Gear Up for the 2009 National Learn & Serve Challenge Kick Off, October 5-12, 2009!

Dear Service-Learning Supporters,

 

We are only a few weeks away from the 2009 National Learn & Serve Challenge Kick Off, October 5-12, 2009.  This year, the Challenge kick off will issue a national call to action to schools, college campuses and youth-serving organizations to commit to engaging a significant number of young people in service-learning activities that address the tough problems facing the country during the 2009-2010 school year.

 

In the past, the Learn & Serve Challenge focused on a week of publicity and outreach. Now, it is becoming a sustained, collaborative and focused effort to promote opportunities for elementary, middle, and high school age youth to be engaged learners and active contributors to society year-round.

 

The Challenge will kick off on October 5. It is not too late for you to join. Below are a few ways you can participate in the Learn & Serve Challenge today.

 

Register your Challenge Kick Off Event and Become a Proud Partner

 

Register today: http://www.learnandservechallenge.org/acceptthechallenge.php

 

Remember to express your support for service-learning and Learn and Serve America by adding your organization's name to the growing list of participating partners at http://bit.ly/cY8d0.

 

Gear Up for the Kick Off

 

1. Host a service-learning t-shirt or button day at your school or organization. Visit the Learn & Serve Challenge Online Store where you may purchase buttons, t-shirts, and other items on an as-needed basis.  Use the Host a Button or T-Shirt Day Activity Tip Sheet for more planning hints and good ideas.

 

Online Store: http://www.cafepress.com/lschallenge

Host a Button or T-Shirt Day Tip Sheet: http://www.learnandservechallenge.org/sponsor.php

 

If you're looking for a cost-effective way to show your service-learning pride, create your own stickers using labels.   Just email nslp@aed.org to receive a copy of the Learn & Serve Challenge logos that you can use to create your own stickers, buttons, or t-shirts. 

 

2.  Make a presentation to your local school board and/or city council.  Make sure service-learning is not the best kept secret in your school or community.  Use the Challenge as an opportunity to make key leaders aware of how service-learning is transforming lives and improving schools and communities right in their own backyard.  Download the Make a Presentation Activity Tip Sheet to learn more.

 

Board Presentation Tip Sheet: http://www.learnandservechallenge.org/makeschoolboard.php

 

3. Include a service-learning update in your school or organization's newsletter or website.  Download sample text for newsletters, email announcements, and website features. 

 

Sample Text: http://www.learnandservechallenge.org/feature.php

 

4. Show the Bring Learning to Life Public Service Announcement or another service-learning video during an upcoming staff or board meeting.  Make plans to show the video to local community leaders and civic or service clubs, such as the Chamber of Commerce, Lions, Kiwanis, or Rotary Clubs.    Download the public service announcement to your computer or request a free copy today.

 

PSA: http://www.servicelearning.org/lsa/bring_learning/

 

And he�����s the most important part.  Once you decide how your school or organization is going to participate in the National Learn & Serve Challenge, let us know how you���re going to Accept the Challenge.  Add your local event or activity to the listing of activities updated on the website regularly so that we can spread the news about how people are accepting the Challenge around the country.

 

Accept the Challenge today! http://www.learnandservechallenge.org/acceptthechallenge.php

 

Sincerely,

 

2009 National Learn & Serve Challenge Organizing Team

 

The Learn & Serve Challenge is a signature event of the National Service-Learning Partnership in collaboration with the Corporation for National and Community Service. It is made possible with support from State Fa��® Companies Foundation.

 

The Challenge is supported by nearly 100 local, state, and national organizations committed to engaging in service-learning in our nation���s schools, college campuses, and communities. Lead Organizing Partners include:

 

America's Promise Alliance

American Association of State Colleges and Universities

Campus Compact

Learn and Serve Americ����s National Service-Learning Clearinghouse

National Alliance for Faith and Justice

National Community Education Association

National Education Association

National Youth Leadership Council

National Parent Teacher Association

SEANet - the State Education Agency K-12 Service-Learning Network

Ushe����s New Look Foundation

Youth Service America

 

Find the 2009 National Learn & Serve Challenge on Facebook: http://bit.ly/3PWXhk

 

For more information, visit www.learnandservechallenge.org or call (202) 884-8982.

Christina Kwon
Director of Member Engagement

National Service-Learning Partnership

Academy for Educational Development
1875 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20009
202.884.8982 (phone)
202.884.8422 (fax)
ckwon@aed.org

www.service-learningpartnership.org

National Learn & Serve Challenge

Dear Service-Learning Supporter:

I invite you and your network to participate in the National Learn & Serve Challenge kickoff sponsored by the National Service-Learning Partnership, during the week of October 5-11, 2009. The Challenge is an event designed to highlight Learn and Serve America and service-learning throughout the nation.

We have seen the power of service-learning as a way to engage students, educators, administrators, and staff with their communities to solve problems while improving academic achievement and civic engagement of participants. Learning, teaching, and research are strengthened when the focus is on community revitalization, democratic participation, and problem-solving.

The National Learn & Serve Challenge is our opportunity to demonstrate the power of service-learning to others. You do not have to be affiliated with Learn and Serve America funding to participate. This event is designed to highlight service-learning everywhere.

What can you do to support the Challenge?

* Prepare a special sign-on letter or proclamation to recognize the National Learn & Serve Challenge.

