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| From the Editors: |
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In this first month of the New Year, NSLC has been reflecting on the past year and the ways that we have tried to respond to your needs to make Learn and Serve America's National Service-Learning Clearinghouse YOUR premier source for service-learning information. Last year, in response to your requests, we redesigned the website to make it easier to find exactly what you're looking for and we developed toolkits for higher education faculty and for K-12 project planning.
This month we are pleased to announce two additional, much-requested tools we think you’ll find exciting! We are premiering our brand new Templates and Sample Forms database. Chock full of practical sample materials for leading your service-learning program, it’s at: http://www.servicelearning.org/instant_info/sample_forms/index.php. We’re also introducing our new companion piece for the Bring Learning to Life media campaign: “What Is Service-Learning? A Guide for Parents.” Written by Cathryn Berger Kaye, this six-page pamphlet will help you reach out to parents as allies in supporting your service-learning initiatives. Download or order it at: http://www.servicelearning.org/lsa/bring_learning/index.php#parents.
But we're not finished yet. . . make sure you fill out our annual user survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=3AIl_2bC8xIfCvKw2URI2n1g_3d_3d to let us know what you’d like to see from us in the next year! Let your voice be counted: respond by January 31, 2008.
In a last bit of exciting news, NSLC has a new Program Advisor for the Tribes and U.S. Territories sector: John Guffey of Eagle Rock School and Professional Development Center. Learn more about him in our Program Advisor Spotlight.
Barbara and Liberty
Barbara Holland, National Service-Learning Clearinghouse Director
Liberty Smith, National Service-Learning Clearinghouse Program Manager |
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| News: |
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Create a "Semester of Service!"
The Semester of Service is a new, public-private strategy to help young people find their voice, take action, and have impact on the most critical problems facing the world. In January 2008, Youth Service America and the Corporation for National and Community Service are encouraging students, ages 5-25, to develop a 14 week service-learning project that launches on the Martin Luther King Day of Service (January 21, 2008) and culminates on the weekend of Global Youth Service Day (April 25-27, 2008). |
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 January is National Mentoring Month!
For resources for your National Mentoring Month and year-long mentoring activities, visit:
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| Program Advisor Spotlight: |
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Program Advisors to the National Service-Learning Clearinghouse provide sector-specific guidance and expertise to insure a responsive, contemporary, and vibrant NSLC. Visit http://www.servicelearning.org/about_us/prog_advisors/index.php for information on all of our Program Advisors.
Don’t miss out: you only have two more days to register for the CBO Program Advisor Teleconference with Roehlkepartain on January 24, 2007 from 3-4 EST. Join us to discuss Gene’s work in his NSLC Program Advisor capacity. Sign up at http://www.servicelearning.org/nslc/teleconference_reg_form/.
Featured Program Advisor: Eagle Rock School and Professional Development Center, Program Advisor for Tribes and U.S. Territories
Contact: John Guffey, Service-Learning Instructional Specialist
John Guffey comes to the NSLC advisor role as a seasoned service-learning instructor and program director with over twenty years of experience in education, youth development, and community organizing. Half of those years were spent in Gallup, New Mexico, working at the University of New Mexico and with the National Indian Youth Leadership Project (NIYLP). Here he focused primarily on learning and serving among the tribal communities of the 4-corners area, most notably the Dine’, Zuni, Acoma, Laguna, and Puebloan people of northern New Mexico. During that period, John was an active grant writer, program coordinator, and teacher meeting and working with many wonderful people at the grassroots level, with whom he sought to improve the quality and relevance of education through service-learning opportunities within and beyond their close-knit tribal communities. John’s understanding of service-learning is rooted in the philosophy of community-based education that he experienced and shared during the decade he worked and lived in New Mexico. Today, John teaches service-learning at Eagle Rock School and Professional Development Center.
Mark your calendars! NSLC will be hosting a teleconference with John Guffey on NSLC’s work with the Tribes/Territories sector February 14, 2008 from 3-4 EST. Join us to share your hopes and questions about the Tribes/Territories sector and to discuss John’s work in his NSLC Program Advisor capacity. Sign up at
http://www.servicelearning.org/nslc/teleconference_reg_form/signup.php. |
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| New From NSLC: |
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 What is Service-Learning? A Guide for Parents
(Written by Cathryn Berger Kaye)
Parental involvement is one of the most important factors in student success. A companion piece to Learn and Serve America’s popular service-learning public service announcement, Bring Learning to Life, this 6-page guide for parents provides information on the definition and benefits of service-learning as well as practical steps for ensuring service-learning is a part of their child’s education. Download the pdf or order your free copy at: http://www.servicelearning.org/lsa/bring_learning/index.php#parents. |
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Sample Forms and Templates Database
This collection of user-submitted sample forms and templates for service-learning programs includes all kinds of practical sample materials to make it easier to run your program. You’ll find: agreements/contracts, applications, certificates/awards, evaluation and assessment, financial forms, job/position descriptions, lesson planning templates, mission statements, policies/guidelines, promotional materials, public relations communications, site visit documents, spanish language documents, surveys, time sheets, and workplans.
