Contact Information
Kate
McPherson
Community Connectivity: Creating generations of hope through youth civic action.
Project summary We will connect youth with adults through Community Conversations and on-line resources so they can discover how to use their unique skills and experiences to take action that has authentic value to community. This process will invigorate a sense of civic purpose for all generations.
Sections
Contact Information Personal Profile About Your Community Citizen-Centered Approach* Project Description Evaluation and Budget Additional Information
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B. Personal Profile
We want to know about you Service enlivens learning and life. My proudest moments revolve around times when students have used their unique gifts to help others and experienced the joy of contribution and a more vital sense of themselves. While the settings vary - a non-reading, inner city eighth grade boy who became a wonderful mentor/ teacher for a struggling second grader; to a team of design students who created a wheelchair for an 18 month old child with multiple-sclerosis- but the theme is the same. Those experiences have forged my commitment to service-learning which has been my focus for more than twenty-five years.
An Eye for Sustainability. Whenever possible, I build infrastructures and partnerships that help programs to sustain over time. It was such a treat to take my fifteen-year -old daughter to visit the WALKABOUT Program, a program I co-developed 30 years ago. It continues to provide a publicly-funded program that weaves service-learning, internships and Outward Bound experiences together for high school seniors.
Attention to Quality. For the last twenty-five years, I have helped teachers schools and districts implement service-learning programs that enliven classrooms and create new roles and opportunities for young people. I was very proud when my peers in the national service-learning field honored me with the National Service-Learning Practitioner Award.
Collaborator: The BEST SELF Program, a summer-long education and service-learning program, resulted from a presentation I made to a few key people in my community. By working with Parks and Recreation, the Higher Education Work Study program, the Private Industry Council, 4-H and the school district we were able to offer a program that was so successful it was replicated in a neighboring county and it continued for seven years after my departure.
Creative Thinker. I love finding new ways of approaching dilemmas that connect people and programs. Inventing new programs is fun.
Mother. As the mom of a 15-year old I am close to the pulse of what authentically engages youth and regularly talk with youth who have amazing gifts and quietly care but do not feel invited to the table. I also see that the invitation is best received when it draws upon their skills and hopes for the community as well as civic issues. People seem to have some unique gifts and talents that give life to who they are and I delight in helping people explore ways to nurture and share those gifts.
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C. About Your Community
1. Describe your community Vancouver, Washington is an urbanizing suburb. Many working poor families move to this community to flee the high cost of housing in the metropolitan Portland area. Because Vancouver lacks public transit and cultural and youth organizations, youth often feel trapped in a web of cul-de-sacs with few friends or relationships in their neighborhoods. At the same time, many professionals work in Portland but live in Vancouver because it does not have property tax, and new retirees are moving into this area for its climate and scenic location. In this rapidly growing, highly mobile community, young people and adults struggle to have a sense of connection to their community.
Evergreen Public Schools play a key role in defining Vancouver because it educates more than 25,000 youth and has 3,000 employees. A large number of students are Russian and Ukrainian because a large resettlement community lives in Clark County. The district is committed to enabling all young people to graduate as caring, concerned and informed citizens. Students apply the skills they are learning in classroom to authentic community problems. Eighth graders go into the community during the school day to learn about the needs and resources of their community as they annually provide more than 7,500 hours of service to more that 40 community groups. This year all high school seniors are required to analyze an issue from various perspectives and write a synthesis of their finding. They then utilize what they have found to formulate a plan of Civic Action. The Civic Action must make a notable contribution to the community.
Engaging the Diverse Community.
Because the Civic Action Projects are required of all students this project will work directly with students who reflect our diverse community – Non-English speakers, Special Education students, and youth from families of wealth and poverty. We will select our student facilitators so they represent this diversity. Because students will need to do an Issue Analysis paper about their chosen topic and this paper must include diverse perspectives, students will discuss their issue with people who can inform their thinking by the very fact that they have an opinion that is distinct.
Enabling student to meet and talk with peers and adults who share their interest or concerns but have different perspectives will enable students to gain greater appreciation for the perspectives of others and learn valuable dialogue skills.
