Valparaiso High School students will soon be able to earn school credit for community service. The school board last week officially added community service to the list of courses offered through the Valparaiso Alternative Learning Experience (VALE).
Nick Allison, the assistant superintendent for secondary education, explained that many VALE students have already been doing community service, and Indiana Code lets schools give them academic credit. "It does require a detailed amount of contacting the vendor that you're serving, having that documented and keeping records. So it's a little bit of a lift, really, on the principal, on Dr. [Michael] Bendicsen, but more than happy to take it on in order to provide that opportunity to our kids," Allison told board members.
The new course lets students earn up to two credits for community service that relates to their coursework.