Service Projects
"Adopt-A-Grandparent" (submitted by Katherine Davis , Komachin M.S.)
Students "adopt" a grandparent where they interview them, write a book, or do a PowerPoint about them and invite them to school for a day.
Adopt an Elementary Classroom (submitted by Kim Peterson, Lincoln M.S.)
As a leadership class we adopt an elementary class. We travel to their classroom once a month and serve as reading budding, we play math games, offer one on one tutoring. We practice our correspondence by writing letters back and forth with our elementary buddies. It is a great opportunity to practice leadership skills, public speaking, and truly understand through purposeful activity the importance of modeling positive behavior.
Adopt-A-School (submitted by Becky Gerber, Carnation Elementary)
Our school (elementary) had adopted a school in South Africa that one of our staff members will be traveling to. We collected school supplies for them and teacher resources to support their school staff.
Birthday Party Kits for Shelter (submitted by Ellen Griffin, Duxbury H.S. Duxbury, MA)
We fill shoe boxes with plates, forks, decorations, etc.; all the things you need for a birthday party, along with a gift certificate to a grocery store in order to by a cake. The boxes are all wrapped like presents and given to a local shelter. They provide an entire party, minus the guest, in a box!
"Can it" Food Drive (Richland High School)
Port-O-Let potty company donated the use of 4 Porto potties for a food drive. The food drive was called "Can it." Each class got an outhouse to fill with canned foods. Each night the cans were collected and counted and a big poster showed the outcome of each day. At night we chained up the out houses so no one would use them for their original purpose. They were clean, and it was a fun way people brought cans.
Canned Food Drive: Pie in the Eye
For holiday food drives, get staff to volunteer to take a pie in the face. Each student brings in a can of food many donate that food to the staff member they would like to see get the pie in the eye. A bulletin board with daily totals keeps the food coming in. If you can have a televised commercial lead up for someone getting the pie it promotes more food coming in. Also, the class that brings in the most cans can earn some type of class prize like pizza, ice cream, popcorn, etc. This activity requires someone to collect food each day from classes and a place to store the food. When the staff member take the pie, it is a good idea to have an assembly with lots of participation. You may want to raffle off chances to be the one to throw the pie.
Community Clean-Up (submitted by Darlys Recker, Tieton M.S.)
Sixth and Seventh period on a spring day, students are assigned groups (with parent permission). Each group with an adult is assigned an area of the town and neighborhood to clean up trash (garbage bags & gloves). We even was the police vehicles and municipal building windows. Students who do not participants in the clean-up are assigned an academic writing assignment on the value of community service.
Curtis Cares Bracelets (submitted by Kari Bradley, Curtis Junior High School)
To raise money, such as for the tsunami relief, get vinyl bracelets with the sizable notches in school colors. Sell the bracelets for a profit. Marketing campaign: "Top Six Reasons to Buy a Curtis Cares Bracelet"
1. They are a fashionable green,
2. Save on the cost of real jewelry-a dollar is a steal!,
3.It's a treasure forever, as it can stay on your wrist until it rots off!,
4. Bracelets are a sign of status,
5. They show solidarity,
6. Monday raised helps to alleviate some human misery in the world.
Day of Community (submitted by Sarah, Nelson Middle School)
One day a year is set aside for all all-school community service day. 6th graders stay on campus to serve, while other students fo community service projects off of the school grounds.
Dog Chow, Meow-Meow Drive (submitted by Eastmont High School)
Bring in dog food, cat food, pet treats and toys to help support the local humane Society. Award points to classes to create a competition. 10 points to each class that brings in 1 item for every student on their roster. 5 additional points will be given for each 20+ pound bag of cat or dog food. 5 additional points will be given for every 20 cans brought in above the class average.
Drive by Raking (submitted by Joe Turchak, Brandon H.S., Ortonvile, MI)
This is a community service activity whereby students pile in cars at random houses to rake and bag-up leaves. What a surprise to the family!
Father/Daughter Dance (submitted by Tricia, Meeker Middle School)
Hold a formal dance for Fathers and Daughters.
Food Drive Kick Off Assembly (submitted by Cathy Sork, Fort Vancouver H.S.)
The Friday before a food drive, use food as a theme for a pep assembly. Competition ideas include: turkey Bowling (frozen turkeys slide without scratching very well; keep it wrapped and donate it after), relay race with fisher price shopping carts, can stacking, shopping cart decorating and parade across the gym. Activities can include the chicken dance and food music such as "Eat It" by Weird Al.
Kids for Kids Names of young people in need are collected around the holiday season. Students/classes take names from a giving tree. Also, students make personal care kits and give then to a food bank or shelter including toothpaste, toothbrush, and bath items for kids in the community.
