Cleveland, Ohio Service-learning: Assessing Needs of Community Partners and Leaving a Legacy Presentation by students in Dr. Heather Coffey’s LBST 2215: Citizenship and Education Citizenship and Education: Service-Learning What is Education in a Democracy? Education is the primary means by which a society translates its values and prepares its posterity for the office of citizen. Education for democracy embodies civic discourse, democratic thinking, and the ideals of freedom and justice. Citizenship is not viewed as a passive experience but an active process in which service and action of its members are expected. Course Expectations: Exploration of differing facets of K-12 education across grade levels and contexts. Reading and discussion about issues relating to public education in the U.S. Volunteering in the community to learn firsthand about teaching and learning and what factors influence education in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. Mentoring, tutoring, and extra-curricular activities to gain in-depth experience and understanding of education as both a process and outcome of learning. What is a Legacy Project? Working with Community Partners, University students identify a need for those served by partner organizations through discussion and inquiry. Once the need is identified, University students are responsible for planning and implementing a program or experience for participants and/or the organization. This project is developed with the hope of leaving something for the organization and/or population being served by the organization. West Charlotte High School Room in the InnWalter G. Byers K-8 School Greenhouse Workday, West Charlotte High School Preparing Spaghetti Dinner at Room in the Inn Service Partner: West Charlotte High School, Charlotte, NC Who is served: Student population/Community Description of service: Cleaned out greenhouse, constructed vegetable and flower beds, planted seeds, spoke with high school students about requirements for college admission. Legacy Project: We have been helping the students with the successful expansion of the greenhouse. We are doing this by providing them with information and guidance on how to start and maintain a school compost to help with the growth of their plants and vegetables in the greenhouse. We also are including information on how to get certain grants to help fund an urban garden. We are doing this by presenting the school’s greenhouse club with a booklet on this information. Service Partner: Walter G. Byers K-8 School, Greenville Community, Charlotte, NC Who is served: 8 th graders enrolled in AVID Description of Service: Over the course of this semester our service group has engaged in multiple activities. Our group has volunteered several times tutoring AVID students. This tutoring contributes to their learning development and personal growth. Different tutoring activities include: reading with the class, answering questions of the students, helping them with class work and projects playing with students during recess, eating lunch with students. Legacy Projects: 1.) High School Survival Guide: complete with CMS graduation requirements, tips for success in high school, as well as specific information about sports and clubs. 2.) Transitions Mentoring Program: A service organization meant to inspire, engage, and guide students through the transition into high school. Transitions hopes to build long lasting relationships with the AVID students. This will be accomplished by providing them with opportunities, resources, support, and advice that they otherwise, have not received. Our group has identified these needs for transition among students going from elementary and middle schools to high school. We hope to offer and provide support by engaging with, and inspiring these students. Our program is geared toward being the spark and connection that will give these students a guiding force to help them through a crucial developing period within their lives. Service Partner: Room in the Inn, located at Advent Lutheran Church. Who is served: A safe place for homeless (14 people per week) to stay, have a shower, and also a warm meal. Description of service: On Monday nights, we would go across the street (from UNCC) to Advent Lutheran Church to help feed the homeless neighbors who are bused in from Urban Ministries located in downtown Charlotte. Over the course of the semester, we were able to socialize with these neighbors and eat with them. Legacy Project: For our legacy project we decided to have a spaghetti dinner fundraiser. We decided to raise money for the startup of next year’s Room in the Inn, because it is only seasonal (during the winter). We had our spaghetti dinner on April 20th at Advent Lutheran Church. We advertised around campus, online, and through word of mouth for three weeks before the big night. We wanted to be able to have this dinner so that we could educate our community in hopes of creating a partnership between UNC Charlotte and Room in the Inn. Statistics for 2015: 247 people housed 87 Males 160 Females 28 Parents with Children 20 Children under the age of 6 28 Children over 6 years old 4 Married couples Final Outcomes of our Spaghetti Dinner: Over 70 people from UNC Charlotte and community churches attended $669 Raised for next year’s Room in the Inn