Blog Archives: December 2012
Happy Holidays from NYLC
A holiday is a day set aside by law or statute as exempt from regular labor or business activities, usually to celebrate or commemorate something that happened on or near that date. As we each celebrate this holiday season for a variety of reasons, we encourage you all to thank those amazing people in our lives that care for, educate, and nurture our future generations – our teachers, administrators, and educators.
As the tragedy in Newtown lies heavy in our hearts, we are not surprised that the heroes of that day were the teachers and principal. Every day we place our children in the hands of these amazing people who have answered a calling. You do not become a teacher for the pay, the prestige, or the glamour. You become a teacher because you care deeply about our youth.
So “thank you” from the bottom of our hearts for all that you do every day.
Our wish for everyone this holiday season is to “live every day like it is a holiday” by being thankful for the precious time that has been given to you to spend with loved ones.
Best Wishes,
The Staff of NYLC
I had a dream, that one day my students will be involved in the National Service-Learning Conference!
It was back in the spring of 2001 that I attended the National Service Learning Conference for the first time in Denver, Colorado. As a staff member for the National School and Community Corps, an Americorps program run by EducationWorks, I was asked to attend the conference as a representative of the organiation and to present information about a program I was facilitating at Girls High of Philadelphia. I was so excited to travel to my first work conference and learn more about service learning. Attending this conference was no doubt a turning point in my career. I remember very clearly the event that made me realize that youth have the power to change the world. It was in a workshop lead by Cathryn Berger Kaye and her daughter Devorah. Devorah had written a book about how to have conversations with senior citizens. She stood in front of the room, well spoken and confident, and shared her experience with a room full of adults and youth. At that moment I remember thinking….one day my kids will do this.
One year later, I had just finished my first year teaching at New Foundations Charter School, and in the mail arrived an application to present at the National Service Learning Conference 2003 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I worked diligently over the summer to gain the support of my administration and colleagues to submit two workshop proposals—which were both accepted! This is where NFCS’ involvement with the National Service Learning began. In March 2003, NFCS students, staff and parents made our first journey to the land of service learning.
Over the past 10 year, NFCS has been involved in the conference on a variety of levels. We have served as workshop leaders, on-site service project coordinators, youth MCs, and the official “Conference Film Crew”. Unofficially, the NFCS crew has become part of the NYLC family and conference staff, often referred to as “Shira’s Kids”. You can always find us at the conference, in our matching gear, in the video room, or roaming the exhibit hall getting participants involved in our projects. No matter where you look, you will find us.
I can honestly say that being part of this conference has changed the way NFCS engages students in service. It has given hundreds of NFCS students a chance to grow, mature, and become young adults by traveling cross country to participate. The National Service Learning Conference is the only place where adults and youth can dialogue on an equal level, work together toward a common goal, and learn from each other. Just like in years past, NFCS will be in Denver this spring. We’ll strut our stuff, involve others in service, pass on our knowledge, and hopefully grow up a bit.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Shira Woolf Cohen is the Vice Principal at New Foundations Charter School in Philadelphia.
Meet Rock Stars and Celebrities at Without Limits!
A few days for professionals from across the country to get together, celebrate, and showcase the best their field has to offer. That could describe the Grammy Awards, the Super Bowl, Fashion Week, or the National Service-Learning Conference. That’s right I said the National Service-Learning Conference!
If you are as committed and passionate about service-learning as I am, the conference is something you look forward to all year just as the professionals in other fields look forward to their signature event. The 2013 event in Denver will be my 15th conference and I think I get more excited every year. I can’t wait to get together with old friends, make new ones, and see what youth and adults have been doing across the country to make communities better while engaging youth in meaningful learning. In addition to a star-studded lineup of exciting workshops there will be awards to recognize the best in our field and the always spectacular Service-Learning Showcase (if you want to meet real rock stars and celebrities take some time to talk to the students sharing their amazing initiatives in the Showcase).
