Service Learning "The past is our heritage, the future is our legacy, and the present is our responsibility."
Service-Learning isa teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities. Service Learning combines community service with hands on education to prepare students for college and to support them with the goal of a college transfer or with graduating a traditional 4 year institution An exciting, hands-on approach to education, service-learning is taking place in a wide variety of settings: schools, universities, and community-based and faith-based organizations throughout the country. The core concept driving this educational strategy is that by combining service objectives and learning objectives, along with the intent to show measurable change in both the recipient and the provider of the service, the result is a radically-effective transformative method of teaching students. Community members, students, and educators everywhere are discovering that service-learning offers all its participants a chance to take part in the active education of its youth while simultaneously addressing the concerns, needs, and hopes of their community.
This national service learning program engages U.S. Latino/Hispanic college students as college campus organizers in a national ‘Smart & Healthy’ education campaign honoring Cesar E. Chavez’s legacy as an American civic leader devoted to improving the quality of life for the migrant/seasonal farmworker community. The four objectives are to promote a) health education, b) health/science careers, c) civic engagement, and d) saving lives!The campaign challenges each student organizer to coordinate a successful blood donor recruitment campaign culminating in a health education event featuring a 1-3 day campus wide blood drive to be held on or close to March 31st celebrating Cesar E. Chavez’s Birthday.
National community service providers in which you may implent service learning principles.
Mexican-American Legal Defesne and Educational Fund
National Council de La Raza
American Civic Liberties Union
Student Organizing School Organizing our Campuses for Justice Applications due April 30
Through the Student Organizing School, SAF trains, mentors, and supports a small group of college students in NC to be leaders in the farmworker movement. Through an orientation, retreats, and farm labor camp visits, student organizers learn about the history of the farm labor movement, current farm labor campaigns, and popular education and organizing. Through campus organizing, the students support current policy and organizing campaigns to improve farm labor conditions.
