2010-2011 Service – Learning Grant Writing Workshop Provided by:

1. 2010-2011 Service – Learning Grant Writing Workshop Provided by: Communities in Schools of North Carolina

2. Welcome!

3. Agenda • Welcome & Introductions • Status of Learn & Serve America and Service – Learning • 8 Standards of Service – Learning • National & Local Resources • National & Local Grants • CISNC Grants & Trainings

4. Learn & Serve America Mission Statement The mission of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) is to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering. Learn and Serve America National Service Resources and Training www.servicelearning.org • Grants to: • State Education Agencies (K-12) • Higher Education Institutions • Non-Profit Organizations • Tribes and US Territories

5. CISNC • Nick DiColandrea • Grants Manager • CISNC serves 42 counties & 430 sites. • 139,000 students were served in 09-10. • 98% of potential dropouts stayed in school thanks to CIS throughout the state.

6. Status of Service – Learning • In the Fiscal Year budget of 2010 passed in April, Learn & Serve America’s funding was reduced by $39.5 million – this eliminated the program for Fiscal Year 2011. • Organizations such as National Youth Leadership Council and Youth Serve America are taking the lead on preserving service-learning nationally.

7. Locations of Service-Learning Programs Federally funded K-12 Service – learning sites in North Carolina 2010-2011

8. Why Service – Learning? “Service – Learning is a teaching and learning strategy used to meet existing academic goals…teachers who use this ‘experimental method’ of teaching invite their students to be creative and involved with the direction of their learning.”

9. Why Service – Learning? Types of Service – Learning • Direct Service • Bringing students face to face with those being served • Indirect Service • Offering service to a group but not necessarily in contact with them • Advocacy • Activism on behalf of a specific cause or social issue

10. Why Service – Learning? Outcomes of Service – Learning • Keeps students engaged in school & learning (drop-out prevention) • Develops involved citizens (character education) • Develop life skills – critical thinking & problem solving • Improves job readiness (not just for high school students)

11. Activity In 2 sentences, explain why you believe service-learning is a valuable strategy for your students, school, or community?

12. Meaningful Service Link to Curriculum Reflection Diversity Youth Voice Partnerships Progress Monitoring Duration & Intensity K-12 Service - Learning Standards

13. Meaningful Service “Service – learning actively engages participants in meaningful and personally relevant service activities.” • Indicators • (General) • Appropriate for ages & abilities • Addresses issues personally relevant • Interesting and engaging service activities • (Detailed) • Encourages students to understand their service in the “who, how, why’s” of context in the societal issues at hand • Experiences have attainable and visible outcomes valued by those served

14. Meaningful Service Example • The students have reviewed the research on the effects obesity has on individuals and families as well as the cost to our community. Students will engage younger students and their families in making these important changes through fun activities, classroom/garden time, cooking classes, fieldtrips to the Farmer’s Market. This service will provide fresh food from local farmers to more than 300 families. • The grant will involve youth, particularly those from disadvantaged circumstances, in a project where students will develop and practice environmental knowledge… and team building skills through the planning, designing and building of a service learning project in the community by researching and evaluating community needs. The students will establish goals and research the needs of the project they choose.

15. Link to Curriculum “Service – Learning is intentionally used as a strategy to meet learning goals and/or content standards.” Indicators (General) • Takes place in schools that is recognized by school board policies • Aligned with academic curriculum • Clearly articulated learning goals (Detailed) • Teaches how to transfer knowledge and skills from one setting to another.

16. Link to Curriculum Example • This project will address the competency goals and objectives for the teaching and learning of behaviors as defined in the North Carolina Standard Course of Study, including the following: • Healthful Living through an emphasis on daily exercise and movement, and healthy eating habits with instruction from nutrition and exercise professionals; • Language Arts through the reflecting and writing in daily journals, as well as active discussion and presentations of progress   • Students will gain knowledge in the following areas of Civics Curriculum: • 7.01 Describe the basic factors of production such as land, labor, capital, and entrepreneurial skills and their impact on economic activities. • 7.02 Explain how scarcity influences producers and consumers to make choices. • 7.05 Explain the impact of investment on human, capital, productive, and natural resources. The learner will develop, defend, and evaluate positions on issues regarding the personal responsibilities of citizens in the American constitutional democracy.

17. Reflection “Service – Learning incorporates multiple challenging reflection activities that are ongoing and that prompt deep thinking & analysis about oneself and one’s relationship to society.”

