Local Indicators for Excellence : L.I.F.E. in Fond du Lac County, 2007.
The Fond du Lac Public Library, University of Wisconsin - Fond du Lac Extension , and the Fond du Lac Area United Way teamed together back in 2007 to create a report of local socio-economic indicators. This project was to be built upon, updated and expanded as time. The last updates were made in July of 2008 and included only housing and public safety.
Such a valuable tool should not be set aside and forgotten. How many courses at UW Fond du Lac, Marian University and Moraine Park Technical College could be contributing to the maintenance, enhancement and expansion of this project? My answer, countless.
Tina Potter, United Way Representative for 4 years brought the report to my attention. Compared to many of the reports available, this is an excellent community assessment. As I went through some of the sections I began to get a feel for many of the community shortcomings. This will certainly become a tool for assessment of community needs. Assessment of needs is the first step to successful service-learning.
Duplication of information in the L.I.F.E. Report is encouraged and permitted provided the source is cited as: Fond du Lac United Way, Fond du Lac Public Library, UW-Extension Fond du Lac County, Local Indicators for Excellence : L.I.F.E. in Fond du Lac County, 2007. Fond du Lac, WI, 2007.
12/23/09
12/16/09
In Search of a Little Kindness
"The holiday season is dubbed the 'most wonderful time of the year', when everyone seems to be of good cheer. The Reporter is looking for stories of kindnesses that have been bestowed upon our readers; be it a stranger that helped carry your packages, or a neighbor that shovels your driveway or someone that has gone the extra mile to make the season brighter for you. Please send your stories to Colleen Kottke at ckottke@fdlreporter.com or call 324-5492."
I find it grand that a newspaper is looking for stories of this sort. I hope the response is great as the request!
I find it grand that a newspaper is looking for stories of this sort. I hope the response is great as the request!
12/14/09
MLK Day of Service 2010
A Martin Luther King Day of Service will be occuring in North Fond du Lac schools on Jan. 18th 2010. If you are looking for media opportunities involving this event contact the Volunteer Center of Fond du Lac County, Inc. 926-1414 or email, servicelearning@fdlvolunteer.com.
If you are interested in teaching youth about diversity, let us know. We are still in search of several vounteer leaders who will be willing to help facilitate the educational opportunities during the event. When it comes to teaching about diveresity it is always better to hear it from someone other than the same teachers that communicate to the students every day. Let us know how you would like to help...
If you are interested in teaching youth about diversity, let us know. We are still in search of several vounteer leaders who will be willing to help facilitate the educational opportunities during the event. When it comes to teaching about diveresity it is always better to hear it from someone other than the same teachers that communicate to the students every day. Let us know how you would like to help...
12/7/09
A Quote to Keep Us on Track.
What have you written today? What have you said today? What have you shared today? Will they get you to where you really want to be? Let me share a motivational quote to get you in the mood to share...
“Make the Mission and Vision clear and tangible by sharing it with others. Say it out loud and put it on paper. Often.”
- Rhonda Abrams (delivered to my inbox from the continually quoted and quotable Franklin Covey. )
Even kids on the playground get this one right. They dream up the mission and vision and get others involved. Next thing you know half a dozen kids are walking on the moon.
“Make the Mission and Vision clear and tangible by sharing it with others. Say it out loud and put it on paper. Often.”
- Rhonda Abrams (delivered to my inbox from the continually quoted and quotable Franklin Covey. )
Even kids on the playground get this one right. They dream up the mission and vision and get others involved. Next thing you know half a dozen kids are walking on the moon.
11/23/09
Give a Day/Get a Day?
The Volunteer Center of Fond du Lac as a member of Hands on Network will be participating in Disney's Give A Day, Get A Day. The program begins on Jan. 1, 2010 and continues until 1million tickets have been claimed.
In order to qualify you must volunteer 8-10 hours of service with an opportunity posted through the Volunteer Center. Bear in mind a couple locally pertinent logistical items.
