From Leadership, High School of Business™ Copyright 2008, Marketing Education Resource Center®
While the wording of definitions may vary, there are very specific components of what constitutes a service-learning project. Several definitions used by leading organizations have been included for you to gain a complete understanding of the scope of service-learning:
Per the National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993, service-learning
- Is a method whereby students learn and develop through active participation in thoughtfully organized service that is conducted in and meets the needs of communities
- Is coordinated with an elementary school, secondary school, institution of higher education, or community-service program in the community
- Helps foster civic responsibility
- Is integrated into and enhances the academic curriculum of the students, or the educational components of the community-service program in which the participants are enrolled
- Provides structured time for students or participants to reflect on the service experience (Learn and Serve)
According to the National Service-Learning Clearinghouse
Service-learning combines service objectives with learning objectives with the intent that the activity changes both the recipient and the provider of the service. This is accomplished by combining service tasks with structured opportunities that link the task to self-reflection, self-discovery, and the acquisition and comprehension of values, skills, and knowledge content (Service-learning).
The National Youth Leadership Council states that service-learning
“is an educational method that entwines the threads of experiential learning and community service. It meets educational objectives through real-world experiences, while tapping youths as resources to benefit their schools and communities”; should “address real community needs by planning and executing service projects that are carefully tied to curricula. This hands-on learning enhances comprehension, academic achievement, citizenship, and character development”; is “education in action, developing critical-thinking and problem-solving skills” (National Youth Leadership Council).
Service-learning, as defined by the National Commission on Service-Learning, is
“a teaching and learning approach that integrates community service with academic study to enrich learning, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities” (National Commission on Service-learning).
It is the combination of these specific components that distinguishes service-learning from community service or volunteering. By definition, volunteering or participating in some form of community service requires the giving of one’s time, but they are not as academic or reflective as service-learning. Additionally, (and unfortunately), the connotation of community service is often a negative one associated with punishment. In order to qualify as a true service-learning experience, then, the project must “link to academic content and standards” (Service-learning), be “designed around meeting curriculum objectives” (Kids for Community), and “provide structured time for students to reflect by thinking, discussing and/or writing about their service experience”
Project Ideas:
Ø Initiate an ELL tutoring program available throughout the day during study halls.
Ø Host an 8th grade welcome day for middle school students who will be attending your school next year.
Ø Raise money for something permanent that would benefit the student body, such as picnic tables or outdoor benches.
Ø Landscape (design, plant, and maintain) an area on school grounds.
Ø Organize a major school clean-up project at or near the end of the semester.
Ø Create a permanent or temporary spirit window or wall that showcases school colors, mascot, etc.
Ø Sponsor a media center book and/or video drive to augment the school’s collection.
Ø Perform secret “random acts of kindness” targeting a wide range of recipients
Ø Host after-school programs that would appeal to students, such as “movie day” or “aerobics 101.”
Ø Mentor students at a nearby elementary school.
Ø Coordinate and help to staff a blood drive in conjunction with the Red Cross.
Ø Interview and record the autobiographies of seniors at a local nursing home, providing copies for their families.
Ø Adopt an animal at your local zoo.
Ø Organize a toiletry drive and collect items for a local homeless shelter.
Ø Sponsor a local charity walk or run at your school in conjunction with the non-profit agency benefiting from the event.
Ø Organize a spice drive for a local soup kitchen.
Ø Assemble and donate Red Cross disaster relief kits.
Ø Sponsor a food drive and collect goods for a local food pantry.
Ø Adopt “grandparents” at a local senior center or nursing home.
Ø Correspond with children at a local hospital.
Ø Recruit peers and volunteer for the Special Olympics in your area.
Community Service Project
offered by DECA
and sponsored by Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages and The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). http://www.deca.org/pdf/CSPguide.pdf
National service-learning project for DECA chapters to demonstrate the skills necessary in planning, organizing, implementing and evaluating a community service project. This project could also serve as the basis for DECA’s Public Relations Project.
