Semester of Service 2011

Posted by on January 02, 2011

Serve a Semester. Change the World.
MLK Day of Service (January 17, 2011) to
Global Youth Service Day (April 15-17, 2011)

Semester of Service 2011 launches on the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service (January 17, 2011). This year, YSA Grants will provide approximately $500,000 to nearly 500 schools and organizations to lead Semester of Service projects.

Thousands of students and educators from additional schools and organizations will also plan and implement high-impact service-learning projects throughout the semester leading up to Global Youth Service Day (April 15-17, 2011).

There’s still time to plan your own Semester of Service. Learn more below about the resources available from YSA, and start planning today to launch your Semester of Service in January.

Taking Service-Learning Projects and National Days of Service to the Next Level

YSA encourages you to launch and culminate the efforts of your Semester of Service on significant national days of service.  Consider one of the following cycles (spring, summer, or fall):

Semester of Service incorporates the practice of sustained service over a period of significant “duration and intensity” (typically at least 70 hours over several weeks or months), in order to provide enough time for students to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to understand and impact challenging community problems.

In a successful Semester of Service, students follow the IPARD/C stages of the service-learning process:

* Investigation
* Preparation & Planning
* Action
* Reflection
* Demonstration/Celebration

Resources for Community Change and Student Engagement and Learning

The Semester of Service Strategy Guide (http://tools.ysa.org/downloads/semester/YSA-SOS-Guide-2011.pdf) and Semester of Service Classroom Poster (http://tools.ysa.org/downloads/semester/YSA-SOS-Poster-2011.pdf) provide detailed, step-by-step instructions on how to develop and implement meaningful service and learning experiences using the IPARD/C process. Download or order free printed copies: http://www.YSA.org/resources

YSA Resources

Semester of Service projects address meaningful community problems and their root causes – problems such as childhood obesity, hunger & homelessness, illiteracy, natural disasters, and environmental degradation.

YSA provides a variety of grants, planning tools, training, and technical assistance to help Semester of Service participants plan, lead, and implement high-impact service-learning programs.

Download YSA Resources at: http://www.YSA.org/resources
Learn about YSA Grants at: http://www.YSA.org/grants