Brisk political winds are now converging behind national proposals for youth service. As several examples show, combining classroom work with service/social action projects can help produce dramatic improvements in student attitudes, motivation, and achievement. Learning through service succeeds because youth become active, needed members of their…

Describes Academic Service-Learning (AS-L), in which classroom content is infused into a community-service experience. Describes a successful AS-L project in a business-communication class. Notes that its greatest strengths are students' tying theory into actual application of principles, student passion for the work, faculty enthusiasm for the…

Through wilderness stewardship programs, service projects, or trail crews, college outdoor programs can help land management agencies with their maintenance needs and provide student participants with rewarding service learning opportunities. Trail crews are usually composed of volunteer outdoor enthusiasts who take part in a multitude of…

From her forthcoming history of volunteers in the United States, the author outlines the development of our system of education and the concept of "learning by doing" from the Colonial period to 1900. She describes various organizations and their efforts in many causes, including child and student volunteerism. (MF)

For young people, service to others can develop important habits and skills that help them become an asset to their neighborhoods. This guide was created to help adults teachers, parents, after-school providers, and members of community-based organizations to find and create opportunities for young people to answer President George W. Bush's call…

This report shares findings from research that examined service learning, a teaching strategy that combines service to the community with classroom curriculum in K-12 schools. The research focused on how service learning was relevant to schools. The results show that many U.S. youth feel alienated from both their schoolwork and from traditional…

Service learning, an instructional strategy for educators, has the potential to challenge students in diverse ways. It offers students experiential learning opportunities that are personally engaging, are educationally rigorous, require the direct application of knowledge and critical thinking skills, and transform both the community and the…

Describes the creation of a community-service option for biology nonmajors as part of the course requirements. The student had to relate the project to some aspect of biology. The goal was to teach students that learning science is an everyday occurrence, and that they can make a difference in their community. Program instructions and student…

Describes a writing course at Winona State University where students from working class backgrounds find practical service projects involving writing for nonprofit organizations. (TB)

Offers a former U.S. president's reflections on service and its role in higher education. Discusses personal experiences that shaped his views on service and examines ways in which colleges and universities can promote student service learning. Outlines some of the skills gained through service work and covers other issues. (RJM)

Offers reflections on a former president's remarks concerning service and describes what one university organization is learning about volunteerism and community service on campus. Identifies likely participants in service projects and discusses the benefits of service; ways to promote service participation, service and leadership; and service and…

Describes the author's psychology class, in which she required students to do service work with a resident in a nursing home. Reports that students met for a minimum of eight hours with the resident and wrote both a history of the person and a reflection on the project. States that half of the students decided to continue volunteering after the…

Describes a service learning program aimed at improving balance and mobility in a group of older adults from an independent living center while giving college students (mainly exercise and sport science majors) an opportunity to interact with this population. The program has resulted in improved balance and mobility for the older adults and…

Rural communities can successfully integrate service learning into academic subject areas. In service learning, students develop a deeper understanding of academic subjects while engaging in meaningful service to their school or greater community. Barriers to implementing service learning in rural areas include lack of time, transportation,…

Prominent school-to-work observers see a close connection between service-learning and school-to-work programs. Major components of service-learning are as follows: active student participation, thoughtfully organized experiences, focus on community needs and school/community coordination, academic curriculum integration, structured time for…