Many middle school students often report that what they learn in school science has little meaning or relevance to their lives. This is not surprising, as schools and students are frequently separated from what is happening in their community. "Service learning" is a pedagogy that has the potential to connect young adolescents with their community in authentic situations where they can initiate projects that address real needs. The use of the "community" as a context for service and learning has long been explored in science education. This article presents Rock Showdown as a model of service learning in partnership with the community. The Rock Showdown service learning project was created by seventh-grade students from Philippine Science High School. In general, there are several essential elements that are common to successful service learning initiatives: (1) preparation; (2) service; (3) reflection; (4) evaluation; and (5) celebration. (Contains 1 figure.)