"Make A Change Week"
Talk about how much $ (Change) that students have in their pockets. Take mason jars into classrooms donated as "MAke a Change" Bank. Each class donates money that is donated to a local charity.
Masai Book Bags (submitted by Suzie H., Komachin Middle School)
Collect material and cut out book bag patterns to be sewn for Masai Girls in Tanzania. Books and supplies to go in the bags are also collected.
Muffins for Mom's (May) - Donuts for Dads (December) (submitted by Rich Boerner, Kalles Junior High)
Great activity to get parents into the school. watching parents share breakfast with a child is awesome. Serve coffee, juice, pancakes, and sausage. It can last about 1-1.5 hours and have school music groups perform.
Read Across America (submitted by Bastianna Mene, Gauger H.S., Newark, D.E.)
High School students dress up as one of their favorite characters from a book and we go to an elementary school and read to the kids. We talk to the kids about how important it is to read.
Reverse Trick or Treat (submitted by Chris Jackson, Eastern Hancock H.S., Charlottesville, IN)
In October around Halloween, our school's entire student council meets together and dresses up in Halloween costumes. We get on a bus and head over to our local nursing home. Each member is given bags of candy (sugar and sugarless). We spend the afternoon talking and sharing stories with residents. This is a very good way to improve the lives of people that usually don't have must to look forward to.
Service Project: Beyond the Food Drive (submitted by Cathy Sork, Ft. Vancouver H.S.)
Explanation of "Why Service?," Four Steps to Service Learning, and Tips to Keep in Mind. Download Service Project Handout (Adobe Acrobat PDF file)
Shopping Cart Food Drive (submitted by Mt. Baker Middle School)
Borrow shopping carts (1 for each classroom) from a local grocery store. In return, offer to collect and return shopping carts that are found around the neighborhood. Each class fills up their cart with food items and decorates their cart. Conclude the event with a shopping cart parade at a pep assembly. The class with the most food and the class with the best decor are the winners.
Teacher's Aide (submitted by John Bittinger, Everett H.S.)
Early in the term (or optimally the teacher workday prior to the first day of school), each student in the group signs up to help a teacher. They spend an hour (or two?) at the teacher's disposal–filing papers, arranging desks... (I was the recipient of this service on my first day at a new school...What a blessing! :] )
Toys for Tots (submitted by Kim Peterson, Lincoln M.S.)
Coats for kids and Toys for Tots are two "activities" we do in our leadership class. The items stay locally and the students are able to deliver the items.
Students "adopt" a grandparent where they interview them, write a book, or do a PowerPoint about them and invite them to school for a day.
Adopt an Elementary Classroom (submitted by Kim Peterson, Lincoln M.S.)
As a leadership class we adopt an elementary class. We travel to their classroom once a month and serve as reading budding, we play math games, offer one on one tutoring. We practice our correspondence by writing letters back and forth with our elementary buddies. It is a great opportunity to practice leadership skills, public speaking, and truly understand through purposeful activity the importance of modeling positive behavior.
Adopt-A-School (submitted by Becky Gerber, Carnation Elementary)
Our school (elementary) had adopted a school in South Africa that one of our staff members will be traveling to. We collected school supplies for them and teacher resources to support their school staff.
Birthday Party Kits for Shelter (submitted by Ellen Griffin, Duxbury H.S. Duxbury, MA)
We fill shoe boxes with plates, forks, decorations, etc.; all the things you need for a birthday party, along with a gift certificate to a grocery store in order to by a cake. The boxes are all wrapped like presents and given to a local shelter. They provide an entire party, minus the guest, in a box!
"Can it" Food Drive (Richland High School)
Port-O-Let potty company donated the use of 4 Porto potties for a food drive. The food drive was called "Can it." Each class got an outhouse to fill with canned foods. Each night the cans were collected and counted and a big poster showed the outcome of each day. At night we chained up the out houses so no one would use them for their original purpose. They were clean, and it was a fun way people brought cans.
Canned Food Drive: Pie in the Eye
For holiday food drives, get staff to volunteer to take a pie in the face. Each student brings in a can of food many donate that food to the staff member they would like to see get the pie in the eye. A bulletin board with daily totals keeps the food coming in. If you can have a televised commercial lead up for someone getting the pie it promotes more food coming in. Also, the class that brings in the most cans can earn some type of class prize like pizza, ice cream, popcorn, etc. This activity requires someone to collect food each day from classes and a place to store the food. When the staff member take the pie, it is a good idea to have an assembly with lots of participation. You may want to raffle off chances to be the one to throw the pie.
Community Clean-Up (submitted by Darlys Recker, Tieton M.S.)
Sixth and Seventh period on a spring day, students are assigned groups (with parent permission). Each group with an adult is assigned an area of the town and neighborhood to clean up trash (garbage bags & gloves). We even was the police vehicles and municipal building windows. Students who do not participants in the clean-up are assigned an academic writing assignment on the value of community service.
