Departments & Programs

Teens GIVEService Learning / Teens GIVE Program

Program Director : Ms. L. Lee Davis
(434) 245-2634
Lee.Davis@charlottesvilleschools.org

Teens GIVE Coordinator : Heather Kellams
(434) 970-3334
FAX: (434) 970-3577
Community Attention
907 East Jefferson Street
Charlottesville, VA 22902

Service learning is a method by which young people learn and develop through volunteering in well-organized service experiences. Service learning has three main components: TRAINING, SERVICE, and REFLECTION. In the Charlottesville City Schools, Service Learning operates in partnership with Community Attention through its Teens GIVE program. Teens GIVE involves children from ages 10-18, with programs at Walker, Buford and CHS.

Mission Statement

To provide well - supervised and high interest service - learning experiences and skill building activities for local teens while promoting youth volunteerism, community involvement, character education, social values and self awareness, and a successful transition to adulthood.

Program Description

The Alliance for Service Learning in Education Reform defined the criteria for service learning experiences in 1995 as those which:
  • Meet actual community needs Coordinate in collaboration with the school and community
  • Provide structured time for reflection on the service activity
  • Provide youth with opportunities to use newly acquired academic skills and knowledge in real life situations in their own community
  • Offer a practical application of what is taught in schools
  • Help to foster the development of a sense of caring of others,altruism, and awareness that individual goals can only be met within the context of a society/community

woofTeens GIVE incorporates the above criteria in all service learning activities. While all three major components are important, our experience has been that taking the time for Reflection (evaluation) is essential. Each service day allows time to reflect on these experiences, to work out the inevitable snags and problems, and to reinforce the accomplishments and benefits to the kids and the community.

One of the advantages of classroom service learning and Teens GIVE in general is that each service learning experience can be tailored to that particular class and that particular group of students. The frequency and intensity of the volunteer experience can be modified based on the strengths and needs of each child and their group. Likewise, the child/mentor ratios can be supplemented when needed.

While the collaboration between the Charlottesville City Schools and Teens GIVE has resulted in the development of some very creative classroom service learning experiences, we believe we have just begun to find innovative, high interest, and worthwhile classroom applications. We realize that many of our teachers are already doing their own version of experiential learning to supplement their classroom instruction. We believe that this model may be a further way to complement these efforts.

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Desired Outcomes

  • To provide well organized and supervised service - learning, educational and recreational activities for our participants
  • To increase the opportunity for participants to be successful in school through tutoring and mentoring support
  • To provide participants with well organized life skills, independent living, and character education training
  • To reduce truancy, crime, violence, and teen pregnancy
  • To reconnect participants with their home community
  • To provide organized youth volunteer service to the community
  • To achieve these goals in the most cost effective, user friendly and clinically sound way possible

National Service Learning Research

Research indicates that Service Learning:

  • Leads to reduction in pregnancy, school failure, and suspension rates.
  • Helps to build a more positive attitude towards young people and their communities.
  • Provides participants with satisfying experiences.
  • Teaches valuable skills that can be used in the future.
  • Encourages other students to participate in service learning.

The satisfaction with Teens GIVE seems remarkable, and national studies corroborate the experience in our program. A national study published in 1997 and conducted by The Council of Chief State School Officers, the Close Up Foundation, Earth Force, and the National Society for Experiential Education had similar results to Teens GIVE. Results indicated that: a) 90% of participants said they thought others should be encouraged to participate in service learning; b) 87% said they learned valuable skills that will be useful in the future; c) 90% of agencies nationally reported that volunteers had helped them improve the quality of their services to clients and the community; and d) 96% of community officials said they would use program participants again.

The Center for Human Resources at Brandeis University also studied the impact of service learning. Their report, published in 1998, is entitled “National Evaluation of Learn and Serve America School and Community-Based Programs.” It showed that 95% of the program participants reported satisfaction with their community service experience and that the service they performed was helpful to the community and the individuals they served. 87% of the participants said that they learned a skill that would be helpful in the future; 90 % felt that students should be encouraged to participate in community service. In addition, 99% of the agencies rated their overall experience with the local learn and Serve as “good” or “excellent”; 96% of the agencies involved reported that they would use program participants again. 90% of the agencies involved indicated that Learn and Serve participants had helped the agency improve their services to clients and the community; and 82% reported that the Learn and Serve program had helped to build a more positive attitude towards youth in the community.

