Internships and Service Learning
Community Service
Living our Derech Eretz/דרך ארץ values of kavod (honor)/כבוד, hesed (loving-kindness)/חסד, ometz lev (courage)/אומץ לב, and kehillah (community)/קהילה to improve the world around us is a core tenant of a Barrack education—one that is alive in our classrooms, hallways, and homes. To reinforce our Derech Eretz/דרך ארץ value of kindness and further promote the importance of volunteerism, all students participate in organized community service projects.
As a school, we participate in hesed programming in many ways largely through our Hesed Commitment curriculum. Each student has a set number of hours of hesed work to complete each school year. As a community we provide many opportunities for our students to engage in hesed; including a school-wide days of volunteering during the fall holiday of Sukkot and a participatory community outreach in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Each grade also participates an individual hesed project to begin their shabbatonim, such as volunteering with senior service centers, making meals for those in need, and cleaning up at local parks, museums and cemeteries. Our Hesed Club is likewise very active, offering programs outside of school for our students and community including direct service as well as considering policy change.
Senior Service Learning
The capstone of the Barrack education experience is our senior service project. For their last trimester, 12th graders complete 90 hours of service in a not-for-profit organization of their choice, exploring how they can make an impact after graduation. Students engage in a thoughtful process to select a meaningful service organization, choosing to volunteer at local hospitals, schools, and veterinary clinics as well as environmental and policy institutions.
Once a week during the third trimester, students return to school for Barrack Days, special events that help them focus on their adult lives after graduation. They meet with university and Hillel professionals and experts on invaluable topics such as financial management, social-emotional growth, and advocacy skills.