SERVICE LEARNING

Living Our Values - The Catholic Social Tradition

At O’Dowd, we are called to work for social justice. We are called to see the dignity in every person, to stand in solidarity with the historically marginalized, to act in faith for the common good. Service learning at O’Dowd takes place over all four years, integrating the classroom with community-based service and reflection. In building relationships with those most marginalized in our society, students develop their own personal understanding of the Christian call to love, and often find themselves transformed.

Each O’Dowd student completes the following service learning projects, graduating with a minimum of 100 hours of service.

9th Grade: Common Home Project

With a focus on our Charism of kinship with creation, students serve 10 hours at Bay Area organizations committed to integral ecology, environmental justice and sustainability, including our on-campus Living Lab. While learning how environmental degradation disproportionally affects marginalized communities, students practice the Judeo-Christian call to environmental stewardship.

10th Grade: Friends Project

In tandem with Christian Scriptures, students put their leadership skills into practice by building mentoring relationships with children, ages 4-12. Partnering with a local organization, students serve 25 hours practicing personal leadership, initiative, and independent work skills through the joy of mentoring a young person.

11th/12th Grade: Anawim Project

Completed in tandem with O’Dowd’s Peace and Justice course, The Anawim Project challenges students to connect with people who experience the injustice of marginalization. Over a 60-hour service learning commitment, students stretch beyond charity, working with local communities for justice.

St. Anthony Foundation

The St. Anthony Foundation immersion gives Catholic high school students a firsthand look at poverty and homelessness. Through direct service and reflection, they engage with the community, explore justice and dignity, and deepen their faith. This experience fosters empathy, inspiring students to live out compassion and advocacy in their own communities.

SERVICE LEARNING REQUIREMENTS

“My journey as a career educator began with service learning for O'Dowd. As a high school student, I volunteered for Reach Academy, an East Oakland elementary school. My biggest takeaway was that I really enjoyed serving as a positive influence for young people, and that I had a natural gift of relating to them. After this seed was planted, it grew over the years into an incredible passion for education work. I attribute where I am today as an educator to that humble start with O'Dowd service learning.”

- EJ Walls '11, O'Dowd English Teacher

Service Immersions Trips

Appalachia Immersion

In partnership with the Appalachia Institute of Wheeling Jesuit University, students travel over Spring Break to rural West Virginia for six days to learn about environmental and economic justice.

Urban Immersion

Over the summer, students stay for six days at Canticle Farm, an intentional community and educational center in the Fruitvale district of Oakland. This immersion guides students to garden the urban farm and cook meals with the harvest, while building relationships with local community and non-profits.

Molleen Dupree-Dominguez - Service Learning Team Lead

Originally from Illinois, Molleen has been teaching at O’Dowd since 2014. She earned her BA in Journalism from the University of Missouri and her M.Div. from the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University. Molleen loves to teach Religious Studies because it challenges students to examine important contemporary issues in light of time honored wisdom, encouraging them to become more intentional and sincere citizens of the world.

SERVICE LEARNING INFORMATION