Wanda Pentecost, Services Coordinator Barrow County Performance Learning Center SERVICE LEARNING

1. Wanda Pentecost, Services CoordinatorBarrow County Performance Learning CenterSERVICE LEARNING What it is! (-- and isn’t!)

2. What is service learning? Picking up trash by a riverbank is service. Studying water samples under a microscope is learning. When students collect and analyze water samples and the local pollution control agency uses the findings to clean up a river… that is SERVICE LEARNING! National Youth Leadership Council

3. SERVICE LEARNING OUTLINE 4 COMPONENTS – each weighing 25% in the final grade • Community Service Hours (90 hours for 1 credit) • Service Learning Journal • Project/Product • Supervisor Evaluation

4. !!! PARC it !!! • Preparation • Action • Reflection • Celebration

5. PREPARATION “Don’t know where we’re going, but there’s no sense being late!” ~~ Matthew Quigley (a/k/a Tom Selleck), Quigley Down Under The Point? Spend a little time hashing it out! What better way for students to learn the meaning of teamwork, develop decision-making skills and resolving conflict than to work together? One student takes orders for pizza, let a culinary student bring a cake, roll up your sleeves and let them fall into place. Queen bees and worker bees will soon sort themselves out.

6. Service Learning KICK-OFF Service Learning “Working Lunch Kick-Off” PARC Preparation Action Reflection Celebration There’s lots to be done in our communities — and who better to leave the PLC trademark than our philanthropic students! Join us for lunch on Wednesday, August 16, 11:30 to map out our service learning unit for 2006-2007! . Picking up trash by a riverbank is service. Studying water samples under a microscope is learning. When students collect and analyze water samples and the local pollution control agency uses the findings to clean up a river … that is service learning! Good friends and dessert, good times and pizza pie... _______________ We’re having a “Working Lunch Kick-Off” — so come on by! SERVICE LEARNING SECTORS to be announced. SERVICE LEARNING: A teaching method that combines meaningful service with curriculum or program-based learning. Schools and Organizations use service learning as a tool to help build stronger academic skills, foster civic responsibility, and develop leadership skills.

7. BRAINSTORM • Within each sector, have them throw out ideas • Let the group decide if they would like to do it as a whole, mini-groups within or even individual projects • This decision-making process may take more than one session

8. What can YOU do to be a more active participant in your own community??? PROVIDE a SERVICE The first step in Service Learning is: #1 -- IDENTIFYING NEEDS Think for a few minutes about your own community: • Your neighborhood or subdivision • Your town/city (Auburn, Bethlehem, Statham, Winder) • Barrow County • Northeast Georgia (including Athens, Gainesville, Lawrenceville…) • State of Georgia • United States • Broader world community #2 -- What NEEDS exist for the people/businesses/agencies there?

9. ACTION “The world is a dangerous place; not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.” ~~ Albert Einstein The Point? Even if a student doesn’t follow the PARC model to a “T,” the ‘action’ packs the punch in service learning. Your community will benefit from the ACTION even if the student fails to prepare, reflect and celebrate. Hopefully, the student will fall in love with service learning at this point and gain work know-how, social skills, networking contacts and real-life experience to boot!

10. “I really want to volunteer, but I don’t have a way to get there or I work…” Service Learning doesn’t come ‘naturally’ to everyone. Ease the transition with on-campus opportunities with dual purposes: • Satisfy CIS requirements • Possibly earn a full elective credit • Give students the opportunity to take “OWNERSHIP” of their PLC!!! • Create “buy-in” from the community by inviting them to your campus to help with specific projects and endeavors.

11. I. Information Liaison Project • The two key objectives of this service project include: • Marketing our PLC across the community • Informing PLC students of scheduled events and important dates at the home high schools • In order to meet these objectives, groups of students will be involved in one or more of the following activities: ~Creating and maintaining a PLC website ~Publishing a PLC newsletter/organizing Morning Motivation ~Constructing and updating a ‘home school’ bulletin board ~Speaking at recruitment visits to WBHS and AHS Barrow County PERFORMANCE LEARNING CENTER A NON-TRADITIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

12. II. Building Beautification Project This project will start out small and grow as our resources increase. It will be an ongoing set of tasks that will extend beyond this school year and possibly culminate with a maintenance phase. Students may be involved in one or more of the following tasks: • Campus clean-up • Landscaping • Interior and exterior repairs • Designing parking lots • Painting and updating the interior • Assisting with grant-writing to fund improvements • Contacting community for assistance, expertise and donations We will begin with a to-do list, prioritize the items, and tackle each task according to our available resources.

