Ten Montgomery County public schools are among 50 schools nationwide named 2026 Gold Ribbon Schools in Service-Learning by the national group Youth Service America. They are the only Maryland schools on the group’s honoree list.
The 10 schools
- Damascus High School
- Gaithersburg High School
- Quince Orchard High School
- William H. Farquhar Middle School (Olney)
- Redland Middle School (Rockville)
- Ridgeview Middle School (Gaithersburg)
- Shady Grove Middle School (Gaithersburg)
- Odessa Shannon Middle School (Silver Spring)
- Julius West Middle School (Rockville)
- Earle B. Wood Middle School (Rockville)
Youth Service America announced the 50 schools Nov. 5, according to its release. The recognition honors schools where students identify community needs, work with local organizations and develop solutions through service, according to MCPS.
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What the schools did
Five of the 10 schools reported that every student took part in service learning during the 2025-26 school year, MCPS said. Highlights MCPS listed, citing the schools’ submissions:
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- Gaithersburg High School: students completed 187,069 service hours in all; one student completed 2,202.5 hours, and 94 students reached at least 240.
- Quince Orchard High School: 12 graduating seniors each completed more than 500 hours, a combined 7,679.5.
- Julius West Middle School: a record 168 eighth graders, 38.1% of the class, earned the Maryland State Student Service Learning Award.
- Odessa Shannon Middle School: the share of eighth graders completing the 75-hour graduation requirement rose from about 6% to 52%, and students support a monthly fresh food market serving about 120 families.
- William H. Farquhar Middle School: students organized a clothing drive that collected more than 3,000 items.
Maryland requires 75 hours of student service learning to graduate from high school. Last year, Youth Service America named MCPS one of six school districts nationwide to receive its National Gold Ribbon School District in Service-Learning honor, according to MCPS.
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