* Create and place an article, op-ed, video, or interview from a prominent spokesperson such as a local superintendent, college or university president, tribal leader, parent, educator, or student involved in your service-learning program.

* Spotlight youth leaders through a student-led presentation to the school board or other officials, a showcase for parents and community members, or a forum about service-learning.

* If you give Learn and Serve America subgrants, hold a ceremony to present funding with a BIG CHECK.
AND

* Accept the Challenge's call to action and engage in service-learning activities that are tied to the four priority areas of education, health, community renewal, and clean energy and the environment throughout the 9-month Challenge campaign.
* Encourage subgrantees and others in your network to Accept the Challenge and shine a light on service-learning during the kickoff week of October 5 -11.
* Register your events and sign on as a partner on the Challenge website, learnandservechallenge.org<http://www.learnandservechallenge.org/>. We want you to be part of the National Learn & Serve Challenge network!

There are also ideas and tool kits on the Challenge website learnandservechallenge.org<http://www.learnandservechallenge.org/> for you to review. Be sure to return to this site throughout the campaign to participate in the free virtual learning and professional development tools that will support your efforts.

I wish you a successful National Learn & Serve Challenge kickoff week and look forward to learning about your related activities!

Sincerely,

Elson B. Nash
Acting Director
Learn and Serve America

The Learn & Serve Challenge is a signature event of the National Service-Learning Partnership, made possible with support from State Farm(r) Companies Foundation. Lead Organizing Partners include: SEANet - the State Education Agency K-12 Service-Learning Network, America's Promise Alliance, Camp Fire USA, Campus Compact, the National Service-Learning Clearinghouse, National Youth Leadership Council, and Youth Service America in collaboration with the Corporation for National and Community Service.

Obama Administration Launches Servir.gov Website to Broaden Call to Service

(Washington DC)  -- To carry President Obama's call to service to millions of Spanish-speakers, the Obama Administration today launched Servir.gov, a Spanish-language website that makes it easy for Americans to find or organize volunteer projects in their communities.

 

The website is being launched at the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month, when the nation recognizes the contributions Hispanics from all walks of life have made to our country throughout its history.  First Lady Michelle Obama will appear in a video highlighting the new site and the importance of service airing during the 2009 NCLR ALMA Awards Friday night on ABC.

 

"All summer long we've encouraged Americans across the country to come together to help strengthen and build the foundation for our nation's future prosperity one community at a time," said First Lady Michelle Obama.  "Service to community is a strong tradition in the Hispanic community, and we hope the new Servir.gov website will help connect more Americans with service projects in their own communities."

 

The new website is a companion to Serve.gov, which the Administration launched in June as part of its United We Serve initiative.  Both sites are managed by the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency that administers service programs and is leading the United We Serve initiative.  

 

On Servir.gov, visitors can search for volunteer opportunities in their neighborhood, get ideas for "do-it-yourself" volunteer projects, submit their service stories, or recruit volunteers for their own volunteer efforts.  The website features a welcome video in Spanish by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, who reflects on the importance of service during tough times.

 

"Today our communities have rediscovered the power of service to unite us in a common sense of purpose, and Americans are turning out to volunteer like never before," said Salazar.  "I invite you to join in the President's United We Serve initiative, and help us show the world the extraordinary things that ordinary people can achieve with the proper tools."

 

"The President has made a bold call to service at a time of great need and Americans are ready to respond," said Nicola Goren, the Corporation's Acting CEO. "Through the Servir.gov website, we hope more Americans will find ways to give back to their communities and help in our nation's recovery."

 

Goren pointed to new research from the Corporation for National and Community Service that found more than 4.7 million Hispanic adults volunteered through a formal organization in 2008, an increase of 400,000 over the previous year. Hispanic volunteers donated approximately 532 million hours of service, worth more than $10.7 billion to America's communities. 

 

The Servir.gov website includes a number of features to promote volunteer service:

·         Find A Volunteer Opportunity:  Visitors can enter their zip code and interests to find local volunteer opportunities from a database of more than 250,000 opportunities across the country

·         Register Your Project:  Organizations or individuals looking to recruit volunteers for their efforts can post their volunteer opportunities (in English or Spanish)

·         Plan Your Own Project: To help individuals plan their own projects with their friends, family, or neighbors, easy-to-use toolkits in Spanish are available on projects such as organizing a book drive, creating a community garden, or conducting a home energy audit.  Spanish translation provided by AARP.

·         Share Your Story:  Visitors are invited to share how they are making a difference through service

 

To help make the site more robust, the Corporation for National and Community Service is asking organizations that are looking for Spanish-language speaking volunteers to submit volunteer opportunities in Spanish and English by visiting Serve.gov.

 

The United We Serve initiative was conceived as a way to directly involve Americans in tackling problems in their communities. While any kind of volunteer service is encouraged, the effort focuses on five key areas education, health, energy and the environment, community renewal, and safety and security.

 

The effort comes at a time of strong need and momentum for service, as the economic downturn puts more Americans at risk and increases the demand for social services. At the same time, many nonprofit groups are experiencing a 'compassion boom' of increasing volunteers as Americans reach out to help their neighbors. United We Serve aims to tap this growing interest and focus it on addressing specific community needs.

 

"The challenges we face are unprecedented in their size and scope, and we cannot rely on quick fixes or easy answers to put us on the road to recovery," said President Obama in announcing United We Serve. "Economic recovery is as much about what you're doing in your communities as what we're doing in Washington – and it's going to take all of us, working together."

