Civic Action

"Responsible, Contributing Members"

Instructors: Sarah Blackwell and Jeff Donnelly

By their junior year, Woodlawn students have had the opportunity to be involved in many different types of service experiences.  They now get to choose a particular issue or cause to support during the course of the year.  Their goal is to take an active role in the community to serve and to encourage others to do so as well. Some students serve as mentors to other classes in their service learning projects.  Students complete a project each trimester and report on it in a newsmagazine-style school website.

The service learning class also incorporates a civics element in which students learn about how local, state, and national governments work by following the issue at each of those levels.  Students understand more about the roles of non-profits, government agencies, lobbyists, special interest groups, and lawmakers by researching their topic on many different levels.

First trimester service projects should be completed by 24 November, 2009 (last day of the trimester). if you are still unclear what needs to be accomplished by that date, please refer to the Service Contract that you received on the first day we met as a class, or view it via the link at the bottom of this page. If questions still remain, bring them to Mr. Donnelly or Mrs. Blackwell.

Items that need to be turned in by the end of the trimester include:

• a record of your project
• a process paper
• four links to articles that are related to your service topic (preferably articles that you came across during your research of the issue)

The record should simply be a way to show, on our class web site, you in action during the completion of your project. It could be photos, a slideshow, or a video if your project was an event that you organized or something in which you participated. If you have created something as a public service, such as a web site or documentary, a link or DVD copy is sufficient.

The process paper simply explains what you set out to accomplish, how you pulled your project together, and how it turned out. It does not need to exceed one page.

After all projects are completed and above items are received, our class web site will be published for the rest of the community to admire your work and, most importantly, receive your message.

Interest Survey

Resource List

Service Contract