13. III. Tutoring/Assisting in Elementary/Middle Schools Students who are interested in helping younger students may elect to do their Service Learning in one of the elementary or middle schools in Barrow County. Possibilities for service learning activities may include: • Reading to younger students • Being homework helpers • Assisting teachers with bulletin boards, activities, etc. • Assisting media specialists • Acting as a mentor

14. Recycling…Human Services Service Learning Sector Barrow County Government & Barrow County Performance Learning Center RECYCLING COOPERATIVE • WHITE PAPER: Tied in clear plastic bags and placed in the SP Recycling bin @ Barrow County Annex • NEWSPAPER: Tied in clear plastic bags and placed in the SP Recycling bin @ Barrow County Annex • PLASTICS: Tied in clear plastic bags and drop off at Keep Barrow Beautiful -- Barrow County Annex, 1st floor, near the engineering office • ALUMINUM: Tied in clear plastic bags and placed in the green, “dog-house looking bin” located behind the Barrow County Annex – proceeds go to Habitat for Humanity • OLD CELL PHONES: Tied in clear plastic bags and drop off at Keep Barrow Beautiful -- Barrow County Annex, 1st floor, near the engineering office • OLD BATTERIES: Tied in clear plastic bags and drop off at Keep Barrow Beautiful -- Barrow County Annex, 1st floor, near the engineering office • INK CARTRIDGES: Small -- Place in baggies provided by Office Depot and attach label for return postage; Large -- Place in box the new toner cartridge came in and attach label for return postage

15. “But I don’t have time…” Service Learning 1/2-Day Off THURSDAY, APRIL 13 beginning @ NOON Okay, PLC students...this is your last Service Learning Day for the school year. How close are you to your 90-hour quota which will earn you a full unit? Take advantage of this opportunity to do some networking, gain valuable skills and learn from experts in your volunteer area of interest. SERVICE LEARNING: Volunteering with a purpose • Assist with after school activities at Winder-Barrow Boys & Girls Club • Beautify park or other public property • Assist at the local animal shelter • Help a family in need • Check with Piedmont Regional Library, Fort Yargo State Park, The Tree House, etc. • What’s your interest? Contact someone in that respective field... Service Learning 1/2-Day Off THURSDAY, APRIL 13 beginning @ NOON Service Learning 1/2-Day Off THURSDAY, APRIL 13 beginning @ NOON Service Learning 1/2-Day Off THURSDAY, APRIL 13 beginning @ NOON SERVICE LEARNING: Volunteering with a purpose SERVICE LEARNING: Volunteering with a purpose SERVICE LEARNING: Volunteering with a purpose Okay, PLC students...this is your last Service Learning Day for the school year. How close are you to your 90-hour quota which will earn you a full unit? Take advantage of this opportunity to do some networking, gain valuable skills and learn from experts in your volunteer area of interest. • Assist with after school activities at Winder-Barrow Boys & Girls Club • Beautify park or other public property • Assist at the local animal shelter • Help a family in need • Check with Piedmont Regional Library, Fort Yargo State Park, The Tree House, etc. • What’s your interest? Contact someone in that respective field... Okay, PLC students...this is your last Service Learning Day for the school year. How close are you to your 90-hour quota which will earn you a full unit? Take advantage of this opportunity to do some networking, gain valuable skills and learn from experts in your volunteer area of interest. • Assist with after school activities at Winder-Barrow Boys & Girls Club • Beautify park or other public property • Assist at the local animal shelter • Help a family in need • Check with Piedmont Regional Library, Fort Yargo State Park, The Tree House, etc. • What’s your interest? Contact someone in that respective field... Okay, PLC students...this is your last Service Learning Day for the school year. How close are you to your 90-hour quota which will earn you a full unit? Take advantage of this opportunity to do some networking, gain valuable skills and learn from experts in your volunteer area of interest. • Assist with after school activities at Winder-Barrow Boys & Girls Club • Beautify park or other public property • Assist at the local animal shelter • Help a family in need • Check with Piedmont Regional Library, Fort Yargo State Park, The Tree House, etc. • What’s your interest? Contact someone in that respective field...

