The purpose of MPS Service Learning is to encourage, support, and recognize service learning in all Mesa schools.

Our mission is to engage all teachers and their students in meaningful community service experiences that teach and reinforce the curriculum.

Mesa Service Learning is a network of teachers, students, administrators, and community organizations whose collaboration builds opportunities for youth service.
It is part of academic and extracurricular programs at all levels of education.

An Advisory Board of youth and adults from schools, community organizations, and businesses meet monthly to oversee the program.  At the secondary level the high schools, junior highs, and focus schools each have a "service learning coach," a teacher who guides the school's faculty and students in a variety of service learning activities.

Over 200 local, national, and international organizations benefit from student service each year.

In 1997 the Mesa Service-Learning Advisory Board began researching a recognition program for Mesa high school students involved with service- learning. The early significant decisions were that there would not be a mandate or a graduation requirement, that students of all ability levels would be able to participate, and that students could earn hours through both classroom-based or extracurricular service learning. It was also decided that preparation and reflection hours “could count” in addition to the hours of action or service itself.

The first class eligible for the Honor was the Class of 1999. Given just one year, they could earn the Honor for 50 hours or more of service learning. That first year there were 156 graduates who earned “the gold seal,” and they performed 13,520 hours of service. Overall, during 1998 – 1999 there were 930 tenth to twelfth graders who recorded 39,563 hours of service. 

The Honor program is facilitated by the Service-Learning Coaches at all the junior and senior high schools and overseen by the Service Learning Director. The service-learning hours for each student are recorded on his/her  transcript.  At the point when the student earns 200 hours, the words, “Honor for Excellence in Service-Learning” appear on the transcript. 

The Silver Service Award for Excellence in Service Learning was instituted during the 2010-2011 school year for 7th and 8th graders. Junior High students will have two years to record 50 hours of service in order to earn "the Silver Seal."  Materials on this award are on this website under Junior High/Silver.

Service Learning Staff: 
Patrick Walsh, Director

Creative and Performing Arts Building
155 N. Center Street,Mesa, AZ 85201
(480) 308-7350

The Mesa Service Learning Advisory Board meets once a month to discuss current and future activities of the MPS Service Learning network. The group plans marketing and fundraising activities, reviews mini grant applications, hears Honor appeals, selects scholarship recipients, and more. It is comprised of students, educators, and representatives from non-profit organizations, adult service clubs, the City of Mesa, and the business community.  If you would like to get involved, please contact Patrick Walsh at 480-308-7350.