TOOLS AND RESOURCES

Getting Started/Toolkits
Getting started may seem like a daunting task, but there are several resources to assist you in your efforts, as well as toolkits to help you from start to finish.

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COMPACT FOR LEARNING AND CITIZENSHIP: This nationwide coalition of chief state school officers, district superintendents, and others committed to service-learning in K-12 classrooms gathers and disseminates information, provides training and technical assistance, builds partnerships and networks, and serves as a national voice for creating high-quality service-learning opportunities for all students. The site has links to various issue areas, meetings, and publications. Link: www.ecs.org/clc

NATIONAL YOUTH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL: The NYLC Essential Elements Publication site serves as a clearinghouse of information for service-learning, including news, events, online resources, and descriptions of publications. The Essential Elements Publications is a fee-based product that provides examples of programs from novice to expert. Link: www.nylc.org/publications.cfm

NORTHWEST REGIONAL EDUCATIONAL LABORATORY: This service-learning toolbox provides information to help start your program and keep it going. It offers information in a narrative format along with work pages and checklists that help you personalize the information on starting and maintaining a program. The document is divided into four key areas: preparation (project identification and planning), action, formal evaluation, and online resources. Link: www.nwrel.org/ruraled/learnserve/resources/SL_Toolbox.pdf

PEACE CORPS, PAUL D. COVERDELL WORLD WISE SCHOOLS: This model provides valuable background information needed to start a service-learn-ing program. Subject areas include: a definition of service-learning; standards and framework; getting started; project ideas; and lesson plans. It also provides links to other service-learning web sites and information on other resources. Link: www.peacecorps.gov/wws/service/getstarted/slmodel.html

POWER OF FIVE: Developed by America's Promise and Weekly Reader, Power of Five is a turnkey service-learning tool for classroom educators and small group leaders to use in engaging 11-14 year olds in service around the five critical needs of other children and youth, called the Five Promises. Link: www.poweroffive.org

THE NATIONAL SERVICE-LEARNING CLEARINGHOUSE: Among the clearinghouse resources is a compilation of funding sources, including government organizations, non-profit organizations, foundations, and businesses. Link: www.servicelearning.org

THE NATIONAL SERVICE-LEARNING PARTNERSHIP: The Partnership is a national membership organization bringing together practitioners, administrators, policy-makers, researchers, community leaders, parents and young people to support K-12 service-learning. Link: www.service-learningpartnership.org

Finding Help
Many organizations may offer funding resources as well as personnel resources such as a service-learning or volunteer coordinator who can connect you with other community resources, and recruit and manage volunteers. The links below will help you find these kinds of support.

RECORD OF SERVICE
The USA Freedom Corps offers a reflection tool that may be helpful in your classroom. A Record of Service journal that includes facts and figures on volunteer service as well as inspirational quotes from historical figures, philosophers, authors, poets and others can be downloaded at www.usafreedomcorps.gov or ordered from the USA Freedom Corps. If your students have Internet access in the classroom, you may want to use the online Record of Service available on the USA Freedom Corps web site.

AMERICORPS: A program of the Corporation for National and Community Service, AmeriCorps is a network of national service programs that engages more than 50,000 Americans each year in intensive service to meet critical needs in education, public safety, health, and the environment. Many AmeriCorps members are assigned to serve in schools and can be used as coordinators. This link leads to an online index of AmeriCorps programs throughout the United States. You should contact AmeriCorps program sponsors to see if any members would be available to help. Link: www.americorps.org

LEARN AND SERVE AMERICA: This is a program of the Corporation for National and Community Service, providing funding and training support for service-learning programs in schools, community-based organizations, and higher education institutions. Nearly every State Education Agency (SEA) operates a Learn and Serve America program that makes funds available to local schools and their service-learning partners and provides training and technical assistance. The SEA Learn and Serve America representative has expertise in service-learning across the state. In addition, Learn and Serve America makes competitive grants to national nonprofit organizations, higher education institutions and associations, tribes, U.S. territories, and state commissions on national and community service. Link: www.learnandserve.org

POINTS OF LIGHT FOUNDATION AND THE VOLUNTEER CENTER NATIONAL NETWORK: The Foundation is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization devoted to promoting volunteerism whose mission is to engage more people more effectively in volunteer service to help solve serious social problems. The Foundation works closely with the Volunteer Center National Network. These organizations, which are found in over 500 communities, match volunteers with community groups seeking help. This link leads to an index of the National Network of Volunteer Centers. Link: www.pointsoflight.org

