civic engagement – A National Service Initiative

From “My Child” to “Our Children”

I grew up with very little service involvement as a youth. I was taught to be kind and give when opportunity presented itself, but that was pretty much it. When my second child, Charlotte, arrived later in life, I wanted her to have opportunity to “give back” and come to understand the larger community familyContinue reading “From “My Child” to “Our Children””

Wildlife and Endangered Species

For some, the concern for wildlife seems peripheral; other needs must come first. This perspective would seem a blind spot to those who champion endangered species as one of many primary issues we must address as a people – a people capable of understanding the interwoven connections that make the whole of our world work.Continue reading “Wildlife and Endangered Species”

One Point of Agreement: Topics K – 6

Leadership topic areas from kindergarten through grade six are a fundamental point of agreement for this initiative to take off. We need to come together on this alignment of topics to create connection among ourselves nationwide; to create the most significant and comprehensive momentum, support, and outcomes. The following distribution would provide this necessary baseContinue reading “One Point of Agreement: Topics K – 6”

Youth Managing Community Needs

The K-12 national service initiative places our youth in the role of managing the overview of our community needs. Are youth capable of taking on this management role? Absolutely. Working with non-profit staff and teachers, youth can manage the overview of work and progress in specific areas. With a national projects checklist they can researchContinue reading “Youth Managing Community Needs”

Merging a National Service Initiative with Existing Curriculum

“Tell me, I forget… Teach me, I remember…Involve me, I learn” Anonymous The beauty of a service learning curriculum is that it is easy to incorporate. The topics that created the suggested framework came from teachers – teachers who were not service learning advocates – teachers who asked for clarification of the serviceContinue reading “Merging a National Service Initiative with Existing Curriculum”