Service Learning Resources and Events

Sharing you Story!

The first Scott Valley USD service learning began today with EES teacher Joy Isbell and her forth grade class. After picking black berries to be used for a series of math lessons the students will make black berry cobbler and serve this delicious dessert at Loaves and Fishes, which provides lunch for community senior citizens. The berries were picked on the Rick and Nancy Barnes ranch.

BE A SOLUTION!

Take the National Learn & Serve Challenge! October 6-12, 2008
Join your peers from around the country for a concentrated week of special events and community outreach activities designed to raise awareness and build support for service-learning.

The Top 3 Things You Can Do This Month to Gear Up for the Challenge

Number 1:
Tell us what you will be doing during the National Learn & Serve Challenge.  Help us keep track of Challenge events across the country, and see what other people are doing.  Visit www.learnandservechallenge.org/acceptthechallenge.php to Accept the Challenge and tell us what you will be doing.

Number 2:
Feature the National Learn & Serve Challenge in your (organization, school, community, etc.) newsletter.  Tell you audience what you will be doing during the National Learn & Serve Challenge, and spotlight service-learning.  Visit www.learnandservechallenge.org/feature.php for more tips and instructions on how to feature/submit an article in your newsletter.

Number 3:
Get you organization, school, or community to become a Proud Partner of the National Learn & Serve Challenge.  To register as a partner, email nslp@aed.org with “Proud Partner” in the subject line of your message to add your school or organization’s name to the list.  Visit www.learnandservechallenge.org/participating.php for the full list of Proud Partners.

Spotlight on Challenge Successes

Last year’s inaugural National Learn & Serve Challenge produced many success stories.  Hermosa Drive Elementary School, in Fullerton, CA, kicked off their 2007-2008 school year by participating in the 2007 National Learn & Serve Challenge.

Students and teachers displayed service-learning projects from the 2006-2007 school year.  Teachers promoted service-learning with students in the classroom and discussed projects for the 2007-08 year.  Local newspaper and school PTA published service projects as they occurred throughout the year. 

Accepting the Challenge requires a few simple actions.  Hermosa Drive Elementary School tackled three tasks during and beyond the Challenge week.  You too can participate by visiting the official website at www.learnandservechallenge.org to get activities ideas and then tell us what you’ll be doing during the 2008 National Learn & Serve Challenge!

*************************************************************
National Service-Learning Partnership
@ the Academy For Educational Development
1825 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20009
(202) 884-8625
www.service-learningpartnership.org

Service-Learning as a Tool for Dropout Reduction – Recent Research

Art Fisher, afisher@sbceo.org (email for electronic copy of this page) 805-680-5223

“Dropout prevention will be one of Jack O’Connell’s three main goals for 2008-2009”
To be announced in a statewide press release July 15.

THESE NEW RESOURCES WILL BE USEFUL

1. Engaged for Success – National Conference on Citizenship  - April 2008
**Google Title for complete report, findings, recommendations and references

“This report suggests that service-learning could be a promising way to not only stem the tide of dropouts, but create a new generation of youth who are academically prepared for success in college and who possess a strong sense of civic responsibility”.

807 students aged14-18 were interviewed from sample representing US student demography.  Suggestions for engagement are made.

2. Effective Practices for Engaging At-Risk Youth in Service – 2007
**Google Title for complete report, findings, recommendations and references

This guide presents current research on the theory and effective practices for engaging at-risk youth in services by examining the roles they have played and can play in serving their communities.

Note: Recent Research defining Service-Learning – K-12 Service-Learning Standards for Quality Practice

Full Content URL:        http://www.nylc.org/objects/publications/G2G2008_StdArt icle.pdf

1. Curricular Integration
2. Meaningful Service
3. Cognitively Challenging Reflection
4. Progress monitoring
5. Youth Voice
6. Duration and intensity
7. Diversity
8. Reciprocal Relationships

Community/General

• What is SERVICE LEARNING? Visit the National Youth Leadership Council website to learn more.
  
  
• 2007-2008 Seasons of Service Calendar and Special Events
  
  -- Plan your upcoming service-learning events: Calendar
  
  
• Youth Service California - Resources for Afterschool Educators ---- www.yscal.org
  
  The Seven Elements of High-Quality Service-Learning sample graph from "Service-Learning in Afterschool Programs"
  copyright © 1998 Service Learning 2000 Center. Adapted 2006 for Afterschool Programs
  
  
• Youth Service America -- http://ysa.org
  
  
• National Service-Learning Exchange -- www.nslexchange.org

  Addressing Hunger and Homelessness Through Service-Learning
  Youth Service America
  This resource provides discusses how to use service-learning to address the problem of hunger and homelessness in your community. It provides project ideas and means to integrate service-learning into the curriculum, as well as recommended reading and additional resources. (full-text)
  www.servicelearning.org/library/lib_cat/index.php?library_id=7704

  Comprehensive High School Hunger Service Learning Program
  Gerda and Kurt Klein Foundation
  This program strives to create a classroom atmosphere that will empower high school students to mold
  projects to their own interests, thereby increasing their involvement with and commitment to ending
  hunger in America. The authors have created an extensive service-learning program. The content provides numerous activities and opportunities to learn individually or as a class. This resource includes project ideas and reflection activities for hunger related service-learning in the high school classroom. (full-text)
  www.servicelearning.org/library/lib_cat/index.php?library_id=7765

  Hunger Awareness and Community Service Learning
  Food Bank of Western Massachusetts
  This curriculum has two primary goals: to educate students about poverty, and to help students to take action in their communities to help alleviate hunger. There are six topics covered with a final evaluation/presentation component: 1) myths and realities of hunger, 2) (Youth Against Hunger) YAH! Needs assessment and action plan, 3) effects of hunger and malnutrition, 4) food systems in the United States and Western Massachusetts, 5) government programs and nonprofit organizations to feed those in need, and 6) distribution of food to those in need in Western Massachusetts.
  www.servicelearning.org/library/lib_cat/index.php?library_id=1102