FBLA-PBL & March of Dimes offered by the Future Business Leaders of America
http://www.fbla-pbl.org/default.asp?c=100&p=999
National service-learning projects to raise awareness and funds for the March of Dimes through a variety of projects: Mile of Dimes, WalkAmerica, Light a Little Star, and Prematurity Awareness Campaign
Special Recognition Awards
offered by the Business Professionals of America (BPA)
http://www.bpanet.org/Awards/specialrecogawards.aspx
National awards given annually by the Business Professionals of America—many of which address service projects. As examples: Community Action, Safety Awareness, and Special Olympics.
Project Ignition
sponsored by State Farm Companies Foundation and the National Youth Leadership Council.
http://www.sfprojectignition.com/00home/
National service-learning project to tell teens about teen driver safety, specifically warning teens about the distractions that can cause car crashes. Online application provided.
Voices of
from The Memory Project
http://servicelearning.org/resources/lesson_plans/index.php?popup_id=569
Provides audio clips from a Florida Folklife Collection series of audio recordings (S1576). This series includes recordings of performances by or interviews with folk musicians, crafters, storytellers, and folklife interpreters. Together, the recordings document such areas as children's lore, religious traditions, Seminole culture, maritime traditions, ethnic folk culture, material culture, and occupational lore.
Honky Tonks, Hymns, and the Blues
by Kathie Farnell, Margaret Moos Pick, and Steve Rathe
2003, free
http://www.honkytonks.org/
“NPR Radio series on southern musical traditions in the . The website provides audio of the original radio presentation, plus interviews and music. Each section deals with a different theme, including music and technology, Jimmie Rodgers, guitars, women and country music, swing, gospel, conjunto music, and the country blues. Also included with each radio program are a list of general themes (including questions for discussion), background information, a list of interview subjects and audio samples used, and a full bibliography. Good for use in the secondary classroom.”
The National Youth Leadership Council
This organization provides a wealth of examples of service-learning projects for students of different ages. Its web address is http://www.nylc.org. The following list identifies several examples of the projects identified on its website.
Resources for Recovery
sponsored by State Farm Companies Foundation, The Ford Foundation, and NYC Penny Harvest. http://www.nylc.org/inaction_init.cfm?oid=5130&null=1164036162274
National service-learning project initially focused on aiding the victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the project is focused on the creation of youth-centered disaster preparedness and relief models.
Y-RISE: The Service-Learning and HIV/AIDS Initiative
sponsored by the National Youth Leadership Council and supported by the Ittleson Foundation and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
http://www.nylc.org/inaction_init.cfm?oid=3696&null=1164041052540
National service-learning project to involve youth in the fight against AIDS.
History in Your Own Backyard
http://www.nylc.org/rc_projectexample_detail.cfm?emoid=20:422&si=1
“An intergenerational project helped history students discover interesting, but often overlooked, historical resources in their newfound friends from a local senior center. The class partnered with the center and students were paired with senior "buddies" for the duration of the school year. The youths met periodically with the seniors to document the elders' life histories, a process that included formal, recorded interviews. Students did additional research into the events that shaped their buddies' lives, including the Great Depression, World War II, and the Holocaust.
Journaling, group discussions, and other reflective activities helped students gain a broader understanding of history and the ideas and opinions of the community's elderly population. The interviews became the source material for student essays, which were combined into a bound text and donated to a number of community agencies, including the senior center, the public library, and the school.”
NOTE: This project could be modified to focus on community leaders.
Intergenerational Celebration of Culture
Adapted from "Route to Reform: K-8 service-learning Curriculum Ideas,"
© 1994-95 National Youth Leadership Council.
http://www.nylc.org/rc_projectexample_detail.cfm?emoid=20:444&si=1
“When one teacher introduced a culture curriculum to her 4th-grade students, she discovered few knew much about their heritages. They decided to investigate their cultural backgrounds further, and asked residents of local nursing homes and senior centers to help them. The senior citizens were glad to have regular visitors and people to share their stories with.
The students began by studying their region's past and present cultural groups, including their own. They learned how to effectively use electronic encyclopedias and online sources to conduct research.
