Community Engagement: Impacts of community perceptions on community service participation

Abstract

This study will identify the attitudes of high school seniors regarding their community and participation in community service activities to determine what relationship exists between community attitudes and motivation to engage in the community. The study will address this relationship within the context of functional theory relating to motivations behind service involvement. The study was conducted at a suburban area high school in the western United States that currently incorporates a mandatory community service requirement into the American Government curriculum. A survey was administered to all senior government students who consented to participation in the study after they had completed the mandatory community service requirement for the year. The data results were then analyzed and compared to determine if student perceptions of their community impact or correlate to perceptions of community service and desire to participate in community service activities.