 

***

 

United We Serve is President Obama's call to service challenging all Americans to engage in sustained, meaningful community service. United We Serve is led by the Corporation for National and Community Service. For more information, visit Serve.gov.

 

The Corporation for National and Community Service is a federal agency that improves lives, strengthens communities, and fosters civic engagement through service and volunteering. Each year, the Corporation engages four million Americans of all ages and backgrounds through its Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America Programs. For more information, visit NationalService.gov.

 

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Para publicación inmediata                                                                                 Contacto: Sandy Scott

17 de septiembre, 2009                                                                          202-606-6724, sscott@cns.gov

 

 

Gobierno del Presidente Obama presenta Servir.gov para difundir su llamado al voluntariado.

 

Nueva página web en español se incorpora a la iniciativa "Servimos Unidos" del Presidente.

 

(Washington DC) -- Para informar a millones de hispanohablantes sobre el llamado a servir que hizo el Presidente Obama, su gobierno ha inaugurado hoy Servir.gov, una página web en español que facilita que los estadounidenses organicen voluntariados en sus comunidades.

 

La página web estará disponible a principios del Mes de la Hispanidad, cuando la nación reconoce las contribuciones que los latinos de todas las esferas hicieron por nuestro país durante su historia.

 

La primera dama Michelle Obama aparecerá en un video presentando la nueva página y hablando sobre la importancia del voluntariado durante los Premios NCLR ALMA del 2009 en ABC.

 

"Todo este verano hemos animado a los estadounidenses a unirse a fin de ayudar a fortalecer y construir los cimientos para la prosperidad futura de nuestra nación, comunidad por comunidad", dijo la primera dama Michelle Obama. "El servicio comunitario es una sólida tradición en la comunidad latina, y esperamos que la nueva página web Servir.gov ayude a conectar a más estadounidenses con proyectos de voluntariado en sus propias comunidades."

 

La nueva página web acompaña Serve.gov, otro enlace que la Administración lanzó en junio como parte de su iniciativa Servimos Unidos (United We Serve). Las dos páginas web están a cargo de la Corporación para el Servicio Nacional y Comunitario (Corporation for National and Community Service), una agencia federal que administra programas de voluntariado y dirige la iniciativa Servimos Unidos.

 

En Servir.gov, los visitantes pueden buscar oportunidades de voluntariado en su vecindario, idear un proyecto independiente de voluntariado al estilo de «Hágalo-usted-mismo», contar acerca de sus experiencias de voluntariado o reclutar a voluntarios para sus propios proyectos. La página web pone de relieve un video de bienvenida en español presentado por el secretario del Interior Ken Salazar, quien reflexiona sobre la importancia del voluntariado en momentos difíciles.

 

"Hoy en día nuestras comunidades han descubierto de nuevo el poder del voluntariado para unirnos en un propósito común", dijo Salazar. "Los invito a unirse a la iniciativa Servimos Unidos del Presidente Obama y a ayudarnos a demostrarle al mundo que cualquiera puede lograr cosas extraordinarias con las herramientas adecuadas."

 

"El presidente ha hecho un llamado audaz al voluntariado en un momento de gran necesidad, y los estadounidenses estamos preparados para actuar", afirmó Nicola Goren, la actual jefa ejecutiva de la Corporación. "Con la página web Servir.gov, esperamos que más estadounidenses encuentren maneras de aportar a sus comunidades y ayudar en la recuperación de nuestra nación."

 

Goren señaló nuevas investigaciones hechas por la Corporación para el Servicio Nacional y Comunitario que indicaban que más de 4.7 millones de adultos latinos realizaron trabajo voluntario a través de una organización formal en el 2008, un incremento de 400,000 más que en el año anterior. Los voluntarios latinos donaron aproximadamente 532 millones de horas como voluntarios, lo equivalente a $10,700 millones en las comunidades de Estados Unidos.

 

La página web Servir.gov incluye varias características para promover el voluntariado:

 

·         Busque una oportunidad de voluntariado: Los visitantes pueden ingresar su código postal e intereses personales para enterarse de oportunidades de voluntariado cerca de su vecindario en una base de datos de más de 250,000 oportunidades en todo el país.

·         Registre su proyecto: Las organizaciones o individuos que deseen reclutar voluntarios para sus proyectos pueden anunciar sus oportunidades de voluntariado (en inglés o español).

·         Organice su propio proyecto: Para ayudar a cualquiera a organizar sus propios proyectos, como el planeamiento de una campaña de donación de libros, la creación de un jardín comunitario o evaluación del consumo de energía en viviendas. Traducciones al español realizadas por la AARP.

·         Cuéntenos su historia: Se invita a los visitantes a compartir sus historias de cómo están teniendo un impacto a través de su servicio.

 

Para ayudar a solidificar la página web, La Corporación para el Servicio Nacional y Comunitario pide a organizaciones que actualmente buscan voluntarios hispanohablantes que anuncien sus oportunidades de voluntariado en español e inglés accediendo a Servir.gov.

 

El programa Servimos Unidos se concibió como una manera de lograr la participación directa de los estadounidenses en la solución de los problemas de sus comunidades. Aunque se aprecia cualquier tipo de servicio voluntario, los esfuerzos de la iniciativa se centran en cinco áreas clave: educación, salud, energía y medio ambiente, renovación de la comunidad, seguridad y protección.

