INvolve, INvest, INSPIRE3
INSPIRE3 provides resources to Educate, Engage, and Empower students, classrooms, schools, and communities as they seek opportunities for service-learning and philanthropy. There have been many classroom activities highlighted over the years and you can view those under the INSPIRE3 Snapshots of Service Learning page.
It’s time to highlight the service learning that is happening in your neck of the woods. Simply fill in this quick form to submit your project to be shared with other Indiana educators. It’s that easy!
You can also find many examples and resources on our INSPIRE3 page to help introduce, implement, and continue service learning in your school community. You can find the resources below, as well as many more. Share them with your colleagues and teachers today.
Snap Shot of the Month
Title: AMERICAN RED CROSS OUTREACH Issue/Focus: Disaster Relief/Preparedness Darleen Maas, 7th and 8th grade
English/Language Arts teacher at Colonel John Wheeler Middle School in Crown Point, IN, shared the Learning to Give Blue Sky Envisioning Activity with her three 8th grade English classes. She has been working diligently with the students to achieve social awareness, empathetic behaviors, and how middle school students could become involved in their community. The students worked with someone who had a similar passion for a cause, created a PowerPoint presentation about their non-profit organization, and presented it to the class. The top three groups then presented to staff members who voted on which one would be used as the organization to raise funds and/or goods for within the school. One particular project was led by two young men who both deal with severe disabilities. One of the young men has cerebral palsy, and it was his passion and love for life that inspired the voters to choose his non-profit organization, the American Red Cross. The Northwest Indiana chapter visited, gave an overview of what they do around the Crown Point area, shared the needs within the community, and suggested how the students could help support the American Red Cross. The students decided on a goal to fill 50 pillowcases with items such as toothbrushes, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, wash cloths, small toys, and hand sanitizer. The bags will be given to victims of disasters such as house fires or flooding. Enough items were collected that these students were able to double their goal and fill 100 bags! In a letter thanking the students for their service-learning project, an American Red Cross worker wrote, “Your generosity brings our mission to life in Lake County, helping to ensure that people receive comfort and hope in the face of emergencies as well as emergency preparedness opportunities for residents. Because of donors like you, Red Cross volunteers and workers will be able to deliver immediate relief to families affected by disasters through the distribution of comfort kits…” Proving they are socially aware and empathetic.
