Our second year of providing the elective course, Service Learning, provided three seniors opportunities to connect to their community. First, students researched needs within the community. From that research, they identified a topic with which they were most interested, partnered with a community member and created a plan to help their community. Each student created a project unique to their talents and interests. Each community partner was someone able to support the student’s project idea because of the community partner’s interests and expertise. As the classroom facilitator, I’d like to thank every person and/or business that showed interest in supporting our students as community partners. The students put in a lot of work, and I enjoyed watching their ideas bloom with their community partner’s guidance.

Charles Kocer shadowed leadership within the Braveheart Society. He had identified caring for the environment as his topic of interest and initially had numerous ideas to improve the environment. His idea of caring for the environment has turned into action due to his time with the Braveheart Society. He was able to participate in multiple ways to care for the environment up close including propagating native red willow, advocating for environment, and learning how culture impacts views on the environment. He was even out planting red willow the morning of Prom in the cold and rain!

Janessa Powers, after researching, found the area had a high need for mental health resources. She was able to connect with Lucy Leines, owner of Stems and Cells and an advocate, as her community partner to provide guidance. Janessa and Lucy brainstormed to create a hygiene “closet” for Wagner Community School students in need of hygiene products. She plans to distribute hygiene items to fourth grade classes in hopes of students staying clean and healthy. These items will help students avoid getting sick and feel better about themselves. It’s practical mental health support - a superpower to fight germs and feel confident every day!

Genesis Patterson dreamed of an assembly featuring those who are successfully recovering from substance abuse. She wanted to make sure that any high school student knew the consequences of substance abuse and to give hope through storytelling. Through the research process, she realized how widespread substance abuse really is and how the stigma impacted her original plan. She partnered with Derrick Marks who has experience working with Recovery Warriors. Her final project resulted in making a poster with 3 helplines for people to reach out and call. She posted them in the middle and high school. She is hoping to help keep teens away from using substances because addiction can negatively impact lives.

I am very proud of our service-learning students. They have learned a lot about themselves, their projects, time management, and communication. Their research of needs within the community, service to their community, and the in-depth reflections that they have been doing the last few months will have a lasting impact on the community and the students themselves. I am beyond excited about the new connections that were made within the community this year. Without a shadow of a doubt, both the community and the students have mutually benefited, and I cannot wait to see what these students do in the future.

Thank you again to our community partners.