16. Early-Leave Wednesdays SERVICE LEARNING 2nd Semester, ’06-’07

17. The BAD news… Beginning second semester, Wednesdays will be a REGULAR SCHOOL DAY for most students. The GOOD news… Students who have established and documented service learning projects will be allowed to continue with these activities

18. Early Release Agreement • PLC Service Learning • Spring 2007 • Permission for Early Release • The opportunity to earn Service Learning credit is unique to the Performance Learning Center. It is an excellent chance for high school students to connect with and give back to the larger community while learning about and helping to solve real-world problems. • Credit for Service Learning is multi-faceted, including: • Community Service Hours (90 hours for 1 credit) • Service Learning Journal • Project/Product • Supervisor Evaluation • Each of these components is worth 25% of the course grade. • If you are currently working toward Service Learning credit or develop a Service Learning Project Plan, you may use afternoons to perform your community service activity. In order to quality for early release (11:30) you MUST meet the following requirements: • Establish a Service Learning Project that is approved by a sector leader or your PLC advisor (project coordinator) • Create a written PLAN that includes a needs assessment, your plan to provide a service/solve a problem, a time line, and your project/product ideas • Provide contact information for your community service supervisor • Complete a Time Log (to be signed by your supervisor and verified by your project coordinator • Write periodic service learning journal entry reflections to be evaluated by your project coordinator • Agree to periodic site visits by a PLC representative to update your progress and check with your supervisor • Have earned at least 4 units of credit toward graduation last semester • Have parent permission to participate • --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- • PLC Student Name: ____________________________________________________ • Project Description/Location: ____________________________________________ • ____________________________________________ • Coordinator: __________________________________________________________ • Parent Signature: ______________________________________________________ • ~~ BARROW COUNTY PERFORMANCE LEARNING CENTER ~~

19. Addressing On-DemandCommunity Needs • “Train” the community to call you when they need help. One more reason it’s important to be seen and network at civic, social and governmental meetings • Introduce and continue to ‘talk up’ the need at Morning Motivation then post the sign-up sheet at a central location • Always have a pow-wow for those who’ve volunteered • ALWAYS follow up with a PLC thank you from the services coordinator and any facilitator(s) involved -- and a separate thank you from each student who participated (have them keep a copy for their final product and for their college/employment portfolios) • Make sure every single student gets a SERVICE LEARNING LOG at the beginning of the year. If they accumulate 90 hours they’ll also be awarded an elective credit (This will encourage some who are close to follow through – the community benefits! This will also help the services coordinator enter the information in the database).

20. ON-DEMAND SIGN-UP SHEET Babysitting for The Treehouse Coordinator Kristie Burchett The Treehouse 770-868-1900 Tuesday, February 7, 2006 6:00pm—8:00pm Barrow County Early Learning Center (Old Bethlehem Elementary School) 54 Star Street Bethlehem, GA 30620 Emily Ricketts Leann Wehunt Service learning February Babysitting for The Treehouse Babysitting for The Treehouse Coordinator Kristie Burchett The Treehouse 770-868-1900 Coordinator Kristie Burchett The Treehouse 770-868-1900 Tuesday, February 7, 2006 6:00pm—8:00pm Barrow County Early Learning Center (Old Bethlehem Elementary School) 54 Star Street Bethlehem, GA 30620 Emily Ricketts Leann Wehunt Tuesday, February 7, 2006 6:00pm—8:00pm Barrow County Early Learning Center (Old Bethlehem Elementary School) 54 Star Street Bethlehem, GA 30620 Emily Ricketts Leann Wehunt Service learning Service learning February February Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

21. REFLECTION “Success is not measured by what one brings, but rather by what one leaves.” ~~ Author Unknown The Point? Students can obviously learn from those service learning opportunities which were successful. Everyone wins! But what about the service learning project which a student poured their heart and soul into and it still flopped? Here’s a great life-lesson for students in how to learn and grow from failure. For this reason, a journal component was incorporated into the service learning guidelines after each step: PARC. Students are not graded on their feelings toward this particular endeavor nor on its success or failure – but rather on what they learned from it and what the receiving party gained from it!

22. Service Learning Journal NAME: _________________________________ DATE: _____________________ SECTOR: BUSINESS/MANAGEMENT/MARKETING AGRICULTURE/ENVIRONMENTAL AREA OF INTEREST: TPPTF Service Learning Journal Entry for (circle one): PREPARATION ACTION REFLECTION CELEBRATION Give a detailed description of your service learning activities for the week. Include your predictions, successes vs. failures, disappointments, information learned, observances, personal opinions, etc. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Barrow County Performance Learning Center

23. CELEBRATION “Celebrate what you want to see more of.” ~~ Thomas J. Peters The Point? Share the story with everyone! Depending upon the type of service, it may not be appropriate to celebrate, party-style, with the community, agency, or benefactor. These celebrations may be more personal in the form of a sector party or presenting your project (PowerPoint, scrapbook, final product such as a brochure, etc) with your peers during morning motivation. But if the situation calls for it, plan a hoorah with the receiving party, invite the media and celebrate a job well done!

24. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!