http://www.servicelearning.org/instant_info/sample_forms/index.php |
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Developing Partnerships for Service-Learning: Starting Points for Community-Based Organizations
(Created for NSLC by Search Institute)
This fact sheet examines several key questions that emerge when community-based organizations (CBOs) seek to form partnerships, including: who to partner with, what makes a partnership work, and what kinds of challenges you might face.
http://www.servicelearning.org/instant_info/fact_sheets/cb_facts/developing_partnerships/ |
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Service-Learning with Disadvantaged Youth
(Created for NSLC by Search Institute)
Young people from disadvantaged circumstances benefit from participation in quality service-learning in a number of different ways. This fact sheet discusses the positive outcomes for these youth and recommendations on how to engage this demographic in service-learning.
http://www.servicelearning.org/instant_info/fact_sheets/cb_facts/disadvantaged_youth/ |
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| People are Talking About... |
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Liability and risk management in service-learning was a hot topic on the Higher Ed email discussion list in the past month with members trying to tackle how to determine what criteria a community partner must meet in order to assure the safety of students while on site and the safety of those being served.
For more information on service-learning and risk management, check out our fact sheet:
Risk Management and Liability in Higher Education Service-Learning
http://www.servicelearning.org/instant_info/fact_sheets/he_facts/risk_mgmt/index.php
If you’re not yet a part of a service-learning discussion list, please join us in discussing these and other topics in service-learning practice and scholarship by visiting
http://www.servicelearning.org/what_is_service-learning/lists_news/index.php#ls. |
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| NSLC How-Tos: |
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Boolean is the logic that computers, many databases, and many search engines use to determine if a statement is true or false. For databases that use Boolean logic, knowing how to use the Boolean keywords (called operators in techspeak) can make your searches much easier and more precise.
There are 3 main Boolean operators that will be useful in most searches: AND, OR, and NOT (or “-“).
AND: searches for items with both terms
Example: Reflection AND Art returns only those items that include both terms
OR: searches for items with either term
Example: Reflection OR Art returns items that include either term
NOT (or sometimes “-“): searches for items with one term but not the other one
Example: Reflection -Art returns only those items containing the term reflection
that do not contain the term art
Boolean searches can be used to find what you’re looking for in the following NSLC databases, as well as in our site-wide search:
Sample Forms and Templates: Search or browse through categories to find document templates and sample forms that can be used for or adapted to fit your service-learning program.
http://servicelearning.org/instant_info/sample_forms/index.php
Links Collection: The Links Collection database allows you to search our collection of over 1,300 service-learning related links. Enter your own search terms or use our handy categories for a listing of links on a particular topic.
http://www.servicelearning.org/instant_info/links_collection/index.php
Lesson Plans, Syllabi, and Curricula: Find resources for k-12, higher ed, tribal, community-based organizations and Days of Service.
http://www.servicelearning.org/instant_info/lesson_plans/index.php
Funding Sources: Track down information and resources on awards, scholarships, funders, and grants
http://www.servicelearning.org/instant_info/funding_sources/index.php |
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| Featured Library Resources: |
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January is National Mentoring Month! Whether you're looking for information on intergenerational or youth peer mentoring or just want tips on being a mentor to students in your service-learning program for Mentoring Month or the rest of the school year, NSLC has resources that can help you! Take a look at these featured library resources to see just a few.
The ABCs of School-Based Mentoring
 This technical assistance packet provides practical information for youth-serving organizations that want to implement new school-based mentoring programs or strengthen existing ones. Drawing on promising practices developed by organizations around the country and on initial research findings about this relatively new approach to mentoring, the material leads readers through the steps of forming partnerships with schools: designing the program, recruiting, screening and training mentors, matching mentors with youth, and supporting the match once it is underway. It includes worksheets to help guide planning, sample forms that programs can adapt and use, and a list of additional resources. http://www.servicelearning.org/library/lib_cat/index.php?library_id=5531
Making a Difference in Schools: The Big Brothers Big Sisters School-Based Mentoring Impact Study
 This report presents the findings from a landmark random assignment impact study of Big Brothers Big Sisters School-Based Mentoring—the first national study of this program model. http://www.servicelearning.org/library/lib_cat/index.php?library_id=7175
Foundations of Successful Youth Mentoring: A Guidebook for Program Development
 Intended for both new and established programs, the guidebook outlines the program components that mentoring programs of all shapes and sizes should have in place to build strong mentoring relationships and ensure program sustainability.