After reviewing communication strategies, such as active listening and speaking clearly, each student partnered with a senior citizen of the same culture. Many of the youths did not have regular contact with the elderly or strong mentors in their cultural communities. Through these partnerships, the students received positive role models and learned how to gather information from primary sources. Each pair discussed its heritage and created an art or craft project typical of that culture.
After classroom discussions, independent research of secondary sources, and conversations with senior citizens, each student wrote a report on the culture of his or her choice, including pictures of the country's topography, flag, and peoples. The student led their classmates in listing beneficial contributions that people from that culture made to the . To conclude the project, they decorated their room with their reports and the art projects; served homemade food; and invited the senior citizens, parents, and other classes to join them in celebrating diversity at the multicultural fair.”
A Virtual Tour
http://www.nylc.org/rc_projectexample_detail.cfm?emoid=20:419&si=1
“Youths created a school-orientation video that prospective students and their parents could view at home. To prepare for the project, they took classes covering data collection and organization, interviewing, filming, editing, narrating, and graphic design. They planned and produced a video that gives families a glimpse into the day-to-day school routine, including its curriculum and policies. The video is narrated in English, Hmong, Somali, and Spanish, ensuring that it serves the entire school community, including English Language Learners and their families.”
Cool New Kid Handbook
Adapted from "Community Lessons: Integrating Service-Learning Into K-12 Curriculum," 2001, Department of Education, Service , and Learn and Serve . Used with permission of Massachusetts Department of Education, www.doe.mass.edu/csl, (781) 338-3000.
http://www.nylc.org/rc_projectexample_detail.cfm?emoid=20:399&si=1
“A middle school's formal student handbook didn't fully meet students' needs. Missing from the list of rules, regulations, and procedures was a student perspective on adjusting to a new school.
Seventh graders felt that incoming students needed a kid-friendly handbook, written in easy-to-understand language, to supplement the formal handbook. They used the formal handbook as a resource to ensure the accuracy of essential information and designed a brainstorming exercise to determine which additional topics they would offer in the student-generated version.
Students self-selected their roles as writers, typists, artists, interviewers, organizers, layout designers, and investigators. They took their responsibilities seriously, and demonstrated their commitment to the project by sharing and helping each other to achieve the common goal of a kid-friendly handbook.
The student-generated handbook addresses new-student concerns such as which bathrooms to use, what's "cool" and what's not, and how to fit in. The guidance department now distributes it to all incoming students.”
Teens Against Teen Pregnancy
Adapted from "Learning from Experience: A Collection of Service-Learning Projects Linking Academic Standards to Curriculum," © 2000 Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. (800) 243-8782. www.dpi.state.wi.us/pubsales. Used by NYLC with permission of Department of Public Instruction.
http://www.nylc.org/rc_projectexample_detail.cfm?emoid=20:385&si=1
“In the Teens Against Teen Pregnancy project, 8th-grade students in a language arts class chose relevant community issues, and created public service announcements to raise peer and public awareness.
A group of six students focusing on teen pregnancy became immersed in the project and wrote, designed, and later participated in the production of a public service campaign for television and print. Their PSA for television began airing statewide during Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month. At the same time, their companion print piece was widely circulated across the state. Projecting direct, no-nonsense messages, the television script and print piece received first-place honors in a national contest.
The project was an extension of an existing advertising and mass media unit within the language arts curriculum. Students learned how to target an audience, focus a message, and present that message in a persuasive and professional manner. The group also learned advanced leadership skills, which were demonstrated by their self-motivation, perseverance, and ability to work collaboratively to accomplish goals.
Students taking a telecommunications course also got involved, tutoring project participants and sharing practical knowledge on video production techniques.”
Hello, You're on the Air!
http://www.nylc.org/rc_projectexample_detail.cfm?emoid=20:428&si=1
“In response to negative impressions of teenagers among local residents, high school students launched their own radio talk show to address teen issues in a positive way. The students handled all aspects of production, from planning the topics to hosting the show. Using skills from their civics and social studies classes, the students researched the topics, and applied speech and forensics skills to convey messages and sustain the on-air forum.”
