“”They help me study English in the citizenship. They help me practice the 100 questions. They talk with me. I like the young people, because I want to study English, I want to be a citizen.”"

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/