18. Reflection Indicators (General) • Includes activities of verbal, written, artistic and nonverbal nature to show understanding and changes in students’ knowledge, skills, and/or attitudes. • Occurs before, during, and after the service experience • Prompts students’ to think about complex community problems and solutions. (Detailed) • Examining preconceptions and assumptions so to explore and understand their roles/responsibilities as citizens. • Examining social & civic issues related to their experience so that connections between civic life & public policy is understood.

19. Reflection Examples • Reflection will occur throughout the duration of the service-learning experience. To begin, each student participating will complete a Personal Inventory. • … each student is reflecting on their own personal interests, skills, and talents as well as gaining insight into the interests, skills, and talents of their classmates. Additional reflection will include a variety of verbal, written, artistic, and nonverbal activities offered in Laney’s Service-Learning Reflection Guide. • Photo Response – students will look at a photo of the work site and then write what they know about the issue based on their current knowledge. • Students will be given articles from the community that are related to their service project, and will be asked to reflect on what voices are missing from the discussion based on their experiences.

20. Diversity “Service – learning promotes understanding of diversity and mutual respect among all students.” Indicators (General) • Identify and analyze different points of view • Gain knowledge of different perspectives • Develop interpersonal skills in conflict resolution & decision making in groups • Understand and value the diverse backgrounds of those giving & receiving service (Detailed) • Encourages students’ to recognize and overcome stereotypes.

21. Diversity Examples • … seems to be most attractive to students who do not have other positive extracurricular engagement. Our students have said that [blank] is good for kids who don’t want to be a “gangster, clown or jock.” They feel like [blank] provides them a way to fit in at school and develop a positive identity. • Through all of our work, [blank] emphasizes the importance of working across lines of difference. In particular, [blank] has been at the forefront of our district’s efforts to build bridges between African-American and Latino students. • One student states, “ [blank] makes us more aware that there are two sides to every story--that we really need to sit down and learn about a person before judging them… encourages us to go into projects with an open mind.”

22. Youth Voice “Service – learning provides youth with a strong voice in planning, implementing, and evaluating service – learning experiences with guidance from adults.”

23. Youth Voice Indicators (General) • Creates an environment that supports trust and open expression of ideas. • Engages students’ in generating ideas during planning, implementation, and evaluation processes. • Engages in the decision-making process throughout. (Detailed) • Promotes collection of knowledge and skills to enhance leadership and decision-making • Involves students’ in evaluating quality and effectiveness of the service-learning experience.

24. Youth Voice Examples • …The teacher (group leader) is simply a facilitator. The students plan, organize, make the telephone calls, to make the service learning project a success. Staff will convene the students and explain the overall objective of the project, explain what will be expected of the students as far as documentation, journaling, and explain the target demographic and the explanation behind it. • The students will then take the lead with the guidance of the Staff and community agencies. The students will conduct research on the areas surrounding the area to determine what the target middle schools should be. • The students will document their experiences as well as the growth of the middle school students through their work. At the end of the term, the students will compile all that they have done and produce a tangible product to showcase how they have made a difference.

25. Partnerships “Service – Learning partnerships are collaborative, mutually beneficial, and address real community needs.” Indicators (General) • Involves variety of partners – youth, educators, community members, CBO’s, businesses, and/or families. • Maintains regular communication to keep all informed of progress and activities. • Collaboration to establish shared outcomes and common goals to address community needs. (Detailed) • Collaboration to develop & implement action plans to meet specific goals. • Sharing of knowledge & understanding of school & community assets and needs.

26. Partnerships Examples • [Blank] will partner with and work with our teens and help them develop the plan for distribution and recruiting volunteers for the distribution sites. They will also provide training in food safety for the teens and staff. • The NC Cooperative Extension will partner with [blank] and provide leadership and expertise in gardens through the Master Gardeners. • Shared service goals? • How will each partner celebrate? Will it be together? • Is there site preparation involved? • How does the project meet the goals of each partner?

27. Progress Monitoring “Service – learning engages students in an ongoing process to assess the quality of implementation and progress toward meeting specified goals and uses results for improvement and sustainability.”

28. Progress Monitoring Indicators (General) • Collection of evidence during multiple times of experience • Progress toward meeting service goals and learning outcomes • Quality of implementation (Detailed) • Students use evidence to improve experiences • (Present & future) • Communicate outcomes and progress with community (policy makers and education leaders) to deepen service – learning knowledge & sustainability

29. Progress Monitoring Examples Elementary School students: • Attendance records • Pre/post testing on STAR lexile reading tests • A/R reading logs • A/R quiz scores • Teacher feedback regarding classroom behavior, improved schoolwork Middle School students: • Attendance records • Pre/post testing on STAR lexile reading tests • Teacher feedback regarding homework completion, classroom behavior • Direct supervision • Reflection journals • Student feedback at project evaluation meeting

