Service in Schools Student Showcases
This month, students who participated in 2020-21 Service in Schools programming have been celebrating the work they did to help their communities! On March 9, elementary school classes who participated in the Kids Action Team program presented their learning and advocacy campaigns over Zoom to an audience of peers, educators, and family members. They explained what they learned about animal adoption, protecting endangered species, hunger, and recycling and shared advocacy projects that raised awareness and garnered support for organizations addressing these issues. Students used TikTok, videos, and digital posters to get the word out.
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On March 11, high school students who participated in the inaugural Teens Advocating for Change program presented advocacy campaigns they created on how to avoid fast fashion, support the homeless community through the pandemic, champion healthcare rights for the transgender community, and speak up for peers with disabilities. In reflecting on the experience of creating and sharing these advocacy campaigns, students shared that they had grown more confident in using their voices to speak on issues that matter to them and that they plan to continue advocating in their school and home communities.
Finally, at the Race Against Waste Showcase on March 17, middle and high school classes presented their learning on waste issues and ideas for actions that will decrease waste of fabrics, plastics, food, and more. Their advocacy efforts included creating podcasts, websites, and comics to help others learn how to be more sustainable. The Service in Schools team is extremely proud of the work students and teachers have done this year to learn about local issues and take steps to better their communities. View student presentations from these three programs on the Service in Schools resource page.
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School Spotlight and At-Home Service Guides |
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Calling all students, educators, and families! Service in Schools is looking for stories of NYC public school students who have been supporting their communities over the last year to feature in upcoming editions of this newsletter and on Twitter and Instagram. We know that youth have been stepping up during these unprecedented times by assisting elderly neighbors, supporting community-based organizations, and raising awareness on issues that impact their communities. If you know a class, club, or individuals in grades K-12 who have done amazing acts of service, let us know at ServiceinSchools@schools.nyc.gov!
If you’re interested in doing service but don’t know where to start, check out the Service in Schools online resource page, featuring remote resources for carrying out service-learning at home. Access project guides such as Working to End Homelessness to learn about how students can help support housing-insecure individuals and families in your area. Other project guide topics include how to reduce food waste and help fight hunger in your community, and each can be adapted for in-person or remote learning.
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NYC Parks Department Jr. Litter League
Registration Deadline: Saturday, May 1, 2021
Looking for opportunities this spring for your students to get fresh air, care for local parks, and learn about the importance of our green spaces while engaging in friendly competition? On April 1, NYC Parks will launch the Jr. Litter League, a new citywide competition and self-guided youth service program. From April 1 through June 1, registered teams of up to 15 students ages 10 and up and three adult leaders will engage in self-guided park stewardship in a nearby park. Teams will be provided with free supplies (while supplies last) to complete clean-ups, and data submitted from clean-ups will be used to track overall league standings and determine prize winners at season’s end. Team leaders will also receive the Jr. Litter League Toolkit that includes guidance for hosting safe clean-ups and pre- and post-activities to encourage students’ critical thinking about the value of our public parks. Registration is open through May 1. Visit the Jr. Litter League registration page or email Bonnie Ralston for more information.
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DOROT Manhattan Summer Teen Internship Program
Application Deadline: Friday, May 7, 2021
DOROT alleviates social isolation among older adults through the assistance of volunteers, fostering mutually beneficial relationships while enabling older adults to remain independent in their homes. The Summer Teen Internship Program brings together a diverse group of socially conscious teens committed to creating meaningful connections with older adults. Teens in the Summer Internship Program spend four weeks in the summer developing leadership skills and building intergenerational friendships with seniors. Together with older adults, interns create art and documentary film projects, lead discussions on current events, produce radio shows, and so much more while earning over 100 community service hours! To have a rewarding summer experience making a difference for older adults, learn more and apply for the DOROT Summer Teen Internship Program. For questions, contact teens@dorotusa.org.
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GreeNYC
GreeNYC is dedicated to engaging, educating, and mobilizing New Yorkers to help NYC meet its ambitious sustainability goals of sending zero waste to landfills by 2030 and generating net-zero carbon by 2050. Educators can share GreeNYC’s resources and tips about ways to be more sustainable at home with their students. GreeNYC helps New Yorkers take easy actions with big impacts, for themselves and for the city as a whole. By reducing energy use, eliminating waste, and choosing a more sustainable lifestyle, New Yorkers will help make NYC the most sustainable big city in the world! Follow @greenyc on social media for more updates on sustainability tips.
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Contact the Service in Schools Team |
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Does your school have a great service project to share? If so, the Service in Schools team wants to know!
Invite the Service in Schools team to visit your service project. We want to see your students and school community in action. Email the Service in Schools team at ServiceinSchools@schools.nyc.gov with two weeks’ notice, and we’ll schedule a visit to your school to learn about your project and see the impact you’re making on the community.
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Follow @ServicenSchools on Twitter and @ServiceinSchools on Instagram to receive program updates, upcoming service opportunities, resources, and more. We encourage students who use social media and are interested in service opportunities to follow us.
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Mission: Service in Schools strives to expand the number of NYC students engaged in transformative community service and service-learning experiences that enable them to use their voice, skills, and critical thinking to strengthen communities.
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