Spotlight
- providing meaningful service to others
- directly linking project to the curriculum
- youth voice and choice
- reciprocal partnerships
- diversity
- demonstration of skills
- Students learning about digital media and creating Public Service Announcements and informational videos on a variety of topics.
- Students learning the basics of sewing and then offering their services to the school community
- Students learning about the effects of trash on the community collected trash they found out on trash days, built a Trash Tree structure, and displayed the items on the tree with important statistics. Learn more about this project at Trashtree.com
- Students in summer camp learning about safe and clean spaces, and working to refurbish an area outside of the school that frequently had unsafe activities.
Welcome to the September issue of TakeTen! bringing you the latest on PSAYDN and afterschool news, youth development and inspiring program ideas. The theme of this issue is Service-Learning.
New Foundations Charter School Service Learning: Youth Learning While Helping Their Community
New Foundations Charter School (NFCS) is a k-10 grade school serving over 900 students in northeast Philadelphia. In addition to a challenging curriculum, NFCS provides academic enrichment through service learning, after school programs, career explorations, interdisciplinary projects, and a school-wide caring school community program.
Service-learning combines guided student learning with service. It is appropriate for all students, regardless of age, background, ability or experience. It can be used for any subject and be done in any community. Students meet academic standards and learn civic responsibility; develop problem-solving skills; connect their learning to real-life applications; make a positive impact on their communities; are more resilient and are less likely to drop out.
The approach is not one-time volunteering, an add-on, only for older or gifted students, or service requirements for graduation. Service-learning is a teaching methodology that involves student action and reflection. Some of the characteristics are:
Some examples of afterschool service-learning include:
At New Foundations Charter School, service-learning has been a successful component of the school year and afterschool program for over 10 years. Students in K-12 have completed over 100 service‐learning projects that have benefited the community.