-mail at: info@studentssharing.org.
If you choose to contact her by e-mail, please include in the body: your name (first and last), phone number, school, and the year you expect to graduate.
Option 2:
Contact your school's Student Executive Council member, or your school's club advisor. You can find your advisor's name at the bottom of this page.
To participate in Students Sharing's service projects, you must complete a mandatory orientation in preparation. The orientation is conducted at your school in some cases, and at Students Sharing's office in others.
Additionally, in order to prepare you for each community experience, our action projects include a preparation component that familiarizes you to the social justice topic you'll be addressing and sensitizes you to the particular population of individuals you'll be working with.
The Student Executive Council (SEC) is comprised of select student leaders from Students Sharing clubs at public and private high schools throughout Baltimore. SEC is a vital link between our organization and students from our partner schools. Made up of young people who have a passion for affecting positive change in their communities, SEC meets monthly to make programming decisions and to exchange ideas on how best to motivate their peers to work toward social justice. Additionally, two SEC members are selected each year to sit on Students Sharing's Board of Directors.
Initiate and respond to communiqué with the High School Coordinator.
Participate in a minimum of two CAPs per semester.
Publicize CAPs to club members, and facilitate sign-ups.
Lead the school's SSC club by recruiting and involving students.
Promote, participate in, and help plan special events.
This training is vital preparation for the coming year. SEC members will learn teambuilding, recruiting, fundraising, and meeting facilitation skills to enhance their ability to effectively lead their clubs. For this year's Leadership Week agenda, click here.
The Student Executive Council for 2009-2010 has already been selected. Applications for 2010-2011 will be available in Spring. For more information, contact us.
Social Action Club targets youth who were previously involved in our middle school programs and students from high schools where there is no Students Sharing Club or Student Executive Council. Meeting once weekly at our Charles St. office, SAC is designed to promote meaningful dialogue about social justice issues, and to develop leadership, advocacy, and organizational skills. Additionally, SAC youth participate in weekend CAPs, where they meet and work alongside SSC and SEC members. Likewise, they are a welcome part of our annual events.
Contact our High School Coordinator at 410-662-8999, or via e-mail at: info@studentssharing.org.
If you choose to contact them by e-mail, please include in the body: your name (first and last), phone number, school, and the year you expect to graduate.
Please keep in mind that this club meets at our office, located at 2315 N. Charles St. It would be best if you have your own transportation to and from meetings. However, alternate arrangements can be made when necessary.
Community Action Projects offer students hands-on experience through one of our partner organizations in Baltimore City. Students receive service hours for their participation, which we track on their behalf to make the process as painless as possible. Below, you'll find information on some of these partners, and a sense of what services students might perform for them.
When school is in session, these projects run on Saturdays or Sundays, depending on the week. During the summer, they run every Thursday and every other Saturday.
A transition home where mothers recovering from addiction are reunited with children who have been in foster care, Lanvale offers students the chance to interact with and mentor youth ranging from two to twelve.
Every other Saturday, Students Sharing facilitates ArtEscape, a program which affords Lanvale families the opportunity to work toward a common goal of creative expression. In May 2009, high schoolers and SSC staff helped them to paint a massive fairytale mural, which now adorns their Kids' Resource Room.
One of Students Sharing's oldest, most vibrant partnerships is with The Baltimore Station, an rehabilitation center which helps men transition from a cycle of poverty, substance abuse, and homelessness to a state of self-sufficiency. Many of the residents are veterans, and they speak of that experience and others with great candor, using their past mistakes to illustrate to students the importance of thoughtful action.
Students serve food, join in revitalization efforts, and befriend Baltimore Station's good-natured residents, who gain as much from youth as they impart to them.
Visit their website at: www.baltimorestation.org
During the summer months, our main high school initiative is Summer Service Thursdays, CAPs held on Thursday each week. Additionally, we will offer projects at Lanvale Transitional Housing every other Saturday.
Check out a complete schedule for Summer Service Thursdays, or the flyer, which features more general information.
To sign up, simply contact Sarah Stinard-Kiel, High School Coordinator, at (410) 662-8999, or via e-mail at: info@studentssharing.org
Please keep in mind that if you wish to sign up for a particular day, or need to cancel your participation, it is imperative that you contact Sarah at least two days prior to the scheduled CAP.
Students who have not already completed an SSC orientation will need to notify Sarah to make arrangements. They'll also need to turn in a completed permission slip before attending a CAP.
Each session, participants will meet at Students Sharing's Charles Street office for a relevant lesson, then travel to the project site to perform service, before returning afterward for a brief reflection.
Friends School (Becky Boynton) Roland Park Country School (Eliza McLaren)
Garrison Forest School (Johanna Maranto) Towson High School (Tom Carey)
Institute of Notre Dame (Nancy Miller)
Jemicy School (Liza Massouda)