In 1997, Dr. Joseph Allen, of the University of Virginia, released the results of a national study on the effects of service learning. The study evaluated two major components: community service and reflection. It examined over 25 sites nationwide. The program was found to “consistently lead to reductions of 50% in pregnancy, school failure and suspension rates.” Teen pregnancy prevention expert, Doug Kirby, was quoted in The Washington Post as stating that these results represent the “strongest evidence we have that social programs can prevent teen pregnancy. He further asserts that this research “is only the beginning and that future studies will continue to demonstrate the positive effects of service learning on the lives of young people and their communities.”

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Children Served

Although currently serving primarily “at risk” children ages 9 - 18, we have foundgroup that all children seem to benefit from service learning experiences. In addition to the benefits our participants receive, local agencies and our community also receive free teen volunteer services. Last year our participants provided over 6,500 hours of volunteer support to our community.

In addition to designated special education students, Service Learning opportunities exist through the 9t Grade Block I & II programs at Charlottesville High School. A similar classroom service learning model is offered at Walker Elementary School and an after school program is provided to students at Buford Middle School.

Services Offered

Service-learning activities are designed to foster civic responsibility and student leadership. Our definition of service-learning incorporates the concept of providing methods for young people to learn and develop through volunteering in well - organized service experiences. One of the three main components is to help to foster the development of a sense of caring for others, altruism, and awareness that individual goals can only be met within the context of a society. The principles of Teens GIVE are based on the six pillars of character education; Citizenship, Caring, Respect, Trustworthiness, Fairness, Honesty. Teamwork, decision-making, conflict resolution and problem-solving skills are integrated and modeled through out our project activity. In addition, a character education weekly theme is introduced and developed ties together all components of service-learning. Character education and life skill topics are integrated throughout the weekly program activities. The service - learning experience is used as one of the primary methods to teach the character education/life skills curriculum. Topics are introduced on a weekly basis and are integrated into the daily pre - service expectation discussion, the service - learning activity, and reflection time. Character education and life skills topics are also facilitated as formal groups. Youth learn about many character building principles and important social values. TG's Character Education/Life Skills curriculum addresses topics such as; decision making/problem solving, developing positive team and group skills, citizenship, vocational and service site training, healthy relationships, job readiness and career awareness, anger management and other independent living skill areas.

Impact

Impact on Schools: Service learning has a positive impact on school climate. Students participate in character education and learn the meaning of respect, fairness, commitment, while developing skill in conflict resolution and teamwork. Students learn to deal with diversity, different types of people and relationship issues. They become more able to avoid trouble and decrease inappropriate behavior in school. School climate is improves with their ability to handle expectations and demands of school, faculty and administrators.

Impact on Teaching Methods: Service-learning has an impact on teaching methods. Students enjoy the experiential learning that occurs through their service-learning experience and teachers enjoy having students who are actively involved in learning. Service-learning lends itself to the cooperative learning model and to creatively linking academics to contextual learning through service experience. Once teachers and students have experienced new ways of using projects and themes to organize learning, they are no longer dependent on traditional lecture approaches.

Impact on Community: Teens GIVE makes a positive impact on our community in many ways. The most obvious is the direct service provided, approximately 8,000 hours annually. Through organized activities, service has been provided to lonely elderly people, underprivileged children, and abused animals. In addition students in Teens GIVE have assisted in the delivery of meals to the sick and “shut-in”, the initiation of environmental clean-up activities and beautification projects. The service sites get volunteers and the reward of watching these students gain confidence, self-esteem and personal growth. Our community benefits from having these students learn social responsibility and pride and it sees youth as making a contribution to the community.

Margaret Thacker, activities coordinator at Cedars Nursing Home state, “Teens GIVE volunteers have started new programs: manicures, musical programs, step dancing, singing, bulletin boards artwork, craft projects, social parties, bake sale and car wash fundraiser to support resident activities. These Teens have spoken to other teens in the community at various functions and ceremonies about the benefit of their service to the elderly and have recruited many of their friends to volunteer.”