 

Los esfuerzos vienen en un momento de gran necesidad e impulso del servicio voluntario, ya que la crisis económica pone en peligro a más estadounidenses y aumenta la demanda de servicios sociales. Al mismo tiempo, muchas organizaciones sin fines de lucro están experimentando una bonanza de compasión con un aumento en el número de voluntarios, ya que muchos estadounidenses desean tenderles la mano a sus vecinos. Servimos Unidos aspira a aprovecharse de este creciente interés y enfocarlo para solucionar necesidades comunitarias específicas.

 

"Los desafíos a los que nos enfrentamos no tienen precedente en su tamaño y alcance, y ni las chapuzas ni respuestas fáciles nos ayudarán a encaminarnos hacia la recuperación", dijo el Presidente Obama al inaugurar Servimos Unidos. "La recuperación económica depende tanto de lo que ustedes hacen en sus comunidades como de lo que hacemos nosotros en Washington – y se necesita que todos nosotros trabajemos juntos.

 

***

 

Servimos Unidos es el llamado a servir del Presidente Obama, que alienta a todos los estadounidenses a participar en voluntariado significativo y sostenido. Servimos Unidos está bajo la dirección de la Corporación para el Servicio Nacional y Comunitario. Para mayor información, visite Servir.gov.

 

La Corporación para el Servicio Nacional y Comunitario es una agencia federal que mejora la calidad de vida, fortalece comunidades y fomenta la acción cívica a través del voluntariado. Todos los años, la Corporación cuenta con la participación de cuatro millones de estadounidenses de todas las edades y esferas mediante sus programas Senior Corps, AmeriCorps y los Programas Learn and Serve America. Para mayor información, visite NationalService.gov .

Service-Learning and Special Education: A Perfect Fit

Please join the San Joaquin County Office of Education for a workshop for, "Engaging Students with Special Needs and Challenges in Service-Learning"  The workshop will take place in Stockton, CA on Thursday, October 15, 2009 from 9:30-2:30.  Registration is $50.00, lunch included.

 

For more information: http://calservenetwork.org/slse.pdf

 

About the presenter:

 

BETTY BERGER is the director of Giant Steps St. Louis, a school for children with autism spectrum disorders. Together with Giant Steps staff and families, Betty has created programming that engages even the most resistant student. One strategy used successfully at Giant Steps for the last 9 years has been Service Learning. Even though many people expect students with special needs to ONLY receive services, at Giant Steps students provide service to their community through extensive service learning projects. Betty's interactive workshop will share practical ideas on how to motivate staff and students to engage in service learning projects that enhance everyday life, develop life skills and even turn into jobs.

 

Save the Bay releases Trash Hot Spots report- with opportunities to serve!

Spotlight on Plastic Bags

Today, Save The Bay released its fourth annual list of Bay Trash Hot Spots, which are ten shorelines and creeks choked by plastic bag pollution. Toxic plastic trash is a huge problem all over the Bay; it threatens our public health and quality of life, smothers wetland habitat and kills Bay animals.

The 2009 Hot Spots are sites where volunteers collected the most plastic bags on Coastal Cleanup Day in 2008. On this day alone, volunteers reported pulling nearly 15,000 plastic bags from these ten spots, a shocking figure given that these areas represent a small portion of the Bay watershed. Save The Bay estimates that more than one million plastic bags wind up in the Bay each year!

Check out our interactive map to find the hot spot near you, see photos, watch our cool two-minute video, take action, sign up to volunteer and more!

Take action to end plastic bag pollution

Tough policies are essential to stopping plastic bags and trash from flowing freely into creeks and the Bay. Bay Area cities should prioritize legislation that ends the distribution of "free" plastic and paper bags at all retailers and motivates shoppers to switch to reusable bags.

Please Tell your Mayor to take a stand against plastic bag pollution today!

 

 

Smithsonian Education FREE Online Conference Series - on Climate Change

 

 

 

As we approach the 40^th anniversary celebration of Earth Day in April of 2010, many teachers are responding to students’ inherent curiosity and concern about environmental issues.  Teachers can participate in online professional development to learn about the issues and gain content knowledge essential to designing impactful environmental service-learning projects.  Consider participating in the Smithsonian’s Online Conference Series:

 

“Have you ever wanted to meet one of the Smithsonian’s curators? Or wished you could ask a question of one of our researchers? In February 2009 the Smithsonian launched a series of online education conferences that let you do just that. In each online conference you can interact with Smithsonian experts in subject areas that interest you. All conferences have a single theme or topic explored through the lens of several different disciplines. The program includes both general interest sessions and sessions intended especially for teachers.

The Smithsonian is addressing the global challenge of climate change with special exhibitions and ongoing research. You will be able to participate in these investigations and deepen your understanding through the Smithsonian Online Education Conference: Climate Change. Throughout the days of September 29 through October 1, 2009, you’ll explore Smithsonian research and collections related to the evidence, impact, and response to climate change. Alongside Smithsonian scientists and curators, you’ll look at the issues surrounding climate change from the perspectives of science, history, and art.

New to virtual conferencing? A virtual or online conference is similar to other professional conferences you may have attended only this one is accessible to you wherever you are, and registration is free and open to everyone. And since we know your days are busy and the conference schedule might not fit yours, all the conference sessions are recorded and archived so you can replay them at any time.

Registration
Online registration is now available.

