These days education is a bore. Teachers are no fun. Teachers are also too strict about everything. More students are dropping out and fewer students are graduating. There are many reasons why students aren't graduating. The students get bored in most of their classes because teachers mostly don't really care about what you do with your life. There should be more programs in school - fun programs and also educational. One of the reasons I left was because of the teachers. They make the class boring as hell. They also don't care if you learn or not. School days are a waste of time.

   Andrew S. withdrew from a traditional high school to attend an alternative school providing academics, vocational training and opportunity to do service learning. He chose an environment where he believed he could learn.
   A baby figuring out how to drink from a cup by grabbing a drink from a nearby sibling, a bird falling out of a nest while trying to follow a parent in flight, a teen helping a younger child plant a neighborhood garden, or a student intern shadowing a professional -- learns by watching, by practicing, by teaching and by doing.
   What is your style of learning?
   Many students combine their volunteer activities with practical apprenticeships designed to give them skills and prepare them for the world of work. The following writers were part of a construction crew that did renovations.

   Volunteer work can be fun. Last week, because there was no school, I worked Tuesday through Friday at the Veteran's Hospital in St. Albans, Queens. I worked from nine to five pm. This is the kind of volunteer job that does not interfere with my school work. We have an on call kind of job. When there is no school we can work there.
   We did every kind of job. we rode around and moved desks from one area to another. We also moved pipes. we did building maintenance which included raking leaves. One thing that was actually fun was knocking down concrete walls. We used sledge hammers to do that. We also stripped floors and pulled up floor tiles.
   What made this type of work so much fun was really the people I worked with like my colleague, George, and the staff from the V.A. Hospital. They were very funny. We did work hard, but I didn't notice. I felt good after work and plan to go back. Working as a volunteer is a good idea. I like being busy and using all my energy. also this will look good on my resume.

   The work I'm doing around the school is for the school's and my benefit. I am learning how to do simple construction in different areas. We provide the school with help they need to build a room or office. The work is sometimes fun, but it is hard work. My teachers are nice, but they are strict sometimes. They are helping us out and I have to benefit from that.

   I think the work we are doing around the school is pretty good for the school and at the same time is good for us too; because while we are building a wall or a room we can learn more about sheet rocking, painting, tiling, etc.
   We get to do lots of stuff around this school. Right now we are building the new dean's office down by the first floor and this kind of work helps the school community by providing the teachers more security and safety. When I say security and safety I'm talking about those students who don't behave as responsible adults in class. In case they have any weapons they will go to the dean's office.

   What were reasons these students gave for participating in service learning programs?
   What reasons can you add?