Proponents of mandatory service learning programs often argue that whether a student chooses for himself or not, the spirit of service is important for students to learn and for schools to teach. The Dalton School, a small private high school, opens its mission statement by asserting, “Community Service is something that needs to be done.” The argument is that this experience “teaches us through experience—about the relationship between empathy and responsibility, about what it takes to be part of a community, in essence, about being human.” The strong goals of the Dalton School’s program are attractive because they emphasize the importance of having each individual “play a role in contributing to our communities so that these communities can continue to survive and prosper.” The contribution this experience makes to academic growth is not the only emphasis, though it is important: “Our school is a place of learning; we need to integrate the ideals of Community Service into our academic curriculum.” The heart of the Dalton School’s program is, however, what they term the “moral center” that “will fortify a community.” This is more than merely service; it is “that place where we can find the values of empathy, compassion, and caring” and “is the basis for civic responsibility and the success of that community.”