web: http://www.u.arizona.edu/~sarkin/elderrehab.html

In a healthy partnership, each participant brings a distinctive contribution to the service, so that the two working together are able to do more than either could do alone; the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The partnership that has formed between Gateway Community College and local air conditioning businesses in Phoenix, Arizona, serves as a good example.

In Phoenix, heat can cause health problems, especially for homebound elderly residents. Evaporative coolers do the job of cooling things down in most low-cost houses. However, when these coolers break, the fifty dollar repair bill is beyond the means of many low-income residents.

Enter: the partnership.

Gateway Community College offers HVAC (heating, ventilation, air-conditioning) certification among its associate degrees. Students training to get certification usually don t get experience working with evaporative cooling systems. They could get hands-on experience with these systems by providing repair services to residents whose air conditioning systems, and health, could be saved in the process. The college, however, has neither the material resources nor the transportation systems to provide these services. Local air conditioning businesses are inclined to develop strong relations with their customers, and help those in need. They have the materials and transportation needed to repair systems for paying customers. However, providing this service free of charge would be too time-consuming and costly, without the organizational services and support of the college students.

Six years ago, Professor Clyde Perry at Gateway put this set of needs and resources together: the need of elderly metro-Phoenix residents for functional air conditioners; the need of HVAC students at Gateway for hands-on experience working with evaporative cooling systems; and the resources of the college and the local businesses. Together, they formed the Evaporative Cooler Services Project, a day of service in March when air-conditioning technicians and students match up to provide services for residents throughout the area.

The project is now a staple in metro-Phoenix. Thirty-two HVAC students at Gateway participate in the specialized training that precedes the day of intense service. These 32 students are paired off with professional technicians. Using trucks and equipment donated by local businesses, each pair services up to four evaporative coolers in a single day, in homes of elderly residents who have requested the service.

Companies are able to build their customer relations through the program, and students receive essential practice in a skill they would not otherwise learn. Both have the opportunity to do so in an effort to better the community.

From Service Matters 1998: Engaging Higher Education In the Renewal of America s Communities and American Democracy

From Service Matters 1998: Engaging Higher Education In the Renewal of America s Communities and American Democracy

Yan Matan is 74 years old. She is preparing to become naturalized as an American citizen. Her volunteer coach is one of 100 students at San Francisco State University and City College of San Francisco who work this semester with elders in citizenship and ESL literacy classes through SHINE, Students Helping in the Naturalization of Elders. Project SHINE is a national community- service learning effort with sister sites in Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, Miami and San Francisco. Co-directors Gail Weinstein of SFSU and Nina Gibson of CCSF, work with faculty from a wide range of disciplines to develop “”project options”" for academic classes. Students who choose to participate in SHINE are trained as “”citizenship coaches”", and are placed in citizenship classes to tutor one-on-one or in small rows. The hope is that all participants gain citizenship knowledge and skills, develop confidence in themselves as learners, and nurture intergenerational relationships that last long after the project ends.

In Spring 1999, approximately 100 students from two campuses participated from English, Asian-American Studies, La Raza, Anthropology, Women’s Studies, ESL and Political Science. Project evaluations to date have indicated that as students assist elders in preparing to become citizens, their own academic learning is deepened, and they themselves have an opportunity to participate in our communities in the best sense of true citizenship.

As one coach says: “”I feel very fortunate to have landed in such an exciting class, where so many students experience success in their learning and citizenship attainment. The elders are so appreciative, and tell us how much we make a difference. I feel lucky to be working with a teacher who is an outstanding educator. Thanks so much for helping to set up such a great learning experience for me.”"

There is enormous satisfaction in building a program where academic course work comes to life; language is learned, and our community is strengthened through intergenerational relationships that we hope will last.

Contact people: Gail Weinstein, SFSU, gailw {at} sfsu(.)edu; Nina Gibson, CCSF, ngibson {at} ccsf(.)edu
SHINE web site: http://thecity.sfsu.edu/~shine/

Contact: Teresa Taylor at (478) 445-5772 or ttaylor {at} gcsu(.)edu

One outcome of these campus-community partnerships and leadership collaborations is the very successful “”2+4=Service on Common Ground”" initiative funded by the Corporation for National Service and the Campus Compact National Center for Community Colleges. From 1997-2000, this initiative developed five major pathways engaging more than 70 faculty and 1,500 students at KCC and UHM. The pathways were developed to engage students in service to their community, and integrate their service with academic study in general education core courses and disciplinary majors. The pathways included:

1. Partnering with the Community – Students chose to serve at more than 70 community-based organizations and two dozen K-12 schools.
2. Educating for Citizenship – Students tutored hundreds of elderly Chinese immigrants to pass the U.S. Citizenship Test.
3. Adopting an Ahupua a – Students cared for the environment (our literal common ground) between Diamond Head and Manoa Valley. An ahupua a is a traditional Hawaiian land tenure division from the mountains to the sea. Both KCC and UHM students developed environmental responsibility stewardship skills in our Waikiki Ahupua a.
4. Celebrating Teen Reading - Students led reading circles with hundreds of local teenagers and built critical literacy skills and authentic interpersonal relationships. Funding from the Hawaii Council for the Humanities also supported this pathway and an annual Teen Reading Festival where students met face-to-face with the authors of the books shared in the reading circles.
5. Caring Long-term – Students provided direct services to 100 home-bound elderly through Project Dana, Hospice Hawaii, and numerous long-term care programs.

Faculty partnerships also resulted in a sustainable faculty community that is now exploring new collaborations in service-learning, cultural diversity, community development, technology integration and teacher preparation as well as fast-track transfer agreements.