THE NATIONAL SENIOR SERVICE CORPS: This network of three major pro-grams (Foster Grandparents, Senior Companion, and Retired and Senior Volunteer Program) is based at the Corporation for National and Community Service and engages more than 500,000 volunteers aged 55 and over in service to meet critical needs in education, public safety, health, and the environment. Many members work in schools and can be used as coordinators. This link offers an index to Senior Service Corps programs throughout the United States. Contact local Senior Service Corps sponsors to see if any members would be available to help. Link: www.seniorcorps.org

THE STATE EDUCATION AGENCY K-12 SERVICE-LEARNING NETWORK: This site has information on policy development, best practices, resources, and a map that links to all the individual state departments of education homepages. Link: www.seanetonline.org

YOUTH SERVICE AMERICA (YSA): A resource center and alliance of over 300 organizations committed to increasing the quantity and quality of opportunities for young Americans to serve locally, nationally, or globally. The YSA website offers print & online project planning tools, volunteer opportunities, youth-voice resources, grant programs, and a national email newsletter. Link: www.ysa.org

Curriculum
Many curricular resources exist to help you link service with learning. Many states have also published guides to linking service-learning with your curricular standards. Contact your Learn and Serve America state education agency representative (www.seanetonline.org) for more information.

CELEBRATION USA: This nonprofit educational organization was established in 1992 to encourage young people to honor the principles of democracy, good citizenship, and patriotism. It is a sponsor of Pledge Across America. Link: www.celebrationusa.org

LEARNING IN DEED: This site is primarily a catalog of links for K-12 service-learning curricula. Link: www.learningindeed.org/tools/other/currnet.html

Program Directories and Models
Examples of existing programs, model programs and best practices are available on several web sites, including the following.

LEARN AND SERVE AMERICA GRANTEE PROGRAM DIRECTORY: At this site you can search for service-learning programs and descriptions by geographical location (city and state), type of program (higher education, K-12, community-based, etc.), location (rural, suburban, and urban), school subject area, and community services. Link: www.servicelearning.org/resources_tools/program_directory/index.php

THE NATIONAL SERVICE-LEARNING LEADER SCHOOLS: This national initiative recognizes schools for their excellence in service-learning on the basis of their exemplary integration of service-learning into the curriculum and the life of the school. Link: www.leaderschools.org

Civic and Character Education Linkages
Among the academic subjects that help students develop responsibility are character and civic education. The following is a list of organizations that offer civic education or character education resources to educators. More information on these and other organizations can be found on the CD-ROM that accompanies the guide or online at www.usafreedomcorps.gov.

Civic Education
BILL OF RIGHTS INSTITUTE: Link: www.billofrightsinstitute.org

CELEBRATION USA: Link: www.celebrationusa.org

CENTER FOR CIVIC EDUCATION: Link: www.civiced.org

CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS FOUNDATION: Link: www.crf-usa.org/lessons.html

Civic and Character Education Linkages
COLLABORATIVE FOR ACADEMIC, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: Link: www.casel.org

GOODCHARACTER.COM: Link: www.GoodCharacter.com

THE CENTER FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF ETHICS AND CHARACTER: Link: www.bu.edu/education/caec

THE CHARACTER COUNTS! COALITION: Link: www.charactercounts.org

THE CHARACTER EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP: Link: www.character.org

Service and service-learning programs can go on outside the school too. To be effective, however, they need to be well-organized and meaningful, and con-nected as closely as possible to what young people are expected to learn.

National Organizations
Several national organizations have programs and affiliates that work with youth. The organizations listed here work primarily in service-learning and youth development. More information on these organizations and others can be found on the CD-ROM that accompanies the guide or on-line at www.usafreedomcorps.gov.

AMERICA'S PROMISE: Link: www.americaspromise.org

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STUDENT ACTIVITY ADVISERS: Link: www.principals.org

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STUDENT COUNCILS (NASC): Link: www.dsa.principals.org/nasc

NATIONAL PARENT-TEACHER ASSOCIATION: Link: www.pta.org/index.asp

NATIONAL SERVICE RESOURCE CENTER: Link: www.etr.org/NSRC/

After-School Programs
After school is an ideal time to engage young people in service and service-learning. Activities may be linked directly to school-day content, or to academic, civic, social, and recreational enrichment activities.