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Program Goals

To provide students with academic, social and career skills.

  • To integrate service-learning activities into graded level curriculum thus enhancing the Standards of Learning and encouraging relevant classroom instruction.
  • To provide opportunities for students to develop “work readiness skills” such as teamwork, communication, and problem-solving.
  • To demonstrate that students can make a positive difference in their community through tasks performed for schools, agencies, organizations, and the environment.

Awards and Recognition

The Teens GIVE Block Program brings pride to our school and community. Recognition, both state and local, has been awarded to individual participants and our Teens GIVE program, including the 2001 Community Service Award for Outstanding Youth Group presented by Virginia’s Governor. This award was based on nomination support letters from school personnel, a service partner and a local child advocacy group.

Teens GIVE was named the Virginia Health Care Association’s (VHCA) 2002 Group Volunteer of the Year. The VHCA, a four hundred member association, recognized Teens GIVE for their continued contribution to The Cedars Nursing Home, at the VHCA Annual Awards Banquet at the Hotel Roanoke on Tuesday, September 17, 2002.

Shawn Watson, a Teens GIVE student, was named the Virginia Health Care Association’s (VHCA) 2002 Volunteer of the Year. The VHCA, a four hundred member association, recognized Shawn for his work at The Cedars Nursing Home, at the VHCA Annual Awards Banquet at the Hotel Roanoke on Tuesday, September 17, 2002.

awards

In addition to providing close to 1800 hours of service, surveys from service site partners indicate the following:

“We enjoyed working with the students. They made improvements to four sites that we maintain. It is important for students to feel a sense of ownership and a sense of pride for the common spaces we share in the community whether they are parks, school grounds, or plantings in and around our neighborhoods.”
- Susan Pleiss, City of Charlottesville parks and Grounds.

“Students are well behaved and have been prepared. When faced with challenges and setbacks, they rise to the occasion. If problems arise, students quickly learn from their mistakes.”
- Margaret Thacker, Cedars Nursing Home.

“Teens GIVE has always been a success here. The senior citizens as well as staff, look forward to meeting and working with the students. It gives our seniors the opportunity to work with and have fun with the young. It brings back memories of their youth.”
- Connie Brittle, Mary Williams Senior Center.

“The strongest aspect of this program is that teens learn that they can make a difference right now, this very day! It is important for everyone to learn that there are people less fortunate than ourselves, and that often times—most times—those people are just like us.”
- Mandy Hoy, Meals on Wheels.

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Program History

The history of service learning at Charlottesville High School is one of collaboration with a community agency. Teens GIVE (Getting Involved in Volunteer Service), a program sponsored by Community Attention, a division of the Charlottesville Department of Social Services, has been serving the special needs students of our community for approximately ten years. Teens GIVE works because the program has a well organized and therapeutic program structure, involving youth in high interest and supportive experiences. It also incorporates 25 years of Community Attention experience in working with children and teenagers.

Teens GIVE operates a variety of service learning programs both collaboratively with the schools and in response to juvenile court referrals and alternative educational programs. The programs run through out the school year and during the summer. Teens GIVE is a inclusive model and students identified as academically unmotivated, truant, academically challenged, juvenile delinquent, and students with disabilities have all participated successfully in Teens GIVE. Students are placed in “relationship based” community agencies/projects where service learning is supplemented with tutoring, mentoring, academic integration, character education and life skills training.

Serving highly challenged youth who have very low motivation and self-esteem levels requires planning, organization, creativity and lots of patience. Teens GIVE blends high interest, well-organized/supervised, fun service learning experiences with classroom instruction, life skills training, character education, tutoring, mentoring, and counseling support. This innovative program has been highly successful at meeting community needs while empowering young people to make “positive changes in their community while making positive changes in themselves."

Community Attention had previous success with involving children in volunteer activities and, with Charlottesville City Schools, decided that it was a very effective way to teach social and job skills, enhance academic achievement and school performance, foster character and citizenship building, and encourage student responsibility through high interest and fun experiences. Teens GIVE began in 1992 as an expansion of community volunteering efforts. The program was initially funded through a Charlottesville/Albemarle Foundation grant. Teens GIVE was further expanded through donations, juvenile justice funding, a Community Development Block Grant and through a Virginia Department of Education Learn and Serve Grant.