http://www.servicelearning.org/library/lib_cat/index.php?library_id=5524
Handbook of Youth Mentoring
 This handbook provides scholarly and comprehensive synthesis of current theory, research, and practice in the field of youth mentoring. It offers critical and informative analyses of the full spectrum of topics that are essential to advancing our understanding of the principles for effective mentoring of young people. The Handbook explores not only mentoring that occurs within formal programs such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, but also examines natural mentoring relationships that youth establish with adults outside of such programs.
http://www.servicelearning.org/library/lib_cat/index.php?library_id=7182
**Service-Learning ‘Classic’:
In addition to bringing you new library resources or those selected each month around a theme, we want to highlight some of those foundational resources that are of enduring importance and usefulness to the field. Remember that you can always conduct a search for such "classic" resources (or "starter" and "expert" resources) by visiting our advanced library search page:
http://www.servicelearning.org/library/lib_cat/default.php.
Assessing Service-Learning and Civic Engagement: Principles and Techniques
A toolkit to assist in the assessment of service-learning and civic engagement programs. It offers guidelines for assessing program impact on faculty, students, communities, and institutions; and an assessment model that responds to the complexity of service-learning and other strategies for civic engagement in higher education. The primary focus is on curricular service-learning. This handbook is also intended as a resource for assessment for continuous improvement, not just for demonstrating outcomes. Thus, improvement methods and concepts are woven throughout the narrative, the approaches, and the instrumentation itself.
http://www.servicelearning.org/library/lib_cat/index.php?library_id=4207 |
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| Order Publications from NSLC: |
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Did you know that NSLC offers copies of many of our most popular resources for free or low cost to both grantees and non-grantees? You can order copies of the Bring Learning to Life public service announcement DVD and companion materials (including the new “What Is Service-Learning? A Guide for Parents,” or order NSLC promotional items for your next event. The order process is easy. Just fill out the form online and let us do the rest!
http://www.servicelearning.org/pubs/index.php |
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| What's Happening: |
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Intentional Learning, Unscripted Challenges, Knowledge and Imagination for an Interdependent World
January 23 - 26, 2007
Washington, DC
Sponsor: Association of American Colleges and Universities
http://www.servicelearning.org/events_jobs/slconf_events/index.php?action=detailed&event=650
12th Annual Institute: Service-Learning and Civic Engagement
February 7 - 8, 2007
Mount Pleasant, MI
Sponsor: Michigan Campus Compact
http://www.servicelearning.org/events_jobs/slconf_events/index.php?action=detailed&event=637
3rd Annual Conference on International Service-Learning: Advancing Research and Practice
February 29 – March 1, 2008
Indianapolis, IN
Sponsor: The International Partnership for Service-Learning and Leadership in collaboration with The Center for Service and Learning, Indiana University–Purdue University at Indianapolis
http://www.servicelearning.org/events_jobs/slconf_events/index.php?action=detailed&event=693
The sixth annual Gulf South Summit on Service-Learning and Civic Engagement Through Higher Education
March 13 – 15, 2008
Nashville, TN
Sponsor: Belmont University
http://www.servicelearning.org/events_jobs/slconf_events/index.php?action=detailed&event=666
The 19th Annual National Service-Learning Conference: Youth for a Change
April 9 – 12, 2008
Minneapolis, MN
Sponsor: NYLC (National Youth Leadership Council)
http://www.servicelearning.org/events_jobs/slconf_events/index.php?action=detailed&event=618
Eleventh Annual Continuums of Service Conference
April 17 – 19, 2008
Portland, OR
Sponsor: Western Region Campus Compact Consortium
http://www.servicelearning.org/events_jobs/slconf_events/index.php?action=detailed&event=596
20th Annual International & Global Youth Service Day
April 25 – 27, 2008
(multiple locations)
Youth Service America and The Global Youth Action Network
http://www.servicelearning.org/events_jobs/slconf_events/index.php?action=detailed&event=630 |
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| Learn and Serve America Grantee Materials Roundup: |
The National Service-Learning Clearinghouse library seeks submissions from Learn and Serve America Grantees and others. Did you start from scratch when your program began? Did you ever wish that you could benefit from what others had learned in their own beginnings? The National Service-Learning Clearinghouse is here to help make that connection between programs that are getting started and those ready to share lessons already learned. By contributing the program materials you have created, you give new programs a head start. If you have produced surveys, forms, curricula, project plans, or any type of materials that could be shared with others involved in service-learning, send them our way! Check out this list of recent grantee submissions to find evaluation tools, program ideas, publicity ideas, strategies for measuring learning, etc.
http://www.servicelearning.org/library/lib_cat/grantee_submitted_mats.php.
