NYLC Blog
Service-Learning and Social Justice
Earlier this month, I attended the AchieveMpls annual Education Partners Luncheon, “High-Quality Public Schools for All: The Civil Rights Issue of Our Time.” The keynote speaker was former Minneapolis superintendent, Dr. Carol Johnson. Now the superintendent in Boston, Johnson spoke passionately and intelligently of the efforts to achieve equity in public education in the United States, and the causes and effects of persistent achievement disparities among different groups of students. She challenged the audience to do better by our young people, and outlined three key points:
- An 80 percent graduation rate isn’t good enough.
- One great teacher and a great principal won’t cut it—students need a team of caring adults working together.
- Schools alone can’t overcome the disadvantages of poverty. We need a national debate about policies that perpetuate growing income disparities if we are ever going to serve all children well.
Johnson’s passionate speech moved me and others in the audience to tears at times, and for the past couple of weeks as I’ve gone about my work here at NYLC, her words have echoed in my thoughts. It seems to me that service-learning can be a strategy schools can use to connect with all three problems Johnson identified.
Service-learning has been correlated with both attendance and educational aspirations. As an engaging educational strategy, it has the potential to help students see themselves as successful learners in new ways and perhaps help keep them in school as they discover ways to use their learning in the real world.
Service-learning has also been shown to connect students to caring adults in the community and at school. When adults see the contributions and investments young people are making through projects to solve problems in the community, they’re more likely to reach out and help children and youth when they struggle. And children and youth have more varied adults to turn to when they struggle.
And service-learning in its many guises often circles back to the issues of social justice Johnson brought forth. When students and teachers explore the root causes of why we have food shelves, the environmental effects of mining, or the consequences of unmanaged chronic diseases, they often find themselves pushing for civic action and change.
I don’t believe that service-learning is the magic elixir that can fix everything wrong in education today, but it has an important role to play in helping put young people in places where they can contribute in meaningful ways and connect to the wider world. We need their creativity and energy as our partners in making high-quality public education available to all comers.
Presenting and Learning at the Overcoming Racism Conference
This past Saturday I attended the Facilitating Racial Equity Collaborative’s Overcoming Racism Conference in Saint Paul, Minn. and presented a workshop, Engaging Youth in Addressing the Achievement Gap based off of NYLC’s Smart. Youth Solutions to the Achievement Gap. This initiative was proposed by NYLC’s Youth Advisory Council a few years ago. The YAC saw a particular nation-wide need – ameliorating the achievement gap – which they thought ought to be addressed through more specific programming. The Smart Handbook for Students and Facilitator Guide were developed by NYLC in response to this request to describe activities and suggest discussion questions regarding the achievement gap. The workbooks also include extensive resources explaining how to make a service-learning project related to the achievement gap in your community.
It was a diverse crowd at my workshop. There were many educators, youth leaders, and a few college-aged participants. We did an activity from the Smart Facilitator Guide, which participants agreed is a great way for youth to visualize the achievement gap. The activity is called The Human Race and is based around a series of questions to which each participant must respond by stepping forward or backward. The questions center on factors in the individual’s life which are out of his or her control. Take one step forward if both of your parents went to college, take one step back if English is not your native language, take one step forward if you have ever travelled to a foreign country, etc. The participants start shoulder to shoulder in a line, but by the end of the 50 questions, the participants are spread out all over the room.
The exercise provokes discussion topics starting with simply “How did you feel ending up behind or ahead of others?” to “What are these positions metaphorical of?” There was extensive discussion amongst the participants – I spoke for a small portion of the workshop, and the rest of the time was taken up with participant discussion. Throughout the workshop I was able to cite examples of exemplary projects implemented by our Youth Advisory Council, enliven interest in trainings with NYLC, and entertain questions about possible National Youth Leadership Training attendance next summer!
Throughout the day there were courageous conversations going on within the diverse conglomerate of conference attendees. I went in to the conference confident in my expertise on racism, and when I left I realized I knew much less than I thought I did. The conference endowed me with a deeper understanding of the systemic racism we talk about in our Achievement Gap workshop, but also gave a greater context for any interaction relating to a racial issue, whether at home, in public, or in the workplace.
The Value of Building a Service-Learning Environment
I was first introduced to the concept of service-learning in a sociology course I took in college. Having the opportunity then to see the readings and theories that were a part of the curriculum come alive in the community had a profound impact on my understanding of the course content. I’ve since carried that experience with me post-college to my current position on staff at the National Youth Leadership Council, which has given me the chance to share that understanding with others, particularly youth.
Earlier this fall, I had the unique opportunity to join the NYLC program staff and be a part of a service-learning kickoff event at Anthony Middle School in south Minneapolis. Though it is becoming increasingly common for schools and even entire districts to integrate service-learning into their curriculum, this was the first time I had seen a school-wide commitment to service-learning firsthand.
In lieu of a traditional day of classes, the entire sixth-grade spent the morning participating in sessions related to the service-learning activities they would be participating throughout the year. NYLC staff led several Service-Learning 101 sessions, where community problem-solving was addressed as a core concept of service-learning and students were divided into groups that dug deeper using four steps—Investigate, Plan, Take Action, and Evaluate.