Historic Graveyard Preservation
http://www.nylc.org/rc_projectexample_detail.cfm?emoid=20:424&si=1
“While assessing community needs, students noticed that a local historic graveyard was in a state of decay, and they decided to do something about it. They developed a plan to restore 166 headstones, of which 50 were vandalized and 116 were destroyed by age and weathering. The headstones were photographed, identified and assigned a replacement value. Students wrote letters to area businesses, churches, and civic organizations requesting that they adopt a headstone. The youths also researched and placed a marker at the grave of the city's first African-American physician.”
Students in Politics
Adapted from "Route to Reform: K-8 service-learning Curriculum Ideas,"
© 1994-95 National Youth Leadership Council.
http://www.nylc.org/rc_projectexample_detail.cfm?emoid=20:414&si=1
“Most students do not think they are old enough or powerful enough to exact widespread change. They can't vote or hold office, and they regularly face challenges from adults who doubt their abilities.
But 6th- through 8th-grade students in a politics course decided they could make a difference, and they voiced their opinions in a positive — and very big — way. Inspired by the strong history of citizen involvement in politics, they worked in small groups as lobbyists for or against several bills pending in their state legislature.
Members from established lobbying organizations helped the students prepare. The student groups first researched the issues: the environment, minimum wage, and homelessness. They then used their science, social studies, and math knowledge to explain the reasons for supporting or opposing each piece of legislation and to calculate the costs of each. After forming individual opinions about the bills, each student designed political signs, wrote a position paper, and gave a verbal class presentation. They were then ready to lobby key legislators.
These students were excited when the legislature voted in agreement with their opinions and enjoyed receiving commendation letters from legislators, but they were most proud of their work, which they hoped would inspire other youths. They wrote a lobbying tip sheet, encouraging future students to speak their minds and change the world.”
Neighborhood Heroes
http://www.nylc.org/rc_results.cfm?si=1¤tpage=6
“Students wanted to honor those who had a positive impact on the community. The youths interviewed local heroes and compiled those interviews into a book. They honored the local heroes at an awards banquet and gave readings of the book at their school.”
Understanding War
Adapted from "Community Lessons: Integrating Service-Learning Into K-12 Curriculum," 2001, Department of Education, Service , and Learn and Serve . Used with permission of Massachusetts Department of Education, www.doe.mass.edu/csl,
(781) 338-3000.
http://www.nylc.org/rc_projectexample_detail.cfm?emoid=20:403&si=1
“Many students have inaccurate perceptions of war and violence. An eighth-grade classroom discussion of why countries go to war elicited some disturbing responses: Some students wanted to know what it would be like to kill another human being; others thought going to war would be "cool." Students needed help understanding the harsh realities of war.
Teachers designed an interdisciplinary unit on war that combined history lessons on the Holocaust with the study of relevant literature. The language arts teacher exposed students to a variety of perspectives on war and violence, including Myron Levoy's "Alan and Naomi," Elie Weisel's "Night," Todd Strasser's "The Wave," and Anne Frank's "The Diary of a Young Girl." Still, making a historical treatment of war meaningful to eighth graders remained problematic.
Through brainstorming sessions, students decided that interviewing veterans would be the best and most accurate way to learn about war. They paired with volunteers from a local VFW post and interviewed World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War veterans on two occasions. The veterans returned to the school for a third session to share war memorabilia, medals, and pictures. The students wrote histories and poems of appreciation, and worked with the veterans to design and create a quilt symbolizing the connection between war and peace.
The project brought young and old together to share the past and present. The veterans reported feeling appreciated, valued, and honored that eighth graders took an interest in their lives, and have continued to visit the classrooms, becoming an integral part of the curriculum.
Although this project was designed to help students form a more accurate picture of violence and war, the veterans learned as much from their interviewers as the students learned from them. After the project's completion, the veterans hosted a dinner to honor all participants and their families. The quilt was displayed, and students read their poems of appreciation and shared reflections. Each veteran received a program book featuring the students' works.”