KCC Service-Learning faculty have taken the lead in developing new General Education Academic Skills Standards emphasizing “”Understanding Self and Society”" to prepare students for lives as civically engaged local, national and global citizens. The UHM College of Arts and Sciences is drafting a new mission statement which emphasizes preparing students for lifelong active learning, productive careers, personal enrichment, involved citizenship, and the challenges of the future. Thus, for KCC and UHM, service-learning is not only changing how we teach but leveraging institutional and curricular support for what we teach the skills and intellect for engaged citizenship.

A recent Carnegie Foundation external assessment states, “”It would be wonderful if all community colleges would take up the challenge that KCC has set for itself: to educate all students to understand the connections between their learning, their work, and their larger communities, and to help them take seriously their role in improving those communities.”"

Contact person: Carol Hoshiko, Dean of Business Education, Food Service, Travel Programs and Community Linkages, hoshiko {at} hawaii(.)edu

From Service Matters 1998: Engaging Higher Education In the Renewal of America s Communities and American Democracy

Website: http://www.nic.edu/coursedescriptions/CourseDescSection.asp?Course=Sociology

Website: http://www.mchenry.cc.il.us/

Students who volunteer to work on the day designated as Christmas in April are asked to attend a training session where they learn about the history of Christmas in April not only in Valparaiso, but also across the nation. They are informed about what is expected of them, and they are given a preview of the projects upon which they will work. In April 1999, twenty-four homes and two not-for-profit organizations were the recipients of the efforts of the Christmas in April volunteers. This number is something more than was the case ten years ago, but something less than the thirty homes upon which work was done in prior years.

University students have the opportunity to interact with community residents, and particularly individuals who represent the skilled trades (carpenters, plumbers, electricians, roofers, etc.), as they rework homes by replacing roofs, redoing plumbing, installing new furnaces, painting, interior and exterior areas, repairing sidewalks, raking lawns, etc. As students are involved with the Christmas in April project, they learn something about the importance of service to their community, and they also are brought into contact with people who have far fewer resources than they have. The involvement of faculty, staff, and students with the leadership and volunteers from the community has been a very helpful contributor to fostering positive Town-Gown relationships in Valparaiso, Indiana.

Christmas in April – Valparaiso web site: www.ciavalparaiso.org

Website: http://www.ksu.edu/sctd/theatre/program/dramatherapy.htm

See the website at www.inform.umd.edu
.Also see this article.

School website: http://www.raritanval.edu/

Originally from ServiceService Matters 1998: Engaging Higher Education In the Renewal of America s Communities and American Democracy. Updated 2001.

From Service Matters 1998: Engaging Higher Education In the Renewal of America s Communities and American Democracy

Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) is an honors organization where students of exceptional academic ability can actively contribute to positive social change. Columbus State sits in a low-income community where our resources are vitally needed. PTK has recognized this challenge by working with a public school in our area. In partnership with teachers and administrators, student needs were assessed. The result of this assessment has been a three-year tutoring program with disadvantaged students. PTK has also adopted a nursing home during the Christmas season to provide outreach to our citizens who are so often forgotten in these institutions. Our PTK students have also excelled in organizing drives for school supplies for homeless children in a nearby shelter–Faith Mission. They have also collaborated with our In-Service and Community Service Committees in collecting donations of toiletries and bedding for another shelter, Friends of the Homeless. In addition, PTK has adopted an AIDS camp and organized fund-raisers for this group.

There are even more good citizenship practices here at Columbus State. We have a recently organized a community service fraternal organization, Alpha Phi Omega, that is beginning to make its presence known on campus. Additionally, across campus, students have worked with faculty on service-learning projects. Some of their work has taken them into homeless shelters throughout the city to collect scientific data on the experiences and needs of our homeless citizens, We also have various activities spearheaded by our employees such as the Financial Aid Department s autumn 1998 book drive and the Multicultural Office s superb work with leading our campuswide participation in Operation Feed in Spring, 1999.

We are all too familiar with the problems that exist in our society. We can contribute to positive social change in a profusion of ways. To us, a good citizenship practice is one that enhances our community, our college, and ourselves.

Contact: Charles Gallucci , Phi Theta Kappa advisor

From Service Matters 1998: Engaging Higher Education In the Renewal of America s Communities and American Democracy

Contact: Department Chair Kathy Perszynski at Phone: (419) 824-3788 KPERZYNS {at} lourdes(.)edu

Recently, the ATP s advanced electrical students got involved in service-learning for the first time. In the past, practical experience for students has been limited to work in auto shops throughout the PCC district. However, this time, instructor Leslie Macaulay, who has become quite interested in establishing a service-learning model in her program, decided to try something unique.

Leslie learned that a local senior center was sponsoring a day for electrical and general car inspections for their seniors. She was able to get all of her students to attend and diagnose the senior s cars. Both the seniors and the students thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The students either wrote a reflective paper or made an oral presentation on their experiences. All enjoyed actually getting to talk with the car owners (something that doesn’t happen much in this business as you know if you’ve ever had your car in for work—-seems you never get to speak to the technician who does the actual work!) And they hoped that they will be able to do more of this type of thing in some of their other automotive classes. Hopefully this is the start of a service-learning component for the ATP. It certainly will be if these students have anything to say about it.

Contact: Leslie Macaulay, lmaucala {at} pcc(.)edu

Contact: 215.895.2158

From Service Matters 1998: Engaging Higher Education In the Renewal of America s Communities and American Democracy