Curtis Cares Bracelets (submitted by Kari Bradley, Curtis Junior High School)
To raise money, such as for the tsunami relief, get vinyl bracelets with the sizable notches in school colors. Sell the bracelets for a profit. Marketing campaign: "Top Six Reasons to Buy a Curtis Cares Bracelet"
1. They are a fashionable green,
2. Save on the cost of real jewelry-a dollar is a steal!,
3.It's a treasure forever, as it can stay on your wrist until it rots off!,
4. Bracelets are a sign of status,
5. They show solidarity,
6. Monday raised helps to alleviate some human misery in the world.
Day of Community (submitted by Sarah, Nelson Middle School)
One day a year is set aside for all all-school community service day. 6th graders stay on campus to serve, while other students fo community service projects off of the school grounds.
Dog Chow, Meow-Meow Drive (submitted by Eastmont High School)
Bring in dog food, cat food, pet treats and toys to help support the local humane Society. Award points to classes to create a competition. 10 points to each class that brings in 1 item for every student on their roster. 5 additional points will be given for each 20+ pound bag of cat or dog food. 5 additional points will be given for every 20 cans brought in above the class average.
Drive by Raking (submitted by Joe Turchak, Brandon H.S., Ortonvile, MI)
This is a community service activity whereby students pile in cars at random houses to rake and bag-up leaves. What a surprise to the family!
Father/Daughter Dance (submitted by Tricia, Meeker Middle School)
Hold a formal dance for Fathers and Daughters.
Food Drive Kick Off Assembly (submitted by Cathy Sork, Fort Vancouver H.S.)
The Friday before a food drive, use food as a theme for a pep assembly. Competition ideas include: turkey Bowling (frozen turkeys slide without scratching very well; keep it wrapped and donate it after), relay race with fisher price shopping carts, can stacking, shopping cart decorating and parade across the gym. Activities can include the chicken dance and food music such as "Eat It" by Weird Al.
Kids for Kids Names of young people in need are collected around the holiday season. Students/classes take names from a giving tree. Also, students make personal care kits and give then to a food bank or shelter including toothpaste, toothbrush, and bath items for kids in the community.
"Make A Change Week"
Talk about how much $ (Change) that students have in their pockets. Take mason jars into classrooms donated as "MAke a Change" Bank. Each class donates money that is donated to a local charity.
Masai Book Bags (submitted by Suzie H., Komachin Middle School)
Collect material and cut out book bag patterns to be sewn for Masai Girls in Tanzania. Books and supplies to go in the bags are also collected.
Muffins for Mom's (May) - Donuts for Dads (December) (submitted by Rich Boerner, Kalles Junior High)
Great activity to get parents into the school. watching parents share breakfast with a child is awesome. Serve coffee, juice, pancakes, and sausage. It can last about 1-1.5 hours and have school music groups perform.
Read Across America (submitted by Bastianna Mene, Gauger H.S., Newark, D.E.)
High School students dress up as one of their favorite characters from a book and we go to an elementary school and read to the kids. We talk to the kids about how important it is to read.
Reverse Trick or Treat (submitted by Chris Jackson, Eastern Hancock H.S., Charlottesville, IN)
In October around Halloween, our school's entire student council meets together and dresses up in Halloween costumes. We get on a bus and head over to our local nursing home. Each member is given bags of candy (sugar and sugarless). We spend the afternoon talking and sharing stories with residents. This is a very good way to improve the lives of people that usually don't have must to look forward to.
Service Project: Beyond the Food Drive (submitted by Cathy Sork, Ft. Vancouver H.S.)
Explanation of "Why Service?," Four Steps to Service Learning, and Tips to Keep in Mind. Download Service Project Handout (Adobe Acrobat PDF file)
Shopping Cart Food Drive (submitted by Mt. Baker Middle School)
Borrow shopping carts (1 for each classroom) from a local grocery store. In return, offer to collect and return shopping carts that are found around the neighborhood. Each class fills up their cart with food items and decorates their cart. Conclude the event with a shopping cart parade at a pep assembly. The class with the most food and the class with the best decor are the winners.
Teacher's Aide (submitted by John Bittinger, Everett H.S.)
Early in the term (or optimally the teacher workday prior to the first day of school), each student in the group signs up to help a teacher. They spend an hour (or two?) at the teacher's disposal–filing papers, arranging desks... (I was the recipient of this service on my first day at a new school...What a blessing! :] )
Toys for Tots (submitted by Kim Peterson, Lincoln M.S.)
Coats for kids and Toys for Tots are two "activities" we do in our leadership class. The items stay locally and the students are able to deliver the items.