The Smithsonian Education Online Conference: Climate Change is made possible by generous support from Paul Peck, Chair and CEO, of the Paul Peck Young Winners Foundation.
Additional support was provided by the Donnelley Foundation and the Smithsonian’s Office of the Chief Information Officer.”

High School Research and Evaluation, Funding Opportunity!... $$$$

High School Research and Evaluation Funding Opportunity!

We are looking for 50 High School Teachers / Site Coordinators that are experienced in using service-learning… 

 

WestEd and UCSB are applying for a federal grant to study the CalServe Initiative.  They are looking for high school teachers that are experienced in using service-learning who would like to partner with them in the research.

 

Funding and participation include:

 

$5000/yr. (for 4 years) for school site coordinator.  Site coordinators will support at least 4 teachers at the school(s) (contact Betsy for options for a fewer number of teacher participants)  The site coordinator will work with WestEd and UC Santa Barbara to collect school level data (attendance and grades for student participants).  They will also work with WestEd and UCSB to administer the California Healthy Kids Survey to student participants in classes participating in the study. 

 

$2000 stipend for each teacher in years 1 and 2, and $1000 for each teacher in years 3 and 4.  Teachers will deliver the same content in two courses; teaching one course using service-learning and the other one course not using service-learning, during years 1 and 2.  They will take an online survey each year, and work with the site coordinator to give the California Healthy Kids Survey to student participants.

 

$1000/per year (for 4 years) for each teacher as mini-grant reimbursements for service-learning projects.

 

If you are interested, please contact Betsy McCarthy at WestEd, or Mike Brugh at the CDE before September 20.  Betsy can be contacted at: 

bmccart@wested.org or 650-381-6441.  Feel free to contact her with any questions as well.

 

 

 

New Report on Youth Civic Engagement

The Rockefeller Brothers Fund recently released a report reviewing their youth civic engagement grant initiatives (including 5 in the Bay Area).  It is an interesting look into the reflective process of a funder and it includes interesting and compelling arguments highlighting the need for expanded youth civic engagement opportunities:

 

“If the best solutions to problems are found by those most deeply affected by them, then low-income youth and young people of color must have a place at the civic table, locally and nationally. Yet, many youth civic engagement efforts focus on college campuses and/or community service strategies, thus leaving low-income youth—who cannot afford to go to college and have less time to volunteer—with fewer opportunities to engage. At the same time, many of the programs targeted to low-income young people of color approach the young people as problems to be fixed, rather than as resources to be tapped. A youth civic engagement strategy that creates space for low-income, young people of color to be powerful can transform views of these young people from problems into valuable contributors—itself a necessary condition for participatory democracy.”

 

To read the full report, click here: http://www.rbf.org/usr_doc/RBF_Youth_Civic_Engagement_Grantmaking_Strategic_Review.pdf

 

*************************************************************

Nate Ivy

 

Service-Learning Lead CalServe Region 4 | http://calservenetwork.org

Service-Learning Waste Reduction Project | http://recycle.stopwaste.org/slwrp

 

Alameda County Office of Education

313 W. Winton Ave., Room 220

Hayward, CA 94544-1198

Ph: 510.670.4283

Fax: 510.670.4578

nivy@acoe.org

 

National Service-Learning Conference Call for Presenters

The National Service-Learning Conference comes to San Jose, CA in March 2010.  Please join me in an effort to showcase the incredible service-learning programs in our region. Elementary school teachers are especially encouraged to submit workshop ideas.  Please contact me if I can assist you in developing a proposal.  Nate Ivy, Service-Learning Regional Lead nivy@acoe.org

 

Call for Presenters

Do you have an outstanding service-learning program?
Do you have a message that needs to be heard?

We hope you will consider sharing information about your programs at the conference. Workshop proposals are currently being accepted. Come present to the largest gathering of youth and practitioners from the service-learning field, including teachers in K-12 and higher education, youth leaders, trainers, policy-makers, grantees, researchers, funders, and many others. Young people are strongly encouraged to submit proposals. All proposals must be submitted online by midnight CDT on September 25, 2009.

» Submit your workshop proposal.

 

Youth Leaders for Literacy Grants

Youth Service America is partnering with the National Education Association to once again offer Youth Leaders for Literacy grants to children and youth, ages 5-25, who offer innovative ways to increase literacy skills and appreciation for reading among their peers. Youth can submit their applications through October 30, 2009.

Youth Leaders for Literacy will award 30 young people from across the U.S. each with $500 grants and $500 in books from the Pearson Foundation. Successful projects will be youth-led and address an established literacy need in the applicant's school or community. The projects will follow the framework of YSA's Semester of Service initiative, launching on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service in January and culminating on Global Youth Service Day, April 23-25. An activity should also occur during the NEA's Read Across America Day on March 2.

Access the application at: http://tinyurl.com/neaysayll

Green Fair at Irvington High School September 19th

Irvington High School students will host a Green Fair on Saturday September 19^th from Noon-5PM.  A wide range of businesses, government agencies and non-profit organizations will be on hand to share examples of their work to promote resource conservation and sustainable practices.  Bicycle tune-ups will be available and participants are encouraged to bring old sneakers, used printer cartridges, and e-waste for recycling.  For more information about the fair, click here: http://calservenetwork.org/IHSgreenfair.html

 

Participants (age 6 and up) may wish to join the Coastal Clean-up effort on Irvington Creek, adjacent to the school, before the fair on the morning of the 19th.  For more information on joining the Coastal Clean-up project (pre-registration required), click here: http://www.fremont.gov/index.aspx?NID=968

 

Last year, Irvington High School was recognized as “America’s Greenest School” in a competition sponsored by IC Bus Company.  Student leaders are working hard to live up to the reputation! 

