Episcopal High of Baton Rouge

In keeping with Episcopal’s mission and ministry statement of developing the whole person – spiritually, intellectually, morally, artistically, and physically – our students are given opportunities to engage meaningfully with their community through service learning.  The Center for Service Learning was established to serve three primary functions: (1) to serve as a resource to teachers on campus and facilitate curricular service learning, (2) to engage our students in addressing the needs of Baton Rouge and help them understand the conditions and factors that create those needs, and (3) to provide a mandatory upper school service learning program that involves all students in reflective, meaningful service and that offers personalized experiences and leadership opportunities to students for whom serving is a passion.

Partnership Programs

The Center for Service Learning has established five Partnership Programs to provide opportunities for students to engage in sustained, deep service learning in the Baton Rouge community.  These three-month programs will run once in the fall semester, starting in September, and once in the spring semester, starting in February.  Each program requires significant commitment to participating in all of the activities.  Depending on which you choose to join, you may be expected to participate twice a week (tutoring at THRIVE) or somewhat less frequently. 

Episcopal Community Services

Episcopal Community Services is based on a diocesan program through which a group of young adults commit one year to hands-on service learning, community building, and spiritual formation. Episcopal students will create a similar group here that will meet periodically to do service and to explore their own personal dynamic of service, community, and faith, all while continuously reflecting on their spiritual formation and growth.

Tutoring at THRIVE Academy

THRIVE, a local Monday through Friday boarding school in its second year, seeks to bring excellent educational opportunities to at-risk youth while also providing a supportive, structured, and secure environment that allows students to focus on learning throughout the week. Episcopal students will serve as tutors to THRIVE 6th and 7th graders, providing encouraging help with homework and study skills. The opportunity for mentoring and meaningful relationships will be possible, as tutors will work with the same student(s) each week.

Food and Hunger in the City

Many people think of hunger as a problem that plagues only the children of third world countries. However, food insecurity, the term used to describe not having consistent access to food, is present right here in Baton Rouge. Through this partnership, you will study food insecurity in the Baton Rouge community from three different perspectives: humanistically, as volunteers, and as researchers. We will learn from the efforts of Together Baton Rouge and participate with organizations such as the Scotlandville Mobile Food Pantry, the Shepherd’s Market Food Pantry, and the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank.

The Environment Local and Coastal: Current Problems and Current Solutions

South Louisiana faces unique environmental challenges related to the coast and regional weather patterns, and in this partnership program, you will be learning about the ecological phenomena at work and actively doing service to address these issues. We will be learning from and working with LSU AgCenter’s Youth Wetlands Program, the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, and the governor’s Office of Coastal Activities.

Outdoor Pursuits and Stewardship

The outdoorsman heads into the woods or out on the water because he loves the outdoors, loves to be in the outdoors. The good outdoorsman takes care of the woods and the water so that he may continue to visit, play, and enjoy their wonders. In this Partnership Program, you will both learn hard outdoors skills in a variety of disciplines and engage in service to protect the habitat where we practice those skills. Our outdoor pursuits may include paddle boarding, kayaking, canoeing, hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, geocaching, slacklining, and orienteering.

Contact person: 

The Rev'd. Skully Knight