30. Duration & Intensity “Service – learning has sufficient duration and intensity to address community needs and meet specified outcomes.” Indicators • Conducted during concentrated blocks of time across a timeframe of weeks or months • Provide enough time to address community needs identified and achieve learning outcomes • Includes the processes of: • Investigation of community needs • Preparing for service • Action • Reflection • Demonstration of impacts and learning and/or celebration

31. Duration & Intensity Examples Timeline: • Weeks 1-3: Preparation • Community partners notified of project timeline and requested to provide any assistance. • Selection of products and supplies made and ordered. • Prepare greenhouses and outdoor beds for growing season. • Weeks 4-9: Action • Students conduct planting and harvesting of seeds, plants, and crops. • Distribution to local food banks and shelters • Maintaining soil standards for projects in following year • Local newspapers and media are invited to interviews of farmers by students • Weeks 10-13: Reflection & Demonstration • Students present thoughts of poverty and hunger through brochures developed throughout the year to class • School hosts celebration to showcase the work of the students in the community and give out service-learning awards

32. Activity In your view, what would be the most difficult standard of service-learning to implement in your classroom or after-school program?

33. BREAK

34. 5 Stages of Service - Learning • Investigation • Preparation & Planning • Action • Reflection • Demonstration & Celebration

35. Investigation • Identifying community needs of interest – “social analysis” • Books, surveys, Internet, personal experiences or observations • “Personal Inventory” – identify each students’ interests, skills, and talents. • Document – Extent & nature of problem • Community partners identified

36. Activity What does your community need? • Media - What media in your community might have useful information? • Interviews – Think of a person who is knowledgeable about this topic and write 1 question for them. • Survey – Who would you survey about this topic? How many would you need? • Observations – What ways could you gather information through observation? Where would you go? What would you do?

37. Preparation & Planning *** Wide spanning activity*** • Developing common vision for success • Exploring, researching primary materials or hands on simulations • Deciding what will occur – who will do each part of the work • Analysis, creativity, and critical thinking to understand problem & develop plan for action • Time-line • Materials/Costs & Logistics • Approvals of projects

38. Activity • What is the main question/purpose? • What is the content? • What is the service need? • Where is your curriculum connected in? • Who are potential Community Partners?

39. Action • Direct, Indirect, or Advocacy • Students implement their plans to meet community need and contribute to common good • Often illuminates a piece of information (or skill) missing – students work to learn what that is to be more effective in their action • Resources are built around project for students (contacts, agencies, teachers) • Students see themselves as problem solvers, stakeholders, and responsible

40. Activity So while your students are hard at work – what can be done about getting the word out?! List off the various ways you can get publicity for the efforts of your students’ project in your community.

41. Reflection “Learning without reflection is a waste, reflection without learning is dangerous.” – Confucius • Conducted at each stage of the experience – vital and ongoing process • Reflection is the “pause button” • Students are encouraged to put “cognitive, social, and emotional aspects of experience into the larger context of self, community, and world.” • Takes the shape of various activities in contemplation of the needs, their actions, their impacts, what has worked or not worked, and their contributions as one or group. • Final reflections compliment data results

42. Activity Everyone knows the easiest way to get students to reflect is by presenting specific questions on paper to answer. What type of reflection “activities” would you use to engage your students outside of pen and paper?

43. Demonstration “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.” - Albert Einstein • Students are explicitly showcasing their evidence to others of their influence and accomplishments. • Public presentations – displays, performances, letters to editors, podcasts • Celebrate the spirit of shared experience and accomplishment • Intrinsic rewards should be fostered, but extrinsic awards may be equally valued by students i.e. *school recognition*

44. Activity Its celebration time!! Yay! Name a way that you would celebrate and demonstrate your students’ accomplishments. Think big too, its an exercise so why not!?

45. BREAK

46. Resources for Service - Learning

47. National & State Resources National • Generator School Network • KIDS Consortium(Kids Involved Doing Service-Learning • Learn & Serve America • National Dropout Prevention Center • National Service-Learning Clearinghouse • National Service-Learning Partnership • National Youth Leadership Council • What Kids Can Do • Youth HandsOn Network • Youth Service America

48. National & State Resources State • Guilford County Schools • NC Campus Compact • NC Gives • Neuse Riverkeepers Foundation

49. Grants for Service – Learning Experiences

50. Grants What are typical expenditures for grants? What is looked favorably upon? • Project supplies • Trainings for teachers, staff, administrators • Costs for travel for projects, investigations, actions • Books, software, curriculum development • Wording on how project is sustainable • Wording on how project will grow after grant is up or if not renewed