*************************************************************

Nate Ivy

 

Service-Learning Lead CalServe Region 4 | http://calservenetwork.org

Service-Learning Waste Reduction Project | http://recycle.stopwaste.org/slwrp

 

Alameda County Office of Education

313 W. Winton Ave., Room 220

Hayward, CA 94544-1198

Ph: 510.670.4283

Fax: 510.670.4578

nivy@acoe.org

 

Blending Science and Service-Learning

This month’s edition of the National Science Teachers Association newspaper features cover story highlighting stories from teachers that are “Blending Science and Service-Learning” 

 

An excerpt: “Kari Murad, who teaches immunology, microbiology, and pathology at the College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York, turned to service learning when she realized “no matter how riveting my lectures or how engaging my labs, there was still a portion of students not understanding why the science I was teaching was important.” In an editorial in the Science Teachers Association of New York State’s (STANYS) The Science Teachers Bulletin (Spring 2009 issue), Murad writes that with service learning incorporated into her teaching, “my students seem to study and/or retain the scientific information better because it has a larger context than simply a fact in a textbook. Additionally, they also begin to understand the budgetary, political, and social constraints that muddy the waters of even the best scientific ideas (concepts that I do not have time to teach in a science class but are important civic lessons nonetheless).””

 

The article includes examples from middle and high school science programs.  To read the full article, click here: http://www.nsta.org/publications/news/story.aspx?id=56458

 

Presidential Proclamation - Patriot Day and National Day of Remembrance and Service

 PATRIOT DAY AND NATIONAL DAY OF SERVICE AND REMEMBRANCE, 2009

A PROCLAMATION BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

 

Through the twisted steel of the twin towers of the World Trade Center, the scarred walls of the Pentagon, and the smoky wreckage in a field in southwest Pennsylvania, the patriotism and resiliency of the American people shone brightly on September 11, 2001. We stood as one people, united in our common humanity and shared sorrow. We grieved for those who perished and remembered what brought us together as Americans.

 

Today, we honor the lives we lost 8 years ago. On a bright September day, innocent men, women, and children boarded planes and set off for work as they had so many times before.  Unthinkable acts of terrorism brought tragedy, destruction, pain, and loss for people across our Nation and the world.

 

As we pay tribute to loved ones, friends, fellow citizens, and all who died, we reaffirm our commitment to the ideas and ideals that united Americans in the aftermath of the attacks.  We must apprehend all those who perpetrated these heinous crimes, seek justice for those who were killed, and defend against all threats to our national security. We must also recommit ourselves to our founding principles. September 11 reminds us that our fate as individuals is tied to that of our Nation. Our democracy is strengthened when we uphold the freedoms upon which our Nation was built: equality, justice, liberty, and democracy.  These values exemplify the patriotism and sacrifice we commemorate today.

 

In that same spirit of patriotism, I call upon all Americans to join in service and honor the lives we lost, the heroes who responded in our hour of need, and the brave men and women in uniform who continue to protect our country at home and abroad. In April, I was proud to sign the bipartisan Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, which recognizes September 11 as a National Day of Service and Remembrance. Originated by the family members of those who lost loved ones on 9/11, the National Day of Service and Remembrance is an opportunity to salute the heroes of 9/11, recapture the spirit of unity and compassion that inspired our Nation following the attacks, and rededicate ourselves to sustained service to our communities.

 

Throughout the summer, people of all ages and backgrounds came together to lend a helping hand in their communities through United We Serve. As this summer of service draws to an end, we renew the call to engage in meaningful service activities and stay engaged with those projects throughout the year. Working together, we can usher in a new era in which volunteering and more service is a way of life for all Americans. Deriving strength from tragedy, we can write the next great chapter in our Nation's history and ensure that future generations continue to enjoy the promise of America.

 

By a joint resolution approved December 18, 2001 (Public Law 107-89), the Congress has designated September 11 of each year as Patriot Day, and by Public Law 111-13, approved April 21, 2009, has requested the observance of September 11 as an annually recognized National Day of Service and Remembrance.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim September 11, 2009, as Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance.  I call upon all departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the United States to display the flag of the United States at half-staff on Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance in honor of the individuals who lost their lives as a result of the terrorist attacks against the United States that occurred on September 11, 2001. I invite the Governors of the United States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and interested organizations and individuals to join in this observance. I call upon the people of the United States to participate in community service in honor of those our Nation lost, to observe this day with other ceremonies and activities, including remembrance services, and to observe a moment of silence beginning at 8:46 a.m. eastern daylight time to honor the innocent victims who perished as a result of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this tenth day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.

 

BARACK OBAMA

 

Waves, Wetlands, and Watersheds workshop in Santa Rosa

When you attend this workshop, you will receive a FREE copy of the California Coastal Commission's science activity guide for teachers, Waves, Wetlands, and Watersheds. You'll try out some of the activities in the guide and get an overview of the other free educational resources and programs the Coastal Commission has available. You will be eligible for professional growth credit from University of the Pacific upon completing additional work. REGISTER for the workshop by contacting Annie Kohut Frankel at afrankel@coastal.ca.gov, (415) 597-5888, or (800) Coast4U. This workshop are open to both formal and informal educators.