This year promises to be another wonderful conference and I’m so pleased to again be working with the conference staff to organize the Rookie Series. The Rookie Series is a set of workshops designed specifically for youth and adults new to service-learning. The fun, interactive workshops will cover some of the nationally research-based K-12 Service-Learning Standards for Quality Practice including:
Understanding and Promoting Youth Voice,
Standards + Service = Curriculum Integration,
Reflection for the Rookie, and
Reciprocal Partnerships: Why Should I Work With You?
A special Immersion Session, IPAR-D Rockin In The House Tonite!, is a double session that will guide rookies thorough the steps of the IPARD process of service-learning. Using a variety of hands-on activities and real life examples, participants will walk away with a strong understanding of the big picture.
One of the things I’m personally most proud of when it comes to the Rookie Series, is that each session is co-facilitated by some of the best youth trainers from across the country. This year the Rookie Series Team includes youth and adults from schools and community organizations in Missouri, South Carolina, and Pennsylvania. They’ll share great resources and activities to help you build a strong foundation for service-learning in your classroom, school, or organization. You will have a chance to meet experts with experience in just about every setting where service-learning takes place: k-12 schools, alternative schools, after-school programs, district-wide implementation, Charter Schools, summer programs, and Higher Ed Institutions.
I hope you will think about joining us at the conference and in the Rookie Series. You can attend one workshop or stay for the entire series! You’ll learn how to meaningfully engage youth in identifying needs, planning projects, building community partnerships, connecting service to curriculum, and reflecting in fun and cognitively challenging ways. One thing is for sure, you will see the power of service-learning “Without Limits.”
Oh wait…did I mention there are door prizes? Can’t wait to see you in Denver!
5 Takeaways from the Overcoming Racism Conference
As someone not entirely unfamiliar with issues related to diversity and inclusion, I was excited about this year’s Overcoming Racism Conference and surprised at how much I didn’t already know. This was the fourth annual conference hosted by the Facing Racial Equity Collaborative, and the theme “Decolonizing Minnesota & Beyond: Historical & Current Struggles” drew attention to the 150th anniversary of the U.S. Dakota War of 1862.
After everything I learned from the workshops, keynote speakers, and in talking to a small sample of the 350 conference participants during the two days, there were five things that stuck with me:
- There are First Nation people still fighting to get their land back. For some of you, this may be nothing new. But for me, a white twenty-something year-old male with a public school education, the fact that I knew nothing about the U.S. Dakota war was a wake-up call. I was stunned when I heard Dr. Waziyatawin describe 10 reparation strategies in her keynote address, but also inspired by her courage to share the struggles of American Indians and offer ways for us to help.
- Holidays are a good time to build bridges. I was reminded that by being curious and asking questions, like how others celebrate holidays, I can build trust between myself and others from different cultures. This may seem like a no-brainer, but as someone who lives and works in a fairly homogenous community, it can be difficult and uncomfortable to reach out to different groups. This fact, however, doesn’t make it any less important.
- Traditional knowledge is as (or more) important than academic knowledge. You know those timeless words of wisdom you’ve heard your whole life from older relatives? “Don’t bite the hand that feeds you”; “Practice humility.” Well, one presenter referred to these as traditional knowledge, or oral history. He argued that there are subtleties in traditional knowledge that get missed if you don’t put in the face to face time to speak with elders, and that these subtleties can’t be captured with the written word.
- Academics should spend time in the community. I was pleased to hear Dr. Rose M. Brewer address the audience frankly after her keynote address when she stated that academics need to share space and create a reciprocal relationship with community members if any progress is to be made. When it comes to race, we all need to have a seat at the table.
- Historical trauma affects all of us. Many of our ancestors fled their country because of famine, arrived on slave ships, as refugees, or were here originally and became displaced. Many of those experiences were traumatic for our ancestors and that trauma was passed down. It’s up to us to do the healing it requires to live up to our potential.
While this conference gave me many perspectives to reflect on, what I — or any of us — decide to do with this information will determine how our society begins to overcome racism.
Oh, and if you’ve never heard of the U.S. Dakota War of 1862, I highly recommend you do some research and then watch the movie Dakota 38.