Whether or not you're a Learn and Serve America Grantee, let others know about the successful approaches used in your service-learning program. Submit today at http://www.servicelearning.org/library/mat_contrib/index.php.
And remember Learn and Serve America grantees and subgrantees are required to submit to the National Service-Learning Clearinghouse all materials developed with even partial support from Learn and Serve America. Learn and Serve America receives a report from us every six months listing the grantee produced material we’ve received, so submitting your materials doesn’t just benefit NSLC and the service-learning community as a whole. It helps you get official credit for the great work you do! |
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 Crossroads and Common Ground: An Indiana Campus Compact Compilation Report
Indiana Campus Compact
http://www.servicelearning.org/library/lib_cat/index.php?library_id=7320
Michigan Learn and Serve Evaluation Report
Michigan Learn and Serve
http://www.servicelearning.org/library/lib_cat/index.php?library_id=7322
Service Learning in Michigan: Survey Results and Analysis
Michigan Learn and Serve
http://www.servicelearning.org/library/lib_cat/index.php?library_id=7323 |
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| Shape NSLC! |
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We invite you to help shape Learn and Serve America's National Service-Learning Clearinghouse. If you know about a conference or an event, a book/resource, a job opportunity, a website, or another service-learning resource that is not on the website, please tell us about it.
With our brand new Sample Forms and Templates Database up and running this week, we need your materials contributions more than ever. Click on the link below to download a materials contribution form to submit resource materials you have developed for evaluation by NSLC staff and possible inclusion in the NSLC resource collection.
http://www.servicelearning.org/library/mat_contrib/
For other ways to share your materials, stories, and photos, visit:
http://www.servicelearning.org/library/share/.
We appreciate all the contributions you make to the enhancement of the National Service Learning Clearinghouse, America 's Resource for Service-Learning Information. |
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| Success Stories: |
| Success stories are a way for NSLC to highlight and show off what you have done and are doing in the realm of service-learning.
Submit your story. |
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Creating a Healthy Environment (A Learn and Serve America Subgrantee)
Armed with rakes, wheelbarrows, shovels, and cordless drills, more than 150 freshman students from the Lowell Area Schools helped prepare the Mel Trotter Ministries Camp & Retreat Center for summer campers. The Center, located near Hopkins , Michigan , serves at-risk youth from the Grand Rapids area. It offers a safe and healthy outdoor environment for campers to learn about themselves, faith, teamwork, and the avoidance of risky behavior. The students built picnic tables and benches, replaced flooring in the cabins, spread mulch, and addressed other camp needs.
 On the same day, in a totally different neck of the woods, 150 of their fellow classmates formed their own shovel brigade in Southeast Grand Rapids . They teamed up with students from Ottawa Hills High School and worked for two days to beautify parks and Southeast neighborhoods.
And, for both Lowell groups, at the end of the day their work was not done. After the hands-on service, their teachers guided them in applying their experiences and learning to their academic classes and everyday lives. English teachers used the projects to give a better understanding of self, peer, and community awareness. Social studies instructors asked students to consider the impact of being responsible citizens. Science teachers had students appreciating the environment and the benefits of restoration and preservation efforts. And math teachers had them understanding the mathematical applications at their job sites, such as measurement, calculating, charting, and graphing.
These are but two examples of the 24,828 hours of service-learning Lowell students participated in last year. This commitment to community involvement and development engaged 2,346 students, 77 teachers, and 131 volunteers. Lowell 's service-learning programs were funded by the Michigan Community Service Commission's Learn and Serve – Michigan program. The school was recently awarded a $24,500 Learn and Serve – Michigan school-based grant for the 2006-07 school year.
For more information about service-learning in Lowell Area Schools contact Carla Stone, 11700 Vergennes, Lowell, Michigan 49331 at (616) 987-2900, or at cstone@lowellschools.com. |
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View other success stories. |
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Spread the Good News! |
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NSLC is all about sharing, so please feel free to forward to friends and colleagues and invite them to subscribe by sending a blank email to join-nslc-newsletter@lists.etr.org. You're also welcome to incorporate excerpts from the newsletter into your own newsletter (just be sure to cite Learn and Serve America's National Service-Learning Clearinghouse NSLC Newsletter and send us a copy). |
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