 

Thursday, October 29, 4-6pm

Environmental Center of Sonoma County, Santa Rosa

Register by October 27.

***

Waves, Wetlands, and Watersheds is a classroom activity guide for teachers that addresses California's critical coastal and marine issues such as endangered species, marine debris, coastal geology, water use, and much more. It is aligned to the California State Science Content Standards for grades 3 through 8, and includes Community Action lessons adaptable for all ages up to and beyond grade 12. The connection between inland areas and the ocean is emphasized throughout, so the lessons are relevant for students living in all regions of California. For more information, visit www.coastal.ca.gov/publiced/waves/waves1.html

Free Training on Community-Based Service-Learning: 9/21 @ 2 PM Eastern Time

National Service-Learning Partnership Presents the Innovation Spotlight Series

Youth Service California and the National Service-Learning Partnership invite you all to participate in the Innovation Spotlight Series for Community-Based Service-Learning. This series focuses on the value and utility of service-learning in community organizations and faith-based groups who want to engage youth more effectively through service.  This is an entirely free, online series running through September and will remain available online into the future. Here's how to engage in this series:

1)  Visit www.nslpconnections.org and join the Affinity Group for Community-Based Service-Learning.  Create a profile to join this online community.

2)  At the Affinity Group, you will see links to two YouTube videos to start the series:

Community-Based Service-Learning and Youth Development

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RU0hDxLmq_E

Faith-Based Service-Learning

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfpeVyAaC-o

It is highly recommended to watch the Community-Based video first and then the Faith-Based video as the Faith-Based video builds on the first.

3)  After you have watched these, please view the PowerPoint presentations, which you can download, use, and share with your colleagues--they can be found in the Documents section of the Affinity Group main page.

4)  After watching the videos and PowerPoints (or whenever you feel moved), please take part in the discussions happening at the Affinity Group main page and at Youth Service Californ�����s Blog (http://yscal.org/blog/).  Questions will be posted periodically and feel free to pose your own!

5)  Finally, as a capstone to the Innovation Series, we will host a Webinar on Sept. 21, 2009 at 2 PM Eastern Time, during which we will discuss the issues brought forth during the month and consider visions for the future.  To participate on this day, follow these steps on Sept. 21st:

1. Go to https://aed.webex.com/aed/j.php?ED=116063397&UID=1050438242
2. Enter your name and email address.
3. Enter the meeting password: spotlight
4. Click "Join".

In addition, Youth Service California will archive all this information at its website:

http://yscal.org/cm/Service-Learning/Community.html

 

For any questions or concerns, contact Brian Seilstad at bseilstad@yscal.org or 510-302-0553.

 

Christina Kwon
Director of Member Engagement

National Service-Learning Partnership

Academy for Educational Development
1875 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20009
202.884.8982 (phone)
202.884.8422 (fax)
ckwon@aed.org

www.service-learningpartnership.org

American Red Cross Free Picnic in the Park (September 19th-RSVP necessary)

The American Red Cross Bay Area Chapter is proud to announce this
year's Back to School Special, a FREE picnic to show our appreciation
for our high school volunteers and any high school students that are
interested in learning more about the Red Cross. The event will be
held on Saturday, September 19, from 12:30 pm until 5 p.m. at Pioneer
East Meadow in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. There will be FREE
food, entertainment, games, and prizes. We encourage you and your
friends to come join us! Please RSVP in advance as the event is
limited to the first 100 people to respond. If transportation is an
issue, please email Dorothy Lee at leedo@usa.redcross.org

Invitation: College Going Culture Demonstration Site Visit at San Lorenzo High School (San Lorenzo, CA) - 9/21/09

DEVELOPING A COLLEGE GOING CULTURE: DEMONSTRATION SITE VISIT & WORKSHOP AT SAN LORENZO HIGH SCHOOL  – 50 E. Lewelling Boulevard, San Lorenzo, CA 94580

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2lst -- 8:45 a.m. – 1:15 p.m. (Continental breakfast and registration beginning at 8:15 a.m.)

AN INVITATION: You and/or your high school team are invited to attend a free demonstration site visit and workshop on best practices in developing a college going culture at your school.

San Lorenzo High School in San Lorenzo, California has been designated as a demonstration site for a special College Going Culture project funded by the James Irvine Foundation.  Working with partners from the Career Academy Support Network (CASN) – Graduate School of Education – University of California Berkeley, the University of California Office of the President (UCOP), and the Center for Educational Partnerships – U.C. Berkeley, staff from San Lorenzo High School will share best practices around developing a college going culture.

College Going Culture strategies will be shared including:
•    Building a college going culture school wide
•    Embedding college-going expectations, explorations and information in our Ninth Grade Houses & Advisories
•    College Thursdays
•    How our math and expository writing programs support students to be college ready
•    Engaging parents in supporting college aspirations
•    Using resources from College Tools for Schools (http://collegetools.berkeley.edu/)
and more

In addition, participants will visit classrooms and have the opportunity to meet with administrators, counselors, students and staff.  They will also engage in hands-on explorations of the new College Tools web site and acquire College Going Culture resources and tools. 

A Continental Breakfast and Lunch will be provided.  (Again, at no cost to participants as this event is generously supported by a grant from the James Irvine Foundation.)

