Growing to Greatness 2007 the STATE of SERVICE-LEARNING
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Growing to Greatness 2007 THE STATE OF SERVICE-LEARNING A report from the National Youth Leadership Council WITH FUNDING PROVIDED BY National Youth Leadership Council By the Numbers Service-Learning Year NYLC began in St. Paul, Minn., as a national council As a philosophy, 1983 of 12 regional organizations, all interested in youth service-learning embraces young people leadership and service-learning. as community resources and assets. Number of young people trained by NYLC. 244,906 As a community development model, Number of adults in the U.S. trained by NYLC. service-learning addresses real issues such 134,556 as disaster relief, pollution control, hunger, Estimated number of young people taught by homelessness, and diversity. 13,455,600 teachers trained by NYLC.* As an educational method, Number of continents on which NYLC has offered service-learning is a form of active learning 6 service-learning trainings. that values critical thinking and problem- Number of people trained overseas by NYLC. 4,990 solving. Research shows that when service- learning is effectively implemented, students Number of Minnesota youths recognized by NYLC gain in measures of academic achievement, 3,300 for exemplary service-learning leadership over 10-year timeframe. citizenship, and character. Total number of people who have attended the 29,581 annual National Service-Learning Conference, developed by NYLC. Number of conference attendees at first National 225 Service-Learning Conference held in St. Paul in 1989. Number of countries represented at recent 41 National Service-Learning Conferences. 1 Number of people it takes to initiate change in the world. * Based on each teacher reaching 100 students. Growing to Greatness 2007 THE STATE OF SERVICE-LEARNING JAMES C. KIELSMEIER, PH.D., PROGRAM DIRECTOR MARYBETH NEAL, PH.D., RESEARCH DIRECTOR NATHAN SCHULTZ, RESEARCH ASSISTANT Copyright © 2007 by National Youth Leadership Council® All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Unless otherwise noted, no part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher, except for brief quotations or critical reviews. ISBN 978-0-9793033-0-2 The views expressed in each article contained in Growing to Greatness are solely the views of the author or authors of each article and do not necessarily represent those of the National Youth Leadership Council or the other authors in the collection. Permission is granted for individual readers, parents, teachers, and group leaders to photocopy pages for personal, home, classroom, or group work. Photographs courtesy of Bruce Silcox. Serve. Learn. Change the world.® 1667 Snelling Avenue North | Saint Paul, MN 55108 | (651) 999-7357 | www.nylc.org Growing to Greatness 2007 iv Editorial Board 46 The Power of Service-Learning in Urban Settings: Everybody An Interview with Patricia Harvey v Acknowledgments Marybeth Neal, Ph.D., and Sarah Pearson Marybeth Neal, Ph.D. can be great, 51 Service-Learning in Urban Settings vi Letter from State Farm Marybeth Neal, Ph.D. Kathy Payne because 52 Digital Miracles in Philadelphia 1 Introduction Faith Goldstein and Margit Myers James C. Kielsmeier, Ph.D. everybody 54 Social Justice and Service-Learning 4 Advancing Youth Academic Success, Richard Gelb, Ph.D., Laura LeMone, School Engagement, and International and Juan Carlos Ocon can serve. Leadership through Service-Learning Andrew Furco, Ph.D. 56 The Effectiveness of Service-Learning in Afterschool Programs 14 Toward Research-Based Standards for – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Elizabeth McCarthy, Ph.D. K-12 Service-Learning February 4, 1968, sermon at the Wokie Weah 65 Service As a Developmental Opportunity: Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta Building Connections for Vulnerable Youth 18 Unpacking What Works in Service-Learning: Andrea Finlay, Connie Flanagan, Ph.D., Promising Research-Based Practices to and Sarah Black Improve Student Outcomes Shelley H. Billig, Ph.D. 77 The Promise of Service-Learning John Bridgeland 29 Walkabout: Learning from Others Richard J. Kraft, Ph.D. 82 The New Mexico Blueprint for Civic Engagement Greg Webb 34 The 2006 Gulf Coast WalkAbout: A Promising Summer School Program 84 Youth Perspectives: How Young People Tom Berkas, Ph.D. Improve Their Communities Marybeth Neal, Ph.D. 42 Service-Learning for Homeland Security and Disaster Relief: A Report from Learn 87 Youth Civic Contributions Indicators and Serve America Monique Caston, Elson Nash, 98 Service-Learning by the Numbers Scott Richardson, and Kimberly Spring iv Growing to Greatness 2007 Editorial Board Larry Bailis Teddy Gross Brandeis University Common Cents New