2. Collaboration & Partnerships I am very fortunate to have a very strong team of people who share an interest in youth and Community Conversations. These include Marcy McReynolds, mediation specialist and AmericaSpeaks volunteer; Heather Tishbein, InterACT Board President and World Café facilitator; Evergreen Public Schools Civic Action teachers and district Civic Action coordinators; the Fort Vancouver Regional Library; and Jeanne Kojis, Director of the Non-Profit Network. A four-member AmeriCorps team will also work directly with the students during the summer facilitator training, the Community Conversations and Civic Action planning. Throughout my fourteen years in this community I have built relationships with a wide array of community professionals and volunteers who care about the same community issues that concern students. I currently work with more than thirty organizations and service clubs. As a result, I know which individuals or organizations welcome student involvement.
The Union and Heritage High School student Communication Leaders will be recruited from a variety of classrooms- Advanced Placement, English Limited Learners, Special Education, and vocational programs. In the spring I will work with Americorps members to recruit facilitators and in the fall we will target students who have identified one of our six focus issues and who would value the opportunity to talk further with community members to define and refine their projects.
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D. Citizen-Centered Approach
1. What it is About a year ago, I talked with more than fifty high school students who were completing their senior projects. About a third of the students proudly described ways they helped pass legislation, coordinated a voter registration event or established a fundraising event. These students clearly have the confidence and skills to be involved in the civic life of their communities. However, more than half of the students started off with great hopes but felt turned away for the community they sought to help. And a significant number saw no way to do anything about what mattered to them. At the same time, many community organizations or initiatives want to involve youth but find going to the high school very intimidating and are frustrated when few students attend after school or evening events. This spring I worked with two teachers to pilot our first Community Conversations which brought 70 students together with adults and community organizations to share their thoughts about how they could work together to create more effective schools and communities. Students worked collaboratively with these adults to understand community issues and to implement Civic Action projects. As students presented their projects they were jazzed by what they had done and they could articulate how they will participate in the future. Support from Make It Your Own will enable us to improve and expand the Community Conversations Process and begin to build an infrastructure that fosters an ethic of civic engagement.
2. Action Community Connectivity will address three community issues through one plan of action.
1)Addressing Issues that Concern Youth. Last year students identified ten general issues that concerned them. This project will bring youth together with adults who share these concerns to discuss, explore and formulate civic action projects. The time and space for civic conversation will generate a sense of possibility as adults help students share and take action on their concerns. 2)Engaging All Students through Civic Action. Evergreen is a large district supporting more than 1,500 seniors each year. Many students lack the confidence, relationships and skills that are needed to do a project that is valued by themselves and the community. Empowering and supporting all students is a challenge that will require the collective efforts of the school, students, parents and community. The Community Conversations will be one component of a continuously improving process. 3) Expanding Civic Opportunities for Youth. The Community Conversations will enable community organizations to explore new ways to utilize student talent (web design, multiple language proficiency, artist design, etc.) to help their organizations be more effective.
3. The Aproach This Make It Your Own proposal puts into action the following recommendations of Citizens at the Center:
*Provide opportunities for people to form and promote their own decisions. In their Issue Analysis Paper students must explain their position on their issue and articulate at least three diverse perspectives on that issue before formulating their final conclusions. The Conversations will enable students to understand the human as well as intellectual dimensions of varied perspectives.
*Make every effort to reach out to include a cross section of the entire community. In Vancouver, public high schools still reflect a cross-section of the community. Because this project is a requirement for all students and because we will recruit students from various factions of the school we hope to engage a very diverse group of people.
*Bring people together around issues The Community Conversations are structured so the focus is an issue/ possibility or question that is chosen by both the student and adult participants.
*Recognize the need for politics and volunteer service. The Civic Action Project is designed to help students explore how different forms of civic action – direct service, advocacy, social enterprise, philanthropy – can impact an issue. They will also investigate how public policies shape current social issues.
*Focus on doing, not just talking. Students will use the ideas they have learned through the conversations to shape personal action plans.
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E. Project Description
1. What's your plan E. Project Description
Our plan will have the following our core elements:
1)Community Conversations. We will work with Heather Tischbein and Marcia McReynolds to develop resources that prepare students to lead respectful conversations, and the World Café discussion process. These resources will include listening, facilitating, civic discourse, and the World Café process. Two students and one adult from each issue area will learn and practice these skills and plan the Fall Community Showcase and Community Conversations. The Community Conversations will enable students to meet youth and adults who share their hopes for the community and can help them complete their Civic Action Projects.
2)Web-Based Civic Action Resources. A team of students and adults will determine the best way to enable students and adults to work collaboratively on civic projects utilizing web technologies. We will explore ways to the use of Instant Messaging, blogs, threads, web-based forums like Youth Noise, You Tube and other forums to determine which processes are most user-friendly and safe. We will try a variety of approaches to see which are most helpful to students. We will seek additional funding to finance the development of youth- friendly on-line and print materials that will help guide inspire and draw out ideas for future students.