21ST CENTURY COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTERS (CCLC): The 21 st Century Community Learning Centers program is a component of President Bush's No Child Left Behind Act. These centers provide opportunities for students and their families to continue to learn new skills and discover new abilities after the school day has ended. Link: www.ed.gov/21stcclc

AFTERSCHOOL.GOV: A vast list of federal resources and ideas for after-school programs is available at this web site, including ways to plan, support, and conduct programs; community and organizational linkages; and how to keep current through the use of clearinghouses, government programs, listservs, newsletters, publications, research, and reports. There is also a related site for younger students and teenagers. Link: www.afterschool.gov

NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON OUT OF SCHOOL TIME: You will find an issue brief on service-learning after school that focuses on specific ways of inspiring youth to learn, connecting to school-day academies, fostering civic duty, and maximizing volunteers and community resources. Link: www.etr.org/nsrc/pdfs/niost/IssueBrief9.pdf

THE AFTERSCHOOL ALLIANCE: This nonprofit organization is dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of after-school programs and advocating for quality, affordable programs for all children. The web site includes news, events, research and resources related to after-school programs. Link: www.afterschoolalliance.org

Service Clubs and Organizations
Many nonprofit groups sponsor chapters and programs for young people, especially in high school and middle school. Their activities often include community service. The following is a list of some of the better-known ones, whose programs feature both regular service and service-learning.

AMERICAN RED CROSS: The Youth Office works to help students enhance self-reliance, develop concern for others, and make commitments to community service. Program themes include Volunteer Service, Leadership Development, Youth/Adult Partnerships, School-Based Partnerships, and International Awareness. Link: www.redcross.org/services/youth/edu/index.html

CAMP FIRE USA: Camp Fire USA is one of the Nation's leading nonprofit youth development organizations, serving over 650,000 participants annually. Camp Fire USA provides all-inclusive, coeducational programs in hundreds of communities across the United States. Founded in 1910, Camp Fire USA's outcome-based programs include youth leadership, self-reliance, after-school groups, camping and environmental education, and child care. Link: www.campfire.org

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY: Habitat for Humanity's campus chapters are unin-corporated, student-run, student-led organizations that perform three main functions: building or rehabilitating houses in partnership with Habitat affiliates, national offices and homeowners; educating the campus and community about affordable housing issues and the work of Habitat for Humanity; and raising funds for the work of Habitat. Link: www.habitat.org/ccyp

JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT: Beginning at the elementary school level, Junior Achievement reaches approximately 5.2 million students worldwide. Through age-appropriate curricula, Junior Achievement programs teach children how they can impact the world around them as individuals, workers and consumers. Programs use a mixture of classroom instruction and student-run projects aimed at applying economic and business principles to real-world issues. Link: www.ja.org

KEY CLUB (KIWANIS EDUCATING YOUTH): Key Club is a coeducational service organization for high school students, organized and sponsored by local Kiwanis clubs. A self-governing organization, it elects its own officers, determines its own service activities, and establishes its own dues structure. Some objectives include: developing initiative and leadership; serving the school and community; and developing a more intelligent, aggressive and serviceable citizenship. Link: www.keyclub.org/index.htm

NATIONAL 4-H COUNCIL: 4-H is a youth development program administered through the Land Grant college system. It promotes "Learning by Doing" and the development of youth leadership skills for the future. National 4-H Council is the national, private sector nonprofit partner of the 4-H chapters and the Cooperative Extension System. It works with 4-H clubs at all levels - national, state and local - providing training and support, fostering innovative programming, and facilitating meetings and connections within the 4-H partnership. It uses service-learning in a growing number of its activities with young people. Link: www.fourhcouncil.edu

NATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR TEACHING ENTREPRENEURSHIP: NFTE's mission is to teach entrepreneurship to low-income young people, ages 11 through 18, so that they can learn more about becoming productive members of society by improving their academic, business, technology and life skills. NFTE programs are offered in a variety of settings, including public schools, after-school programs at community-based organizations, and intensive summer business camps. Link: www.nfte.com

NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY: The National Honor Society (NHS) and National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) recognize outstanding high school and middle level students. More than just an academic honor roll, NHS and NJHS honor those students who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of leadership, service, and character (and citizenship for NJHS). School-based chapters often sponsor tutoring and other service activities. Link: http://www.nhs.us/

STUDENTS AGAINST DESTRUCTIVE DECISIONS: Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) is a youth organization that promotes teen empowerment and uses peer influence to spread the message of positive decision-making. The SADD organization is comprised of thousands of high school and middle school chapters that embrace a "No Use" policy and help educate other students about potentially destructive decisions regarding underage drinking, impaired driving, drug use, violence and suicide. Link: www.saddonline.com

Youth Leadership Clubs and Organizations
A variety of organizations seek to develop civic leadership skills in young people. Their programs involve having students learn about how government or community groups work, then having them role-play or take part in their activities. Participants often take part in service projects or are chosen on the basis of records of service.

