Summary
Service Learning has tremendous opportunity to engage youth on several ways that contribute to positive outcomes for the youth involved as well as the community they serve.
Situation
•The latest data available during 2004-2005 the DeKalb Juvenile Courts reported 6,369 delinquent acts committed among youth 9 to 18.
•An overwhelming 3,014 of these youth were charged and received sentencing as a result of these delinquent acts.
•DeKalb Teachers indicate need for enhanced curriculum resources to complement character education program in schools.
•Youth need to be valued by their community & have opportunities to contribute to others.
•Youth need constructive, enriching opportunities for growth.
Response
•The DeKalb 4-H program is designed to assist youth in developing life skills and forming attitudes, which will enable them to become self-directing, productive and contributing adults.
•Through hands-on activities youth learn: responsibility, respect, caring, honesty, trustworthiness, decision-making, fairness and citizenship.
•4-H members meet regularly in 49 elementary and 9 middle schools, 6 high schools, 8 DeKalb recreation centers and home school groups.
•Club meetings are led by teachers who are paid a supplement to lead the club program. These leaders are referred to as supplemented leaders.
•Organized and planned four county wide community service events to promote service learning
•Created Service Learning report to document impact.
Impact
•More than one thousand youth from DeKalb County 4-H clubs participated in at least one countywide community service project. Example of projects were:
•27 senior 4-H members from Southwest DeKalb High 4-H Club volunteer as mentors at the local library weekly assisting more than youth patrons with reading, research and homework. A Halloween literacy effort fortified with mentor reading, bookmarks, book giveaways, and treats to encourage reading to more than 70 elementary students.
•The annual DeKalb 4-H Coat and Blanket Drive collected 3,400 pounds (84 bags) of clothing and toiletries for men, women and children and donated these to St. Stephen Missionary Baptist Church, First Spanish Church of Metro Atlanta and Crossroads Bible Ministries for use in their homeless program in 2008.
•The Ronald McDonald House Charities is an on-going service learning project, this year involving 17 DeKalb 4-H clubs contributing more than 139 pounds of pop tabs. 11 high school 4-H teens delivered tabs and toured the new DeKalb County McDonald House in the summer of 2008.
•Clarkston High School, Stoneview, Bethune and Farrington elementary schools either continued or initiated school beautification projects or created outdoor classrooms.
•Martin Luther King High School 4-H club members planted a flower garden for local senior citizen center.
•Columbia High 4-H Club continued collaborated with the Med Share Program in DeKalb County to assist sorting to recycle unused, incomplete surgical packets to support over 25 international countries in need of medical supplies.
State Issue
Civic Engagement for Youth
Details
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Year:
2008
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Geographic Scope:
County
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County:
DeKalb
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Program Areas:
