Thousands Gather at Our World, Our Future

More than 1,800 people gathered in Minneapolis last week to take part in the nation’s largest conference on service-learning — the 23rd Annual National Service-Learning Conference and youthrive PeaceJam Leadership Conference. Participants included educators, school administrators, young professionals, nonprofit staff, and youth, who participated in over 150 different workshops, on- and off-site service-learning projects, and a hands-on “Serve and Celebrate” day.

The conference attracted participants from across the U.S. and abroad, with youth and educators traveling from more than 20 countries including Qatar, Brazil, and Puerto Rico. Highlights included plenary addresses from President and CEO of Harlem Children’s Zone, Inc. Geoffrey Canada and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Shirin Ebadi, as well as Minnesota Congresswoman Betty McCollum and U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood. About half of the conference attendees were youth, who flocked to the Best Buy-sponsored Youth Room, and filled seats during musical performances by local artists as well as American Idol finalist Lauren Alaina, who is the newly-announced 2012 Special Olympics Project UNIFY ambassador.

Since the loss, a year ago, of federal funding specifically supporting service-learning in the U.S., service-learning and national service advocates have been pressed to find alternative ways to sustain critical programs that have thrived due in part because of these funds. Yet the drive and passion for quality service-learning remained strong and on display in Minneapolis as the field moved to increase the impacts of service-learning through collaboration and collective action.  “We do know what works,” said Kelita Svoboda Bak, NYLC CEO, to conference attendees during the opening plenary, explaining service-learning as a strategy to engage youth in real world learning. “We can choose to see [the federal budget cuts] as an opportunity to unite us — not in anger over what was lost, but in the promise of creating a new path, for collective action toward the next leap forward in improving outcomes for youth, educators, and communities. I believe this is our defining moment.”

Geoffrey Canada addresses capacity crowd during plenary address.

Thought leaders in education and service echoed the idea that now is our defining moment to prove that service-learning is still a strong and effective strategy for improving education. "Everybody gets their moment," said internationally renowned speaker and President and CEO of Harlem Children’s Zone, Inc. Geoffrey Canada during his plenary address. "Will you be ready to step up when it’s your moment?" For Canada, his moment came during a last-minute invitation to a movie night at the White House in 1993. There he met President Bill Clinton, and they connected over a discussion about the newly created Americorps program. “I tell that story just to illustrate that everyone has a moment, and you never know when that moment will be,” he said.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood trying a Project Ignition school driving simulator.

Opening night also featured U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, who talked about the importance of youth leadership and teen driver safety, and recognized Project Ignition National Leader Schools for their outstanding work on this issue.  “Service and education make a powerful combination, and the kids I've met from Project Ignition really appreciate its value,” stated LaHood on his blog.

The conference closed with Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Shirin Ebadi speaking on her experiences and the situation for women in Iran, as well as the strong youth movement starting there. Conference participants then applied energy and inspiration in a hands-on day of service in the Frogtown neighborhood of St. Paul. Projects included a public health fair, working in a neighborhood garden, building "Little Libraries" to be placed around the area, and a photo project with local artist Wing Young Huie.

Serve and Celebrate chalkboard photo project, from the 2012 National Service-Learning Conference.

In a thoughtful reflection note, NYLC Youth Advisory Council mentor Annie Wood described her experience leaving the conference as bittersweet. “Sure, funding for service-learning is tough to come by, but this crowd welcomes challenges,” explained Wood. “I'm sure that both the youth and adult attendees will strive to stay connected, and continue to create the meaningful learning experiences [that] foster social justice. [The] conference is amazing, but what's even more amazing is the work done by these individuals the other 361 days of the year.  You really can't help but be inspired.”

The 24th Annual National Service-Learning Conference will take place in Denver, Colo. on March 13-16, 2013. For more information, download the 2013 conference postcard, follow us on Twitter, or "like" us on Facebook.