Honoring Martin Luther King, Jr., Through Service

With Martin Luther King, Jr. Day observed on Monday, January 16, NYLC wanted to share ideas gathered by The National Service-Learning Exchange, its network of five regional centers and nearly 400 peer mentors providing service-learning technical assistance.

• In Grand Rapids, Mich., kindergarten through 6th graders from
  various public elementary schools are sponsoring a free Martin Luther
  King Jr. Children's Festival highlighting King's life and work, with
  the goal of providing other youths a fun, safe place to spend a day
  participating in related crafts, dancing, drama, storytelling, and
  face-painting.

• In Greenville, S.C., the Governor’s High School for the Arts and
  Humanities is hosting a daylong tribute to King, beginning with a forum
  on civil rights, human rights, and social responsibility. The afternoon
  will include sessions on the music of the civil rights movement, a
  screening of the documentary "The Corridor of Shame" (about an
  education equity lawsuit), and a "homeless tour" conducted by a local
  human services agency. The day will conclude with an after-school
  tutoring and mentoring program called "Rock Stars." Throughout the day,
  curricular connections to the humanities, economics, and the arts will
  be made.

• In Irvine, Calif., approximately 160 college students from King’s
  fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha, will work with a Community Action
  Partnership and Second Harvest Food Bank to pick vegetables and pack
  boxes to address hunger in Orange County. They will study King’s life
  beforehand, and reflect on his service values thereafter.

• In West Sonoma County, Calif., a high school Youth Action Council,
  in partnership with a local volunteer center, is studying the civil
  rights movement, then preparing donations of nonperishable food, winter
  clothing, and books for children.

• In San Diego, Calif., a volunteer organization and youth leaders
  from 30 local high schools will address a social issue of importance to
  them: school budget cuts in the arts and athletics. They will sponsor
  an "I Care" community fair where youths can experience activities their
  schools are not able to offer, including sculpting, drama, Tae Kwan Do,
  and yoga. There will also be an advocacy booth in which participants
  can voice and record their opinions. In the spirit of King's work, they
  are taking a nonviolent stand for their right to a well-rounded
  education.

For further ideas and support, visit Hands On Network,
which is helping transform the day of service into a catalyst for
year-round commitments to pursing the work of social justice through
service.