When asked, some students talked about their experiences in their neighborhoods witnessing bullying or littering and how they took action, or didn’t. It was encouraging to see their faces light up in response to simply asking for their perspective and giving them a chance to express their youth voice. When we framed the idea of service-learning in this way, their small group discussions took on a life of their own.
Immediately after meeting with our main contact at the school—a teacher who organized the event—it became apparent how much planning and logistical support went into making that day a success for the students. Without the enthusiasm and attention to detail of administrators, buy-in from teachers, support from parents, and resources from outside organizations like NYLC, these students would hold a very limited view of service-learning, if at all.
In the afternoon, teachers and administrators led an evaluation and reflection session to gather feedback from the day. This gave students and facilitators the opportunity to report back on what they learned, what they will take away, and what can be improved for next year’s event.
I can’t help but reflect back on what I took away from my experience in college and think about where I might be now if service-learning had been a part of my education as early as the sixth-grade.
Making Fundraising Successful and Fun
Think about the very first time you asked your parents for money so you could go to the movie/concert/you fill in the blank and they said you had to find your own money. You could have approached a solution in one of these four ways: Throw a tantrum, tell your friends your parents are mean and not go, beg your grandma for money, or finally, learn how to make your own money. The first three are of course easier to do but I found that learning how to make money, fundraising for myself, was much more rewarding and self-fulfilling. I have also found that fundraising for a cause is even more rewarding yet but it is also challenging, which makes it even more fulfilling. I have a couple tips for you that might help!
My name is Nicholas Campion-Liemandt and I am a senior from a high school in Minnesota. I ran my first fundraiser when I was in 3rd grade for a dog shelter and have been trying to improve my strategy ever since I brought that jar full of change and dollar bills into the shelter. If you have ever organized a service project or started a program, you probably realized you had to do fundraising first. Then when you tried fundraising, you realized what a pain it is and how disheartening it can be. Am I right? I am here to tell that fundraising does NOT have to be difficult, it CAN be fun, AND you get the rewarding feeling of helping a cause you believe in. Don't believe me? Well, let's talk about how you can do it.
The first step is to have a goal in mind. Once you have a goal you are ready to start fundraising! I always follow this process when planning my fundraising campaigns:
- Set a fundraising goal: Set the amount of money you wish to raise during your campaign.
Let's say your goal is to raise enough money to go to the National Service Learning Conference– a very respectable goal I must say!
- Create and follow a timeline for your fundraising campaign: Every goal has a start and end date. Chart out smaller goals within your timeframe to help ensure you are on our way to meeting your goal.
To reach your goal in time, let's say January 1st is your deadline. That means I need to have my plan in place by the end of the week. I would take the next steps and put a "due date" by it. If it helps, pretend your teacher assigned it and it's a project that will not receive credit if late.
- Create positions for those involved with set responsibilities: Form a team and give everyone responsibilities throughout the campaign. Write these down and record when they are met.
When I form my team, I make sure to have people on my team whose strengths are my weaknesses. For example, if I need art for my campaign, I do not want the stick figures that I would be drawing, so I go find an artist.
- Know your audience and do your research: Research whom you will be partnering with and who you will be inviting to your events. It is important to know your audience. That way you can create and maintain solid relationships with your funders.
If your raising money to go to a service-learning conference, make sure your not soliciting funding from a someone who supports service, leadership, or youth development. Asking Shady Oaks Retirement Home is probably not your best bet. Unless, you are selling a homemade bingo game....
- Find volunteers and partners: Form a reliable group of volunteers that will help you meet all your fundraising needs. Create separate goals, timelines, and responsibilities for them as well.
You will need people other than your team to make this happen! If you are organizing a pancake breakfast, finding volunteers to cook pancakes is a must. So is partnering with a school who will let you use their kitchen.
- Publicize your campaign heavily: Use various mediums of communication to promote your fundraising campaign. Examples include: Social media (after all, it’s free), print ads, press releases, articles, interviews, word of mouth, etc.
Create an event on Facebook telling people about your benefit concert and invite them to attend. Nothing will beat you telling your friends or getting on your school's PA system but hey, social media is free and if it brings in "just" $10.00, that's $10.00 less you need to raise. Also, use a story. People hear so many stats and numbers that they become irrelevant. Pick ONE child you are trying to save; a picture would not hurt either.
- Create a system to record and manage money: Create and monitor a system to manage the funds you raise. Assign 1-2 people to be in charge of recording and watching the funds.
If you have an ongoing project, make sure you are counting the money that comes in from your bake sales, silent auctions, car washes, etc.
- Follow up with donors to thank them for their contribution: It is extremely important to thank your donors for their contributions. Make sure to get each donor’s contact information so you can follow up with him or her.
