Posts Tagged ‘Service-Learning’

Reflecting on the Journey

Catherine Wade Thursday, May 2nd, 2013

By Kristine Cody

This May marks the end of my graduate assistantship in the Service-Learning office. It is a bittersweet season as I look back with gratitude on the experiences I have had and prepare to move forward into new positions. Service-Learning has come to take on a new meaning for me – it signifies citizenship and stewardship of resources for the overall benefit of a community. It shifts the aim of education from betterment of self to the betterment of society in a reciprocal, results-based manner. More than that though, Service-Learning means intentional application of learning that produces transformation of mind, heart, and spirit for students and community members alike.

Our theme in the office this year has been “Journeying Together” which indicates partnership, collaboration, and collective vision, not only in the work we do, but in the personal experiences that we share. The CASLR family is saying “see you later” to many valuable employees and friends, including five graduating seniors and five graduate interns. In facing this reality we have reflected together on the past year, the relationships built, and the work completed – there is much gratitude for the landmarks we have experienced together. These pivotal moments include the following accomplishments:

  • Establishing a collaborative mission statement for the College Headed and Mighty Proud program.
  • The office’s Assistant Director, Cindy Montgomery, completed her first full year in the position.
  • Staff presented at the 2013 Continuums of Service Conference in Portland, Oregon.
  • The expansion of the 8th Grade Majors Fair to include all three middle schools in the Azusa Unified School District.
  • The Community Scholars transitioned to an independently functioning group.

I leave this year with intellectual gains from researching and participating in Service-Learning and the social emotional gains from working in an office that fosters workplace community and professional development. This experience has demonstrated the concept of bringing together many voices to have maximum impact on community need and resilience. It has shed light on how positive team synergy can optimize motivation and impact, and integrate inherent value of all parties involved.

“No group can solve its problems without the expertise and perspective of others. Artists need business-minded people to complement their creativity with economic savvy. Developers benefit from artists who create neighborhoods that have character and aesthetically unique identities. Planners profit from mothers’ input in designing neighborhoods that nurture children. To solve the problems of today’s multifaceted communities, we must bring together everyone’s ideas to construct a collective vision of the future.” – Milenko Matanovic, Executive Director of the Pomegranate Center

Service-Learning is the pipeline for civically engaged and socially responsible individuals who prioritize making a difference in the world. This is what it means to journey together – to bring together diverse voices, to give and receive, and to care for the well-being of our communities.

~

Kristine is a graduate assistant serving at the Center for Academic Service-Learning & Research serving as the 2012-2013 Coordinator for Student Professional Development. She is working towards her Master’s of Science in College Counseling and Student Development.

Tags:
Posted in Service-Learning | Comments Off

Empowering Middle School Students to Believe in Their Future

Catherine Wade Wednesday, March 13th, 2013

By: Kristine Cody

Spring semester at the Center for Academic Service-Learning & Research is bustling with activity. The overcrowded, color coded master calendar is a daily reminder of the many professors and students committed to serving and learning in the Azusa community. A distinctive of this time is the intentional programs focused on increasing college awareness and readiness for middle school students. Welcome to CASLR’s March Madness!

8th Grade Majors Fair

The 8th Grade Majors Fair is in its second year of existence and already demonstrating phenomenal growth and impact. It is designed to give middle school students exposure to academic majors and extracurricular activities, so that they can envision a future at college and begin to take intentional steps to prepare during their high school years. This event is made possible by the collaboration of three higher education institutions (Azusa Pacific University, Cal Poly Pomona , and Citrus Community College) and has grown to reach a total of three middle schools (Center Middle School, Foothill Middle School, and Slauson Middle School). It will take place on March 14th from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Memorial Park North Recreation Center.

Brain Awareness Week

The second annual Brain Awareness Fair is occurring March 11th through 17th in celebration of National Brain Awareness Week. Dr. Skyla Herod and her neurobiology students are providing learning opportunities for Azusa Pacific University students, as well as Azusa Unified School District middle schools to communicate practical concepts on brain health. APU students can benefit from attending two lectures and/or visiting a publicity booth. In addition, the neurobiology will be presenting to seventh graders at Slauson Middle School on March 18th, to Center Middle School on March 19th, and Foothill Middle School on March 20th.

Cougar Pals

For over a decade, Azusa Pacific University’s (APU) Cougar Pals program has been providing mentorship for at-risk middle school students. This long-standing partnership with the Azusa Unified School District has grown in its capacity and impact, reaching all three district middle schools and having a high parent-request rate as a result of the proven outcomes. The potential benefits are many and include an increase in student’s ability to focus in class, positive changes in behavior, and improvements in course work. APU social work students are partnered with middle school students to provide academic and social support on a weekly basis. The culminating experience is a visit day to APU’s campus on March 21st from 9:30 – 11:00 a.m. during which students are given a tour and have the opportunity to ask questions about college.