In the fall of 1996, using a service-learning model with proven success, Charlottesville High School collaborated with Community Attention to fully integrate service-learning into Block 9 (a program for target students transitioning from middle to high school) and educational experiences of students were thus expanded. Through Teens GIVE, our service-learning project, students received the opportunity to learn new skills, like teamwork, while planning, carrying out and completing service projects. Students gained personal satisfaction by helping others, thus building their self-esteem and self-confidence while making a positive difference in their school and community. Students developed career direction through the experience of working at community service sites with adult volunteers. Finally, students acquired job experience through service activities---many employers will hire an applicant with volunteer experience in a job-related field over one without work experience. In the fall of 2001, Teens GIVE added an Applied Block thus doubling the number of students participating in service-learning.

Many students, teachers, and administrators are engaged in service-leaning at Charlottesville High School. We have found that all children seem to benefit from service learning experiences. Charlottesville High School has many opportunities for service through its clubs and organizations such as the Key Club, "Black Knights in Action" and the Student Council Association. Students, faculty and staff are involved accordingly. Our service-learning project, Teens GIVE, however, primarily serves "at-risk" students in grades 9-12. With its success, approximately 300 students participate in Teens GIVE annually providing in excess of 8,000 hours of service. This project has been widely supported by administrators; faculty and staff assigned to our Block and Applied Level programs.

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Teens GIVE

Teens GIVE (Getting Involved in Volunteer Service) has been serving students of our community for more than ten years. Students are placed in “relationship based” service learning projects. Through structured service learning, students are given support and guidance that fosters the development of healthy values and life skills.

Teens GIVE operates a variety of classroom and after school Service Learning programs for the Charlottesville City Schools. These innovative programs have been highly successful at meeting community needs and, they enable young people to learn valuable interpersonal and social skills through high interest volunteer activities.

Teens GIVE Goals

  • To provide students with academic, social and career skills.
  • To integrate service-learning activities into graded level curriculum thus enhancing the Standards of Learning and encouraging relevant classroom instruction.
  • To provide opportunities for students to develop “work readiness skills” such as teamwork, communication, and problem-solving.
  • To demonstrate that students can make a positive difference in their community through tasks performed for schools, agencies, organizations, and the environment.

Teens GIVE Program Components

Teens GIVE participants provide over 8,000 hours of service to our community annually. Specific service sites/projects are selected based upon a community need, and are organized into four vocational categories: service to children, to the elderly, to animals and to the environment. Each project has the following program components:

  • Training
  • Service
  • Reflection
  • Recognition

Teens GIVE offers

  • Classroom Service-Learning Coordination that integrates academic subject areas with experiential activities to support SOL skill acquisition for students in the Block Program at Charlottesville High School.
  • After School Programs for students at Walker Elementary and Buford Middle School to learn about community service while developing life, character skills and career awareness.
  • Nine-week Summer Program for children and adolescents in need of support and supervision but who can demonstrate the ability to function in a group setting.
  • Service-Learning Workshops tailored to meet specific needs of school personnel interested in implementing Service Learning as a classroom instructional supplement. The workshops typically include orientation to volunteer principles, responsibilities and benefits, service activity, reflection, and character education.

All student programs offer reflective activities, coordination and case management, transportation, service mentors, character education and career awareness components. Additional options that offer supplemental supervision and guidance for students with special needs are available as needed.

“Everyone can be great because
everyone can serve……”
--- Dr, Martin Luther King, Jr. ---

Charlottesville students learn valuable lessons through Teens GIVE:

“I learned to care for all people and help the one's in need"

I learned that helping others makes you feel good"

"I learned how to be more patient with others"

“I learned that it makes people feel good to know that someone cares"

“I learned that we could be good role models"

“I learned that although I am only one person, I can make a difference"

“I learned respect, how to treat people, and that there was more than one way to help our community"

“I learned that I am worth something and I can accomplish my goals in my life if I apply myself"

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