You CAN fundraise and it can BE fun! I promise you, when you look at the children's faces that you just donated money to buy Christmas presents to or walk in the door of NLSC, you will have an unbelievable feeling of satisfaction. Good luck to you and your campaign! If you have any questions or would like help with your plan, please email me at nick@youthrive.net and I'll be more than happy to help!
Nicholas Campion-Liemandt is a high school senior and Marketing Specialist for Youthrive as well as chair of the Cabinet, their youth advisory board. Youthrive is a partner with National Youth Leadership Council for the 2012 National Service-Learning Conference.
How My Students Feel the Impact of Learn and Serve America Cuts
Last April, four students excitedly sat in a hotel room in Atlanta, Georgia and talked about their plans for our school’s service-learning program. They had just spent three days at the National Service-Learning Conference and were energized by the creative projects, great ideas, and enthusiasm of so many people, especially youth, who were engaged in helping to change the world through service-learning. Their enthusiasm was contagious and as we drove back to Missouri, I couldn’t wait to see their ideas become action.
That’s one of the amazing parts of using service-learning as a teaching methodology: the enthusiasm and creativity of my students to use their knowledge and skills to help others in our community. However, our enthusiasm was dampened last spring when we learned that the Learn and Serve America program had been cut from the federal budget. Thankfully, we did receive a small amount of leftover funds this fall.
To be honest, the hardest part of losing national funding has been telling my students For them, it was one more negative decision in an already dreary economic climate. They had a hard time understanding why a program that benefited over one million students and countless communities was losing funding. They began to rethink how they could carry out their ideas without the funding we had previously received.
At our school the biggest negative impact has been the number of students we can get involved in direct action due to loss of transportation. The students have great ideas and we have wonderful community partners but we need funds to help get our students out in the community. Another negative impact has been the lack of opportunities for students to network with other students through regional and state opportunities. Losing our state supervisor for service-learning at Missouri’s Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will hurt my students as we lose a person who not only provided grants, but also provided training, support, and many opportunities for youth voice in Missouri’s service-learning program.
Our school is built on a culture of service and we will keep working to sustain our service-learning program. Our school gives us a small budget for which we are very grateful. We have community partners who help whenever they can, and we have gotten creative in looking for ways to solve funding issues. Our students will continue to be engaged in the community; it is just going to take a lot more time and effort to figure out how to do it.
We are always looking for new ideas and would love to hear what others are doing to help students have these valuable experiences.
Beth Nickle is a teacher at the Bailey Alternative High School in Springfield, Missouri and was awarded Springfield Public School Teacher of the Year in 2008. She has used service-learning with her students since the early 1990s, and is Missouri's South Central Regional Coordinator for Service-Learning. You can read a history of the budget cuts to the Learn and Serve program at http://www.saveservice.org/pages/legislative-update/.
Starting the new YAC year at 103%
Arriving back at my dorm on Sunday afternoon, the silence was alarming. As a college freshman, I'm learning that Sundays on campus are typically quieter, as the designated study day. But it seemed an especially big contrast after being surrounded by almost nonstop energy last weekend at this year’s Youth Advisory Council (YAC) retreat. Being around the YAC is an intense experience, but I always leave feeling all filled up.
The weekend was filled with workshops put on by the NYLC staff and mentors, on everything from how to be a great facilitator, to the achievement gap, to courageous conversations, to elevator speeches. The way the YAC approaches every subject and activity with compassion and humility, but also a sense of urgency, is a beautiful thing. As a mentor, I already feel I've learned so much from the group and I am confident this year will bring many productive projects, initiatives and fun. The retreat was filled with exploration, growth, bonding, laughter and an explosion of planning.
It might be a weird metaphor, but I feel like most of the time, we live at 80% battery power; when I'm around the YAC, I'm at 103%. Whenever I'm with them, I feel so lucky to be surrounded by peers who are exceptionally passionate, smart, diverse, thoughtful, driven, unique and open youth. Sometimes it's hard out there for a youth leader, especially when it comes to being heard. But when we're all brought together for the purpose of promoting youth voice and developing leadership, anything seems possible. Service-learning and NYLC are so empowering, I think we all felt recharged and energized to go change the world.
Stay tuned, because the YAC will be coming at you soon with exciting happenings, news, and ways to get involved. This is just the beginning.
Emily Annie Wood is an NYLC Youth Advisory Council mentor
See more photos from the Youth Advisory Council retreat here on our Flickr page
Welcome to the NYLC Blog!
Over the past several decades, many voices have expressed their opinion on how young people contribute to society. Parents, educators, community members, elected officials, and youth themselves have weighed in on this issue. Given that these opinions are so diverse, the issues so large, and the impact incalculable, the need to represent these voices in one place has never been greater.
This is the beginning of a blog where young people matter, and those who believe that youth have the capacity to lead can share their thoughts and opinions. With creative and thoughtful staff, partners, participants, and stakeholders from diverse constituencies, this forum will bring together insightful and current thinking on youth development, education reform, service-learning, and more.
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I am thrilled to see what our contributors are thinking and to share my own thoughts as well. I hope you are too!
Kelita Bak
CEO, National Youth Leadership Council
