Service+Opportunities


 * // Activities are planned and implemented for the school community to promote global awareness and appreciation. //**
 * // Conversation: What are the goals/priorities? What can we share? //**

Ideas and Experiences Shared

 * service work in New Orleans after Katrina...several schools make trips to build homes, etc.
 * trip to Peru - High School students
 * reflections are important at the end of the day
 * "Drink Water Only Day" - Ask children to drink water only for a week and the money they would have spent on milk or soda or juice save and collect and then send to Africa where clean water is an issue
 * desire for "virtual relationships" between schools (especially schools in other countries)
 * desire for hands-on service opportunities rather than just money-raising

Challenges

 * ======taking ownership...not just handing out money======
 * high school students have expressed desire for hands-on service rather than stocking shelves at food pantry, etc. where they do not get to interact with the people
 * face-time important for hearts to be touched
 * teachers need to see service work as part of the curriculum and need to be involved with services
 * important for students to meet with teachers after service for reflections and challenging both heart and head
 * push-back sometimes happens from faculty that children are missing academic time
 * rather than just work at the soup kitchens - children should sit down and have conversations and eat with the people
 * desire for more sustained relationships...not just swooping in for a day of service
 * students reflect by telling the stories of the people they have connected with
 * GOING GLOBAL
 * How does local become global? Bring the students to the essence of the issues. Use the RSCJ network, start a communication link between the communities to make unique opportunities available to the classroom teachers.
 * ACTIVISM
 * shine a light on issues at hand...even if you cannot leave your country or even your neighborhood
 * give meaning to the service
 * teachers need to be trained...service cannot be left to Religion teachers or Campus Ministers only
 * not just to be excellent...need to have ethical values
 * REFLECTION
 * idea to have a repository of reflections and stories of students' service work and experiences on a website - video
 * idea to highlight the service work of the teachers...will be good rode-model for students and show that it is life-long
 * students spend a lot of time //doing// and not enough time //being//
 * daily reflections in schools...5 minutes of "quiet time" at the end of the day on key words related to the goals: love, learn, serve, build, grow


 * SAC - Social Action Commitment**
 * research and come up with action plan
 * action can be very small but the action itself is important
 * develop mindset that you CAN do something

Other ideas mentioned

 * students make lunches for others
 * adopt a family at Christmas
 * "Pajama Day" - wear pajamas but also bring pajamas for a women's shelter
 * folding cranes to send to Japan after disaster there
 * working at the Crisis Nursery
 * Students advocate for a charity...present to student body...rest of students vote...winner gets real money for their charity

Book Recommendation: //Half the Sky// //﻿//

Take Aways

 * would love to continue discussion...get this group on-line
 * [|www.shiftrscj.org] - work of nuns in the Philippines - great site to check out