BOYS AND GIRLS STATE (AMERICAN LEGION/AMERICAN LEGIONS AUXILIARY): The American Legion Boys State and American Legion Auxiliary Girls State are selective educational programs of government instruction for high school students. Each participant becomes a part of the operation of his local, county and state government. Activities include legislative sessions, court proceedings, law enforcement presentations, assemblies, bands, chorus and recreational programs. Link: www.legion.org/events/evt_bs.htm

HUGH O'BRIEN YOUTH LEADERSHIP: This program enrolls outstanding high school sophomores who meet with recognized leaders in business, government, science, education, and the professions. Seminars take place at the community, state, and international levels. Participants are expected to provide at least one hundred hours of service. Link: www.hoby.org

JUNIOR STATESMEN OF AMERICA: Through school-based chapters, regional conferences, and academic summer programs, this student-run organization helps youth learn how to actively participate in public affairs. Link: www.jsa.org

UNITED NATIONS ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Model United Nations is an authentic simulation of the U.N. General Assembly and other multilateral bodies, catapulting students into the world of diplomacy and negotiation. Participants have to learn about international issues and then work with other "delegations" to try to solve them. Link: www.unausa.org

YMCA TEEN LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS (YOUTH AND GOVERNMENT): YMCA programs help teens learn how to express themselves, come together for a common cause, and be active and informed citizens. Leaders Clubs involve teens in community service projects, and the Youth and Government program involves students in hands-on activities that teach them about state government. High school youth participate in model state legislatures and the annual Youth Governors Conference held in Washington, D.C. each summer. Link: www.ymca.net/programs/ teens/Teens.htm

Service is often its own reward, as is learning. But both are more likely to take place when students are recognized publicly for their efforts. A number of programs aim to do exactly that.

CONGRESSIONAL AWARD: This award program of the U.S. Congress is open to all 14- to 23-year-olds. Participants earn Bronze, Silver and Gold Congressional Award Certificates and Bronze, Silver and Gold Congressional Award Medals. Attaining each level involves setting goals in four program areas: Volunteer Public Service, Personal Development, Physical Fitness, and Expedition/Exploration. Link: www.congressionalaward.org

DAILY POINT OF LIGHT AWARD: Designed to honor those who have made a commitment to connecting Americans through service to help meet critical needs in their communities, these awards are given daily by the Points of Light Foundation and the Volunteer Center National Network. Link: www.pointsoflight.org/dpol/ProgramInfo.htm

THE NATIONAL SERVICE-LEARNING LEADER SCHOOLS: This is a national initiative, sponsored by the Corporation for National and Community Service, that annually recognizes junior and senior high schools for their excellence in service-learning. These schools are chosen competitively, based on their integration of service-learning into the curriculum and life of the school. Link: www.leaderschools.org

THE PRESIDENT'S STUDENT SERVICE AWARD: All full-time students from kindergarten through college who contribute at least 100 hours (50 hours for younger students) of service to the community are eligible for the award. Students may be certified by their school, college or a community organization. Link: www.student-service-awards.org/awards_index.htm

THE PRESIDENTIAL FREEDOM SCHOLARSHIPS: Each high school in the country may select up to two students to receive a $1,000 scholarship in recognition of their outstanding leadership in service to the community. The students selected may be either high school juniors or seniors. The Corporation for National and Community Service provides $500 for each scholarship, which must be matched with $500 secured by the school from a local service club, business or other organization. Link: www.nationalservice.org/scholarships

THE PRUDENTIAL SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY AWARDS: Sponsored by Prudential Financial Services, these awards recognize middle level and high school students who have demonstrated exemplary, self-initiated community service. Schools may select one honoree for every 1,000 students. Students are recognized at the local, state, and national levels. Link: www.prudential.com/community