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17th Annual National Service-Learning Conference (NSLC)

• Details
• NYSLC Highlights
• Show your project
• Youth grant opportunity
• Youth Committee with planning retreat Nov. 4-5
• Ambiance Committee

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Details

March 22–25, 2006
Pennsylvania Convention Center
Philadelphia, PA

The National Youth Leadership Council, along with its co-host, the Institute for Global Education and Service Learning, are pleased to name Philadelphia as the site of the 2006 National Service-Learning Conference, March 22–25, 2006, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia, PA. So mark your calendars, and plan to join us in the birthplace of American independence, home of the Liberty Bell and site of the First Continental Congress.

From Philly cheese steaks, to the Liberty Bell, to the entertaining Mummers, to the Art Institute with the ‘Rocky Steps,’ and to the Constitution Center, Philadelphia has lots to offer any visitor. Please visit the Philadelphia Visitors and Convention Bureau at HYPERLINK "http://www.pcvb.org" www.pcvb.org and, while in town, take advantage of the many sites, attractions, and historical landmarks Philly has to offer!

The NSLC is the largest gathering of youths and practitioners involved in service-learning, filled with exciting speakers, service projects, and more than 200 workshops. The largest conference of its kind, this event brings together an estimated 3,000 educators, state and federal officials, youth leaders, program coordinators, policy-makers, and community-based organizations from around the world.

NSLC Highlights

Registration
Registration is now open! Utilize the conference’s online registration at www.nylc.org/conferenceregistration. After the Early Bird deadline of December 21st, registration rates increase so remember to register early! Conference Registration includes admittance to plenary sessions, featured forums, workshops, the Exhibit Hall, on- and off-site projects, site visits, the welcome reception, the Project Ignition Awards Ceremony, and all conference meals.

PreCons
The NSLC is excited to offer some enticing preconference workshops. Precon workshops are intensive, interactive sessions that provide materials, strategies, and skills in cutting-edge areas of service-learning. Check out the precon offerings below:

P101: Service-Learning for the Rookie
Designed for those who are new to the field, this hands-on, interactive workshop provides you with an introduction to the core elements of service-learning. We will explore core definitions, define service-learning and its components, discuss the rationale for the approach, discover ways to integrate and infuse diversity practices, learn about successful projects, and explore strategies for making curricular connections.

P102: Youth Leadership: Be the Change!
If you are energetic and enjoy learning creatively and experientially, this session is for you. This seminar engages youths and youth workers in a variety of simulations and experiential activities focused on team-building, diversity, youth voice, and leadership. You will come away from this workshop with innovative activities you can utilize in your home communities, schools, and organizations.

P103 Service-Learning Across K-H Education: Exploring the Connections
This two-part preconference workshop starts with a panel presentation on issues related to the development of service-learning across the educational spectrum, from kindergarten through higher education. Particular attention will be paid to the myriad of ways in which institutions of higher education and public schools can work together. Then, experienced presenters will lead small groups to explore particular facets of kindergarten through higher-education service-learning, including active citizenship, university-assisted community schools, and pre-service teacher education.

P104 Sustainability: Selling the Thrills and Paying the Bills
Participants will learn and discuss strategies to sustain and enhance an effective service-learning program. Among the topics covered will be: creating a culture of service, getting fellow teachers on board, securing administrative support, designing creative professional development, motivating students, parents, and the community, and marketing your success. Tangible examples of initiatives that have that have grown and developed for almost a decade will be highlighted. Valuable tools for assessing your own program will be presented.

Key Note Speakers
Howard Zinn, Thursday Plenary Session
This professor, activist, and author has dedicated his life to the idea that the knowledge of history is important to people's everyday lives, and can be a powerful force for social change. Zinn is a champion of the notion that historical change occurs more through mass movements of ordinary people than through the wisdom and insight of so-called Great Men. His best-known book, "A People's History of the United States," was one of the first major looks at American history from such a perspective, and has sold 400,000 copies. As Zinn says, "I take a very critical view of the United States government in history. I take a very positive view toward the mass movements of people in America who have fought to make the country a better place."

Hafsat Abiola, Friday Plenary Session
Hafsat Abiola is a 27-year-old human rights and democracy activist from Nigeria. She comes from a family of dedicated Pan-Africanists, courageous fighters for freedom and justice. Her father, M.K.O. Abiola, won Nigeria's 1993 Presidential election, but served out his term in solitary confinement, incarcerated by the military. He died in prison, on the eve of his release. Her mother, Kudirat, was a democracy leader who organized major strikes and marches, and fought assiduously against the military. In 1996, she was assassinated in the streets of Lagos. To continue the legacy left by her parents, Hafsat founded and directs the Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND), which strengthens civil society and promotes democracy in Nigeria.

For more information on the National Service-Learning Conference, visit www.nylc.org/conference, email nslc@nylc.org, or call (800) 366-6952.

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Participate in the Service-Learning Showcase

During the conference, we plan to highlight the best service-learning
projects in the Atlantic States. If your school or organization has a
service-learning project you are proud of, you're encouraged to apply to
participate in the Service-Learning Showcase!

You'll be given table space for a display that illustrates your work and may
inspire others who might want to start a similar project. We have room for
displays from Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, New
Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island,
Vermont, Virgin Islands, and Washington, D.C. We welcome contributions from
rural and urban K-12 and higher education institutions as well as
community-based projects.

Applications are available online at http://www.nylc.org.
Applications must be postmarked by October 21, 2005.

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Youth Grant Opportunity for the Conference

Have you heard about Project Ignition?
Sponsored by State Farm® and coordinated by the National Youth Leadership Council (NYLC), Project Ignition returns in 2005, once again giving students, grades 9-12, and their teachers the chance to work together to address the issue of teen driver safety – how it affects you, your community and the world around you. How you choose to communicate your message is completely your call.