Please RSVP by September 17, 2009 (OR September 18th at the latest) to patricia510@gmail.com  so we can plan for food and materials. Please include your name/s, school/district & or organization/community-affiliation, & email contact information. We will follow up with a confirmation of your registration for the Monday, September 21st College Going Culture Demonstration Site Visit/Workshop as well as directions to San Lorenzo High School and parking information.   Questions: Please contact Patricia Clark at patricia510@gmail.com or 510.504.3826.

We look forward to seeing you there

 

Patricia Clark
Career Academy Support Network (CASN)
University of California Berkeley
Graduate School of Education

(phone) 510-524.0734 OR 510.504.3826 (cell)
patricia510@gmail.com
patricia.clark@yahoo.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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New Online Course Available from NSIP: Effective Communication, Alternative Formats, and Web Access

The National Service Inclusion Project (NSIP) is a Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) training and technical assistance provider that develops the capacity of all CNCS grantees to recruit, support, and retain members and volunteers with disabilities in all national service and volunteer programs.

 

Have you ever received a question on how to make your materials more accessible?  Has someone in service requested a reasonable accommodation for his or her communication needs?  To best ensure that people with disabilities are able to access equally all program communication materials and web content, the National Service Inclusion Project has created three courses to identify inclusive practices.

 

The National Service Inclusion Project (NSIP) presents three courses entitled: Effective Communication, Alternative Formats, and Web Accessibility to increase awareness of accessibility issues in programs.  These courses discuss Universal Design in communication, auxiliary aids and guidelines, communication and the law, as well as information on accessing web content for people with disabilities.  In addition to course content, users will be able to review case studies, web accessibility, and locate additional information for making communication accessible for all service members and volunteers. 

 

The National Service Inclusion Project (NSIP) is training and technical assistance provider on disability inclusion, under a cooperative agreement (#08TAHMA001) from Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). NSIP partners with the Association on University Centers on Disability, National Council on Independent Living, Association on Higher Education and Disability and National Down Syndrome Congress to build connections between disability organizations and all CNCS grantees, including national directs, to increase the participation of people with disabilities in national service.  This tutorial course was created cooperatively by The National Service Inclusion Project, The Corporation for National and Community Service, and ETR Associates. Log in to the Online Learning Center to access this course.

 

 

 

National Campaign Seeks Stories of Authentic Learning

Rethink Learning Now invites you to share your stories of powerful learning experiences:

Share Your Voice

Help us paint a shared national picture that describes what powerful learning environments, highly effective teachers, and a fair and equitable public school system actually look like.

To do so, take a few minutes to reflect on and then write responses to any -- or all -- of the following prompts. If you chose to write more than once, please submit the story for each category separately.

Learning, Teaching, Fairness

• Share a powerful personal experience in a learning community. It could be a club, a church group, a school experience, a course, or something else. The only criteria are that it was a positive experience and real learning occurred.
• Who was your most effective teacher, and what was it about that person that made him or her so effective in helping you learn?
• To ensure that every child receives a high-quality public education, does the federal government need to make the equal opportunity to learn a constitutional right? Or is there a better, less drastic alternative toward ensuring fairness that policymakers should consider?

Click here to learn more or participate:  http://rethinklearningnow.com/stories/submit/

Nominations of Civically Engaged Youth Sought for Study

Dear Colleagues,

 

If you know of an 18-21 year-old who is highly committed to civic engagement through work in social and/or environmental causes, I am seeking your help in nominating him/her for my doctoral dissertation research study. The study explores how highly-engaged youth experience and meet the challenges of civic engagement during the formative adolescent and young adult years. Its purpose is to understand how these young people learn from others, construct meaning, and act to confront challenges in ways that foster continued engagement. The results may lead to a better understanding of specific program attributes and adult support that foster sustained civic engagement in a higher percentage of young people. The online nomination process is quick and easy. Please learn more.

 

Marilyn

 

Marilyn Price-Mitchell
Human & Organization Development
P. O. Box 11609
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110

Phone: 866-770-4760
Email: mpricemitchell@gmail.com
Website: mpricemitchell.com  

 

Radio Webcast Reminder: Solutions to the Dropout Crisis

Tune in to the next live radio webcast!
Solutions to the Dropout Crisis
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
3:30 – 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time
Graduation and Collaboration Coaches: Working Effectively Together
Presented by Laura Brown and Fran Bay

* Learn how Graduation and Collaboration Coaches have contributed to an increase in Georgia's graduation rate.

* Learn about the roles of these Graduation and Collaboration Coaches.

 This radio webcast will address a framework for dropout prevention that has been effective in Georgia-the state's Graduation Coach program provides early intervention services to students at risk for dropping out of school. The state's graduation rate has increased from 72.3% in 2007 to 75.4% in 2008 - a record high for Georgia. This 3.1% rate increase represents 8,277 additional graduates for the 2007-2008 school year. Additionally, the state's dropout rate decreased from 4.1% to 3.7%. Georgia also funds Collaboration Coaches to assist middle and high schools in developing supports for students with disabilities. Schools implement strategies for engaging students academically and behaviorally as well as focusing on affective needs.
 
 Information about this free webcast and a list of resources, including a PowerPoint, are available now at www.dropoutprevention.org/webcast. Registration is not necessary. Any questions? Call 864-656-2580 or email ndpc@clemson.edu.
 
 Presented by the National Dropout Prevention Center at Clemson University in partnership with Clemson Radio Productions, and with the generous support of Penn Foster.