  A Kids' Guide to Hunger & Homelessness: How to Take Action!
  By Cathryn Berger Kaye
  This hands-on workbook teaches students in grades 6 and up about service-learning and hunger and homelessness, including: the basics of service-learning; examples of how other kids have made changes in their communities; the causes and effects of hunger and homelessness; how to get started by assessing community needs; how to locate resources and assistance; when and how to take action. This guide has activities for youth and could be used in a classroom or youth-serving organization setting.
  www.servicelearning.org/library/lib_cat/index.php?library_id=6974

  Service-Learning with a Food Stamp Enrollment Campaign: Community and Student Benefits
  By Judith R. Porter et al.
  The authors analyze a multi-campus collaboration in a Food Stamp Enrollment Campaign to demonstrate that a well-managed public benefits campaign, associated with broader advocacy-based community partnerships, can result in positive outcomes for the community that include measurable benefits for clients, data needed to make policy and administrative changes, and new institutional relationships that enhance existing capacities. Public benefits campaigns also provide effective service-learning experiences that enhance student learning and engagement in issues related to the study of poverty, policy, and social justice. Recommendations are offered for effective implementation of such service-learning opportunities with public benefits campaigns.
  www.servicelearning.org/library/lib_cat/index.php?library_id=7665

  You can also find service-learning lesson plans and syllabi relating to issues of hunger in our new Service-Learning Ideas and Curricular Examples (SLICE) database.  Just search for the word “hunger”!  Here are a few examples of the types of resources you can find in SLICE ( www.servicelearning.org/slice ):

  Food Fundamentals (HE)
  www.servicelearning.org/slice/index.php?ep_action=view&ep_id=197

  Tortilla Tots (K-12)
  www.servicelearning.org/slice/index.php?ep_action=view&ep_id=87
  
  

• Delta Sierra Regional Service Learning programs --- www.dsrsn.org
  
  
• Project Learning Tree (PLT) - has a 30+ year legacy of providing environmental education materials and professional development in California.  As part of a national program, they are proud to help sustain the philosophy of "getting kids
  outside to learn".  PLT also supports  service learning  and provides a small grants program to those educators who have participated in a PLT training.  Please learn more about PLT and how they can assist you with your service learning programs/projects.  Check out the www.plt.org website or contact mailto:Kay.Antunez@fire.ca.gov  directly.
  
  
• The Department of Education's Service-Learning web-site has been updated to include the application package for new Service-Learning Leader Schools Award Program. The web-site is located at: http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/sl/

Here you will find the letter of invitation explaining the details of the award program, an application form, a checklist, and helpful hints for completing the application. Eligibility for the award requires a high school to have met all of its Academic Performance Index targets for the 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 school years. Eligible schools will be selected for the award primarily on the basis of their responses to the RMC SEANet Sustainability Index which can be found at: http://www.slqualityindex.com

Please note that unlike other grant or award applications, no extensive narrative is required.

If you have any questions regarding the award, please contact one of the following CDE consultants for more information.

Patrick Chladek, Education Programs Consultant, Counseling, Student Support and Service-Learning Office, at (916) 445-5737 or by e-mail at pchladek@cde.ca.gov

Terry Shorey, Education Programs Consultant, Counseling, Student Support and Service-Learning Office, at (916) 319-0227 or by e-mail at tshorey@cde.ca.gov

Mike Brugh, Education Programs Consultant, Counseling, Student Support and Service-Learning Office, at (916) 319-0543 or by e-mail at mbrugh@cde.ca.gov.

ServiceLearning.org -- Share your .... with others!

We invite you to help shape Learn and Serve America's National Service-Learning Clearinghouse (http://www.servicelearning.org/). If you know about a conference or an event, a book/resource, a job opportunity, a website, or another service-learning resource that is not on the website, please tell us about it.

Submit Your Success Story
Send us stories and photos of your service-learning successes and we will publicize them on the Clearinghouse website and in our print material.
http://www.servicelearning.org/nslc/success_story_form/

Suggest a Conference or Event
Add your service-learning related conference or event to NSLC's calendar. It is a great way to advertise your event.
http://www.servicelearning.org/nslc/suggestion/

Make a Suggestion
At the bottom of most pages of the website, you will find a link titled "Make a Suggestion". This link allows you to fill out a form to suggest an event to add to the Conferences and Events database, suggest a library purchase, or suggest a link to add to the Links Collection (e.g., links to lesson plans and syllabi, service-learning journals and periodicals, funding resources, and service-learning tool kits).
http://www.servicelearning.org/nslc/suggestion/

Submit Job Opportunities
Our job opportunities page lists job opportunities in the field of service-learning across the United States. It also provides an email address so that you can submit your job opportunity to be included in the list.
http://www.servicelearning.org/events_jobs/job_opps/

Contribute Materials to the Library
Click on the link below to download a materials contribution form to submit resource materials you have developed for evaluation by NSLC staff and possible inclusion in the NSLC resource collection.
http://www.servicelearning.org/lib_svcs/mat_contrib/

Service-Learning is the methodology in which students learn and develop through active participation in thoughtfully organized service conducted in response to the needs of the community.  Service-learning’s key components are:  student leadership, meeting a community need, school/community partnerships, preparation, recognition and clear connections to curricular learning objectives.  (Youth Service America) -- Download Guide: Region 3 Service-learning resourcesmay2008.doc

Youth-Specific

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