~

Kristine is a graduate assistant serving at the Center for Academic Service-Learning & Research serving as the 2012-2013 Coordinator for Student Professional Development. She is working towards her Master’s of Science in College Counseling and Student Development.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in APU Community, Service-Learning | Comments Off

Defying Odds: Fourth Graders at College

Catherine Wade Tuesday, November 13th, 2012

By: Kristine Cody

If you stroll through Azusa Pacific University’s campus this week you may be surprised to find troops of elementary school kids walking along the pathways. Don’t be alarmed, their bus driver did not take a wrong turn. This is actually a bi-annual occurrence that is sponsored by the Center for Academic Service-Learning & Research’s College Headed and Mighty Proud (C.H.A.M.P.) program.

C.H.A.M.P. is overseen by Dr. Paul Flores, the chair of the liberal studies department, and has been in existence for twenty-one years. It is a ten week program, held each semester, during which APU students facilitate lessons on college preparation in fourth grade classrooms around the Azusa community. The curriculum focuses on team building, financial aid, major and career exploration, and the college application process. The experience culminates with an expository essay, a visit to APU’s campus, and a graduation ceremony. Currently C.H.A.M.P. services six elementary schools: Murray, Magnolia, Paramount, Mountain View, Lee, and Powell.

November is an eventful month for this program including three campus visits and graduation. These events promote both a concrete experience of higher education for students, and allow parents of first generation students to become educated. Individuals looking to learn more about this program or get involved are welcome to attend graduation on November 28th at 6:30 p.m. in the Felix Event Center. Additional information can be obtained through the C.H.A.M.P. webpage, http://www.apu.edu/caslr/champ/, or by contacting the C.H.A.M.P. director at champdirector@apu.edu.

This year’s C.H.A.M.P. director, Anthony Bernardo, seeks to lead on the “front line” by demonstrating care and intentionality with all students in order to have the greatest possible impact. Bernardo’s Liberal Studies background and family history in the field of education has equipped him well to mentor and motivate those under his supervision. He is thrilled to be in a position that merges both of his passions – college students and children.

He believes that C.H.A.M.P. finds success because of the buy-in from administrators from both the university and elementary schools. In addition, this program will find continued success if awareness and support grows within the Azusa community. Bernardo’s recommendations for accomplishing this are prayer for education in general, advocacy for college access for younger generations, and involvement by local businesses. These efforts will help our youngest citizens understand the value of higher education and their opportunity to participate. Each partner plays a critical role in defining this value, which inspires our youth to be tomorrow’s leaders.

So if you happen to be on campus and see an elementary school student making their way towards you, flash a smile or offer a high five. You may be in the presence of a future president.

~

Kristine is a graduate assistant at the Center for Academic Service-Learning and Research serving as the 2012 – 2013 Coordinator for Student Professional Development. She is working towards her Master’s of Science in College Counseling and Student Development.

Tags: ,
Posted in APU Community | Comments Off

Sixth grade, Spending, and Service-Learning

Kelsey Bjugstad Tuesday, December 6th, 2011

Hi, I’m Kelsey. :) You might be familiar my face or name because I blogged my freshman year. I’m now a junior Communication Studies major and Psychology minor. I’m taking a few of my major classes and finally finishing up my general education classes. My last general education class I’m taking, other than bible courses, is Analytical Inquiry. Analytical Inquiry fills my math requirement and I’ve really been enjoying it. It’s an alternative to College Algebra for non-science majors. We focus on a lot of case-study math, such as learning about auto loans, inflation, and taxes. I love learning math that I know I’ll be using after college and can even currently apply to my life.

Another really great part of the class is the service-learning aspect. Service-Learning is a program at APU that allows students to learn by serving the community. We were able to teach a local sixth grade class how to use the car loan formula in order to pay the best price for a car. We looked at buying cars at high and low APRs (loan interest rate for the year) and rebates.

I really enjoyed our Service-Learning project. Not only was volunteering in general fulfilling, actually being able to teach the kids something relevant was extremely rewarding. While the two girls I was teaching only got through half of the worksheet because of time constraints, it was so fun to encourage, help, and teach them. Math is one of my worst subjects so it was nice to be able to understand the material and teach it to someone else. It was nice to see how excited the girls got when they started recognizing patterns in the formula and getting ahead of my instructions. I taught two girls at once which was great because they were able to help each other as well. One of the girls caught onto the formula a bit faster, while the other seemed to get a little behind and didn’t want to ask for help. I really admired the girl who picked it up quickly and yet I could relate so much to the one who needed just a little bit of guidance.

I really wish we could have had a little bit more time. It was so nice to have a break from my schedule and homework assignments to go teach the sixth graders. I’m really hoping future classes take advantage of our Service-Learning program. It was great! :)

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Undergraduate Experience | Comments Off