York Shelley Billig Joe Herrity RMC Research Iowa Department of Education Nelda Brown Don Hill National Service-Learning Partnership Youth Service California Rich Cairn Kathy Hill Cairn and Associates Ohio State University Amy Cohen Barbara Holland Corporation for National and Community Service National Service-Learning Clearinghouse Marty Duckenfield Michelle Kamenov National Dropout Prevention Center Minnesota Department of Education Joe Follman Suzanne Martin Florida State University Harris Interactive Andy Furco Sarah Pearson University of California — Berkeley Close Up Foundation Silvia Golombek Stan Potts Youth Service America University of Wisconsin — River Falls Rob Shumer University of Minnesota Growing to Greatness 2007 v Acknowledgments Growing to Greatness: The State of Service-Learning helped us disseminate the 2006 research and Web Projects Manager. Libby Rau, Project would like to acknowledge those who fi ndings, extending our reach beyond the Resources for Recovery Project Manager, have contributed to this year’s report. service-learning community. Harris Interac- was a great support in creating the Gulf Coast tive graciously allowed us to ask an additional WalkAbout article. We would also like to It was an honor to work with all of our question on its monthly YouthQuery, which thank Wokie Weah, Vice President, for her authors, both emerging and seasoned allows us to further explore and appreciate guidance on the standards setting process. researchers and practitioners, who brought the perspectives of young people in regard Maddy Wegner, Nate Schultz, and Caryn their perspectives and expertise from various to service. Pernu were extremely able and energetic as fi elds to create this year’s articles. editors and researchers. Thanks to Tony We would like to thank Peter Rode, who The Corporation for National and Commu- Byers, Bernard Gill, and Maya Beecham for conducted further analyses of our Growing nity Service and the Education Commission their input, especially in regard to urban to Greatness 2004 survey of U.S. principals of the States generously provided data and service-learning. and the Harris Interactive YouthQuery encouragement for our indicators of youth question on how young people contribute None of this work would have been possible civic contributions. Stan Potts provided to their communities. without the support of the State Farm valuable background information on after- Companies Foundation. school programs, along with Jane Sperling, Our board continues to chart the way forward who shared her perspective as a practitioner. with suggestions and encouragement. Barbara Lastly, we thank you, our readers, for Holland, Andy Furco, and Robert Shumer supporting our fourth annual Growing to Suzanne Martin of Harris Interactive helped provided additional research guidance in Greatness report. shepherd further analysis of data from the specifi c areas. 2006 National Survey on Service-Learning and Marybeth Neal, Ph.D. Transitioning to Adulthood, and copresented Within the National Youth Leadership Research Director with me on this survey at three conferences. Council, press releases and e-blasts were National Youth Leadership Council Nancy Wong, also of Harris Interactive, adeptly created by Bill Snyder, NYLC’s Brand vi Growing to Greatness 2007 Dear Reader, State Farm Companies Foundation is excited We are proud to sponsor this project that If you have not already discovered service- to help bring you Growing to Greatness 2007, vividly depicts the great hope that our young learning, my hope is that the information the fourth in a series of annual reports on the people carry forward as they engage in you fi nd in this report will inspire you to get state of service-learning by the National Youth service-learning. Young service-learners involved, as a parent, teacher, community Leadership Council. repairing damage in the aftermath of Hurri- member, or young person. For those of you cane Katrina and addressing the challenges of who are already participants, I hope you take State Farm has long supported efforts to poverty through service-learning, as described from these pages inspiration and strategies make sure young people have access to an in this volume, illustrate how young people that will help you make the world a better education that allows them to achieve their are developing resilience and compassion place for all. greatest potential and prepares them to be while improving the lives of those who live active citizens — that’s why State Farm is Sincerely, in their communities. committed to service-learning. We strive to support programs that teach students about As the leading insurer of automobiles in the issues that have real-world importance while United States, State