3)Civic Maps. As part of the Issue Analysis Paper students are asked to explain how national, state and local policies impact the issue they chose. They also required to explain what is being done and why they have chosen their specific position and action. The Civic Maps will enable students to better understand how public policies shape local action and what local public and non-profit groups are addressing issues. These maps will help students complete their Issue Analysis Papers and make thoughtful choices as voters, advocates and volunteers.
4)Developing Community Capacity. By working with the Non Profit Network we will help organizations understand the purpose and process of the Issue Analysis Paper and the Civic Action Project. We will help community organizations provide more opportunities for young people to participate in public deliberation, decision making, public policy formation and public awareness as well as direct service.
We are also working with several community partners and hope to establish a physical place for a Civic Engagement Center.
2. Timeline Timeline
April- May, 2008
• Identify Conversation Leaders from partnered schools
(They will represent a cross section of the student population from two schools and adults who are interested in the ten issues identified by students)
• Confirm details of the summer training
• Six Focus Questions/ Issues Selected
• Civic Maps Developed for identified topics
July- August, 2008
Conversation Leader Training
Listening Skills
Civic Dialogue
Facilitator Skills
Community Needs/ possibilities
World Café’ Process Skills
Meet Community Resource people
Plan for the Fall Community Showcase and Community Conversation refined.
• Continued Development of Civic Maps
September
Showcase hosted by students and AmeriCorps members
October – December 2008
Community Conversations held
Students begin work on Issue Analysis Papers and Civic Action Projects.
Continued Development of Civic Maps
January-February , 2009
Gap Analysis Sessions- students and adults review student work and provide feedback and support
Issue Analysis Papers Complete
Continued work on Civic Action Projects
February-May
Civic Action Projects complete
Continued Development of Civic Maps
June 2009
Celebration/ Evaluation and Program Refinement
3. Project Name Community Conversations
4. Sentence Community Connectivity: Creating generations of hope through youth civic action.
5. Summary We will connect youth with adults through Community Conversations and on-line resources so they can discover how to use their unique skills and experiences to take action that has authentic value to community. This process will invigorate a sense of civic purpose for all generations.
6. Project Photo
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F. Evaluation & Budget
1. Evaluation We will incorporate several activities that will help us continuously improve our Community Conversations and explore additional ways we support students as they implement Civic Action Projects.
1.Pre-Post Surveys: Students will complete an online survey which will measure the changes in students’ sense of civic efficacy, their assessment of their project’s impact on the community, and the degree to which students shaped their own projects.
2.We will include a brief written assessment by participants at the Community Conversation Leaders training, the Fall Forum and the Community Conversations. The written feedback will help us know if students and adults are learning strong conversation skills, if the process helps students understand and engage more deeply in their Civic Action projects, and enables students to find community allies who can inform or support their Civic Action Projects.
3.Students will complete a self-assessment at the completion of the Civic Action Projects. Students will assess the quality of their projects, articulate how what they have learned will influence their future as a citizen, and what they learned about project planning and implementation.
4.A focus group that represents a diverse group of students will help delve more deeply into what works and does not work about this process and what else is needed.
2. Budget & Sustainability Budget and Sustainability
The Case Foundation Project- The Community Conversations- is one part of a comprehensive initiative to support students completing their Civic Action Projects.We have several initiatives underway to help financially support the Civic Action Projects at the eighth and twelfth grades.
Youth Philanthropy Project. The Youth Philanthropy Project is a student-led grant program which is funded by local philanthropists. Students have established a grant-giving process and students can apply for funds to cover the costs of supplies for their Civic Action Projects. That way supplies need not be a barrier for students planning projects.
An Annual Serve-a-thon. We hosted our first annual serve-a-thon, a day of service that also raises funds to cover transportation, supplies and supervision for eighth and twelfth grade projects. We hope this event provides annual funding for civic action.
Each high school has a Culminating Project coordinator and an AmeriCorps member to support the more than 500 seniors at each school completing their projects.
Evergreen is on the verge of the extraordinary and receiving the MIYO award will recognize the value of thie endeavor, helping foster more local support and potentially positioning the district to apply for additional funds. I hope to secure funding to provide professional development for educators and community members as well as resources for students.
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