As in any service-learning project, we want you to make an impact in your community. But be creative! Participants from the 2004 campaign created school assemblies, designed print advertising and hosted community-wide events. This year, the only limit is your imagination. You could produce and star in a TV commercial...or maybe a talk show. You could combine traditional direct mail elements with innovative Internet banner ads. Or you could even organize a special performance of art, dance and music. Project Ignition ’05 puts you in the driver’s seat.

Up to 25 applicants will be selected by mid-May to move into the next phase of the project. Each applicant selected will receive a grant check at the beginning of the fall semester for $2,000 from State Farm to help put their plan into action. Final projects must be complete and ready for final judging in December 2005.

In January 2006, up to ten finalists will be notified and will receive a stipend of up to $5,000 from State Farm for travel to NYLC’s 17th Annual National Service-Learning Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to be held March 2006. There, the projects will be highlighted in front of an international audience, where the "Best of Festival" award will be given, with the winning school receiving a grant for $10,000.

For more information visit: www.sfprojectignition.com

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NYLC Youth Retreat November 4-5 in Philadelphia

One aspect of PSLA's work is to chair the Youth Committee, planning details such as ensuring youth voice and youth participation, as well as to conduct youth evaluation during the conference.
 
We are holding a youth planning retreat November 4th-5th at Chamounix Mansion in Fairmount Park in Philadelphia.

Here  is more information and the registration form >>
 
Please recommend students that would make a great addition to the youth committee, and that are able to attend both the retreat on Nov. 4-5 and the National Service-Learning Conference March 22-25. (Limited funds are available to send Philadelphia students to the conference)

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Ambiance Committee

Help make the 2006 Service-Learning conference an exciting and dazzling event!  Join the Ambiance Committee!

The Ambiance Committee, working closely with the Entertainment Committee, is involved with planning and making decisions about the atmosphere/ambiance of the conference.  This includes the opening plenary, exhibit hall, and plenary areas in the hotel and convention center.  A particular focus is developing a creative theme for the exibit hall.

Some ideas discussed by the committee:

• Maps: attendees to highlight where they have come from, Philadelphia map-- noting service sites, site visits, and other exciting places
• Art:  student artwork, local artists on display-- quilts, murals, mosaics, etc.
• Food:  Philly-specific:  water ice, pretzels, cheesteaks, reading terminal....
• Music: student drill teams and bands, street musicians....
• History:  bringing historic Philadelphia to life with students dressing up as historical figures (ben franklin, betsy ross, etc) and walking around the conference
• Conference T-Shirts:  Pennsylvania youth setting up and running a t-shirt making area
• Recycling:  Making this an enviro-friendly conference

For more information, or to get involved with this committee, contact Faith Goldstein, faithg@sas.upenn.edu, 215.573.2380

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NYLC Youth Committee Retreat Details

WHEN?  
November 4th and 5th, 2005

WHERE? 
Chamounix Mansion Youth Hostel in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia

WHO?  
Youth (up to age 21) interested in planning for the National Service-Learning Conference in Philadelphia March 22-25, 2006
 
What will we do?       
 
The purpose of the two-day intensive retreat is to form a youth planning committee for the National Service-Learning Conference happening in Philadelphia March 22-25. The committee will make plans and decisions about the youth room at the conference, youth entertainment, youth MCs for the general conference assembly, and more.  For more information regarding the National Service-Learning Conference, check out www.nylc.org.
 
One focus of the retreat will be to prepare students to conduct, during the conference, evaluations on the impact and effectiveness of service-learning.  We will give students the tools to develop research and evaluation materials that will gather necessary data in regards to service-learning in the school day curriculum. Youth will receive training on evaluation methods such as interviews, surveys, focus groups and other methods, as well as leadership and group skills necessary for effective evaluation procedures. 
 
The Pennsylvania Service-Learning Alliance will provide the training and chaperones for this event. The chaperones will be PSLA staff Jon Zemanek, Margit Myers, and Cynthia Belliveau.
 
Goals of the Retreat:

1. Build upon the conference theme of ‘We the People’ to have youth voice present in the youth room, as well as conference wide.
2. Confirm details for youth participation at the National Service-Learning Conference.
3. Learn how student evaluators can play a crucial role in the evaluation process.
4. Practice evaluation methods of surveying, interviewing, and observing.
5. Develop a plan of action to use trained youth at the National Service-Learning Conference.

Teachers
We are asking you to recommend several youth who would make valuable additions to the Youth Committee. Participating youth are expected to attend the National Service-Learning Conference March 22-25th.
 
For Philadelphia teachers: We understand that the PSSAs are taking place in the Philadelphia School District on the same days as the conference. Please refer students who will not be taking the PSSAs. Limited funds are available to sponsor Philadelphia students to attend the conference.
 
Schedule
Friday, November 4th
3pm Check into Hostel
4-9pm workshop
 
Saturday, November 5th
8am-4pm Workshop
4pm Check out and travel home
 
Cost
The only cost for the youth is travel. Lodging and meals will be covered.
 
Location
For directions to and information on Chamounix Mansion International Youth Hostel in Fairmount Park, check out http://216.158.40.114/information.html. The contact person is Erin McQuade
 
Spaces Are Limited!!
 
Please contact Margit Myers or Cynthia Belliveau at 215.573.6535 ASAP, if you are interested in having your students attend. 
 
Below is the registration form for the retreat. Please return via email to margitamyers@yahoo.com or fax to 215.573.1134.

Application (MS Word) >>