Project Ideas Web Resources   Print Resources
	One of the many benefits of service learning is that students can select a project that is meaningful to them while helping them (and you) meet curricular objectives. Service projects can be as diverse as the students in your school and as unique as your community. Before students select their project, they should ask themselves if it is important to them, if it is an authentic need in the community, and if it is feasible. To help in this process, we have listed 50 project ideas in the list below. Each project can meet multiple curriculum areas and easily can be tailored to specific ability levels and ages. Animals Work at or raise money for a shelter Match animals in shelters with families Care for a neighbor's pet Write to companies protesting animal testing Make and sell identification tags for dogs and cats Organize a lost animal search group Children Read to or tutor younger children Organize a mitten drive for needy children Visit sick children Organize a book drive to give books to children Organize afterschool activities for latchkey kids Citizenship Organize a voter registration drive Support an important piece of legislation Organize a community poison control campaign Community Development Mow an elderly neighbor's lawn Renovate an abandoned house Beautify a playground Clean up a stream bed Paint and repair the homes of senior citizens or low-income residents Start a petition for necessary traffic signals Make your neighborhood safer Paint over graffiti Elderly Read to the elderly Shop for the elderly Do odd jobs for the elderly Organize an "adoption" program for lonely elders Teach computer skills to the elderly Lead an exercise program for the elderly Rake leaves or shovel snow for the elderly Environment Clean up litter at school or in the neighborhood Organize a recycling drive Plant trees Raise money to improve a playground or park, or to repair a sidewalk Grow a school garden Help a community that has been impacted by a natural disaster Health/Safety Create a presentation for how to handle health or crime emergencies Set up prevention groups to patrol neighborhoods Coordinate an afterschool hotline Organize a bike, rollerblade, scooter, or car seat safety demonstration Develop and teach a babysitting course Organize a community health fair Homeless Collect food, toiletries, or clothing for the homeless Work at a soup kitchen Collect and distribute blankets Collect toys for shelters Diversity Organize ethnic awareness days Tutor people whose second language is English Encourage sites around town to become wheelchair accessible Help people with special needs Develop a peer conflict mediation program	There are several reasons to get parents involved in the service learning process. Studies have shown that parental involvement in a child�s schoolwork can be an important part of his or her success at school. Parents may be able to provide information about community needs and potential service opportunities. And parents may be needed to provide transportation to get their children to and from their places of service. Parents can provide: Encouragement Assistance Transportation Knowledge Resources Leadership Ideas In return, you and the students should provide to them: Frequent communication Resources and direction Flexibility (parents likely will need to juggle this with many other commitments) Opportunities that meet their interests and skills Recognition for their efforts You may want to consider the following steps to encourage parental involvement: Educate parents early on about service learning, its benefits, and why their children will be participating. Assume that parents know nothing about service learning. This communication can take place in a letter, a parent meeting, or on a Web site. Communication should be a two way process and it should be ongoing. Survey parents to find out what they know, what they�re good at, and what their interests are. Give parents a role where they can be successful. Recognize parents for their efforts. In order for the service learning process to be successful, you and your students must make connections with many in the community: local government, local businesses, nonprofit groups, service organizations, the media, and other local groups and agencies. These organizations can provide critical information on authentic community needs, service opportunities, funds, meeting space � and whatever else your students might need to help solve the problem they have chosen to address. You can also rely on these groups for information, for advice, to get the word out, or as classroom presenters. The good news is that there are dozens of individuals, groups, and organizations right in your own community that can help you as you begin and manage your service learning process. You may be asking yourself where to begin to identify these community stakeholders. Following is a list of ideas: Survey parents to find out what they do, what they know, and who they know. Brainstorm with students and other faculty for ideas of community leaders and organizations Utilize anyone within the school district that may have community ties. Some districts have a community service liaison; others have a service learning liaison. Go to a community resource guide, the library, the Chamber of Commerce, or even the phone book to generate a list of possible community partners. Successful partnerships are built on open communication and by meeting the needs of all partners. Some potential partners may be hesitant about working with young people; others may be eager but unsure about where to start. You may want to begin the dialogue through a letter or meeting. Share the goals and benefits of service learning for students and for those in the community. Learn more about their needs and goals. And work together to create a successful, long-lasting partnership. A checklist for successful community partnerships can be found at: http://www.servicelearning.org/ filemanager/download/15/.