Ten Tips from the Corporation for National and Community Service
“The following steps are helpful in creating an effective
service project or service-learning program. While all steps are useful to
consider, all need not be carried out or followed in the...
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Megan George: 'Enspire, Empower, Educate"
Concerned about the educational achievement gap for at-risk students from underrepresented communities in North Carolina, Megan George went into action with a series of educational programs, including a conference titled "Starting Equal and Falling Behind." The conference focused on the growing educational gap in the public school systems and addressed possible solutions to minimize this disparity among students. Megan involved community leaders, students, parents, and ministers in her effort to increase awareness for the cause.
Tell us a little about your background and the project that won you the 2007 Girl Scout Young Women of Distinction Award?
One of my goals in life is to help minorities and at risk students achieve a quality education. The inspiration for my Gold Award project was based on my experience as a minority student in the Wake County Public School system and witnessing firsthand the discrepancies in the performance of minority students. As a former high school student, I have personally witnessed the labeling and stereotyping of minority students in the public school system. Many of the minority students within the ranks of our public schools are sadly lagging behind in performance achievement as measured by our state standards. Disproportionately, minority and at-risk students consistently perform below expected academic standards. I wanted to make a change and difference in the public school system and help educate parents, teachers, students and community leaders about the performance of minority and at-risk students. My passion and drive were to take action and develop a project that would inform, enlighten and educate our communities about the disparity in the achievement gap. After brainstorming and communicating with my Girl Scout Troop, teachers, pastors and friends, I decided to initiate this project 'Starting Equal, Falling Behind" - Closing the Gap between Minority and At Risk Students in North Carolina. I performed extensive research on the educational achievement gap, interviewed teachers, principles, pastors, parents and children to develop an agenda and program that would benefit and educate the community about this issue. My leadership skills, perseverance and dedication gave completion to a successful project that has set precedence and has been established as an annual informational Back-to-School session for Baptist Grove Church. As a result of this project, Baptist Grove Church plans to create a PTA organization composed of parents, teachers and otherindividuals interested in helping educate and motivate our children toachieve and excel in the public school system. The educational booklet that was developed for this conference will be used and distributed tomembers of the local PTA. It was an honor and privilege for me todevelop, initiate and fulfill a project that I felt passionate aboutand to make a difference in the educational system. In a prosperous country like the United States nochild should be "Left Behind" due to educational disparities.
Where did you learn your most valuable lessons on leadership?
I learned my most valuable lessons on leadership in Girl Scouts. I started Girl Scouts in 1995 as a Brownie while I was in the 2nd grade. My participation in Girl Scouts at such a young age, taught me some valuable lessons such as learning how to work, listen, participate as a team member, and learn from others which are the keys to being an effective leader. As an active Girl Scout, I was exposed to various leaders who taught me valuable lessons and skills in leadership.
Why is community service important?
I believe that a society cannot be truly successful with a mentality that every individual should only worry about themselves. Community service is about building a stronger community whether in your neighborhood, city, state or country. Community service is important, because I believe that people have a responsibility toprovide support for one another. Without community service others can not benefit from our time and talents. When I do community service, I amproud to give my time to others who need it and can benefit from it. By doing community service, I have helped others do something that they are unable to do. I feel that my service to the community can benefit and inspire others to do more for their community.
What advice would you give to a young woman who was just starting to seek out volunteer opportunities?
The advice that I would give a young woman who is just starting to seek out volunteer opportunities is to make a list of all the things that she likes to do. The list could consist of everything from shopping and building to teaching and reading. Once that list is completed, she needs to find a few things that she is most passionate about. Once she narrows her list down, she should find volunteer opportunities in which she can use those passions to help others. I recently wrote a list of things that I was passionate about in which I could find a place to volunteer while I am in college at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. At the top of my list was reading, so I searched online for volunteer opportunities and found one on campus that involved reading stories to preschool children.
Anything else you want to tell us?
I am currently a freshman at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro studying Political Science in hopes of becoming a prosecutor for the state of North Carolina. During my first semester at UNC-Greensboro, I campaigned and ran for Student Body Freshmen Senator and was successful at obtaining this office. I am a part of the 2007-2008 Office of Leadership & Service Learning where I volunteer to read to preschool students and provide peer mediation services.
... order presented. The
planning and implementation of service and service-learning programs are
dynamic processes, and projects vary.
Step 1: Assess the
Needs and Resources of Your Community and School
In selecting a project, consult with community members, civic groups,
businesses, government officials, school personnel, and students to determine
both the needs of the community and the available resources, including
partnership opportunities. Find out who else is doing (or has done) something
similar.
Step 2: Form Community
Partnerships
Most successful service projects require forming partnerships.
You can build on existing relationships and connections, or you can develop new
ones with potential partners identified in Step 1. Be realistic about your
resources, needs, and limitations, and make sure your goals are of mutual
interest to all of your partners. Also be concrete about the roles and
responsibilities of each partner organization.
Step 3: Set Specific
Educational Goals and Curriculum
Determine what you expect the young people to learn. Even
service and service-learning projects organized by community-based
organizations or after-school programs should set specific educational goals.
Establish what content objectives or standards will be addressed, and
incorporate your service and learning objectives into lesson plans. Devise ways
to measure and assess whether those goals are being met, including reflection
and assessment activities. When evaluating student performance, assess their
effort and mastery of the subject. Service outcomes may not be what are
initially expected.
Step 4: Select a
Project and Begin Preliminary Planning
Pick a project and determine how all partners can work together to achieve the
desired goals. Try to determine your human, financial, physical, and
intellectual needs and whether you need additional partners to provide the
required resources. Be sure to identify people in your school or organization
who can coordinate the project and maintain continuity from year to year.
Step 5: Plan Your
Project in Detail
Set up a timeline, create a budget, and assign tasks. Think about how to
include your partners in this process. As with any project, thorough planning,
including the creation of schedules, benchmarks, budgets, evaluation and
assessment tools, and documentation, can identify and correct many potential
problems.
Step 6: Acquire
Necessary Funding and Resources
If additional funds, goods, or services are needed, consider seeking assistance
from local businesses, national corporations, parents, faith-based
organizations, government programs (e.g., AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, Learn and
Serve America, your State Education Agency), civic groups, and other community
organizations or sources of federal, state, and local funds.
Step 7: Implement and
Manage Project
Put your plan into action. Continually assess your project to determine what is
working and what could be improved. Involve project partners in evaluating and
improving your project.
Step 8: Organize
Reflection Activities
Make sure students are thinking about their service experience on a regular
basis (e.g. through journals or classroom assignments) and organize activities
that allow students to analyze their service and see how their ideas, knowledge
and perceptions are changing. Use such reflections to help assess and improve
the project. You may want to use the on-line or printable Record of Service
found at http://www.usafreedomcorps.gov
Step 9: Assess and
Evaluate Your Service Program
Ensure that your evaluation assesses the outcomes of the service
project for the youth, the community, and the organizations involved.
Documentation and evaluation of the project will create a legacy for the
individuals and organizations that participated in and benefited from your
service activities. It will also point the way to the next project for your
classroom, and may foster activities in other classrooms.
Step 10: Celebrate
Achievements
Everyone likes to be recognized for a job well done. Recognition of students
can help build habits of service and lead to a lifetime of community
involvement. Don't forget to recognize key community partners as well.
Recognition may include: displays in school or online, celebratory events such
as ribbon cuttings or groundbreakings, visits by local officials, and
participation in national recognition programs.”
-www.nationalserviceresources.org