- Tickets must be used before Dec. 15th, 2010.
- If you were already planning a trip to Disney great! Don’t plan your trip around free tickets. If you are thinking that you will fly or drive, spend a day in the park and come home, be prepared to pay for admission. A lot of people live a few hours away from these parks! Tickets will likely be gone quite quickly.
- The tickets are subject to black-out dates. You can’t get in free whenever you want.
These were just a few issues that I came up with for us Wisconsin folks that love getting things for free.
Don’t think that I’m trying to discourage you from taking part in this great program. Those agencies need your help. They aren’t creating opportunities for you to go to Disney, they are creating opportunities for you to make your community better. This reward is just a bit more magical!
and ONE VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: In order to qualify you MUST REGISTER through the DISNEY site!
11/16/09
Do Agencies Benefit from Service-Learning?
City-Wide Service-Learning Task Force of Fond du Lac met today. One of the goals set at the meeting was to obtain data on how service-learning benefits community based organizations (CBO). This data would then be utilized in approaching the community.
The board felt it important to determine whether service-learning benefits more then just students. It has been well established and documented that the benefits of properly done service-learning create multiple benefits to students in and out of the classroom. Far less documented and emphasized is the positive/negative impacts made on CBOs that provide service-learning opportunities.
Once the data is compiled, the board will then have a basis to approach local CBO. Provided with a reference, members of the board will have a basis to better determine whether service-learning could be of potential value to said CBOs. If value is determined then an understanding of service-learning needs to be provided to those recipients of service-learning students.
The data will also be utilized to evaluate the value of educating CBOs in service-learning pedagogy. Additionally, to determine the best practice of teaching CBOs...
Potential References: http://nationalserviceresources.org/pulling-it-together
http://nationalserviceresources.org/library/items/M0665
http://cc.bingj.com/cache.aspx?q=impact+of+%22service+learning%22+on+participants+in+%22community+based%22+organizations&d=4772451735636493&mkt=en-US&setlang=en-US&w=f0ee198c,da1e180c
http://nationalserviceresources.org/library/items/R1396
http://nationalserviceresources.org/library/items/M2413
http://nationalserviceresources.org/library/items/R1803
http://nationalserviceresources.org/library/items/R0544
http://nationalserviceresources.org/library/items/M0239
http://nationalserviceresources.org/library/items/W0042
http://nationalserviceresources.org/library/items/R1174
http://nationalserviceresources.org/library/items/R0283
http://nationalserviceresources.org/library/items/M0089
http://www.service-learningpartnership.org/site/DocServer/partnerpower.pdf?docID=961
The board felt it important to determine whether service-learning benefits more then just students. It has been well established and documented that the benefits of properly done service-learning create multiple benefits to students in and out of the classroom. Far less documented and emphasized is the positive/negative impacts made on CBOs that provide service-learning opportunities.
Once the data is compiled, the board will then have a basis to approach local CBO. Provided with a reference, members of the board will have a basis to better determine whether service-learning could be of potential value to said CBOs. If value is determined then an understanding of service-learning needs to be provided to those recipients of service-learning students.
The data will also be utilized to evaluate the value of educating CBOs in service-learning pedagogy. Additionally, to determine the best practice of teaching CBOs...
- how to take full advantage of the service-learners
- how to determine if their opportunity would best be meet through service-learning
- other aspects as determined by the data
Potential References: http://nationalserviceresources.org/pulling-it-together
http://nationalserviceresources.org/library/items/M0665
http://cc.bingj.com/cache.aspx?q=impact+of+%22service+learning%22+on+participants+in+%22community+based%22+organizations&d=4772451735636493&mkt=en-US&setlang=en-US&w=f0ee198c,da1e180c
http://nationalserviceresources.org/library/items/R1396
http://nationalserviceresources.org/library/items/M2413
http://nationalserviceresources.org/library/items/R1803
http://nationalserviceresources.org/library/items/R0544
http://nationalserviceresources.org/library/items/M0239
http://nationalserviceresources.org/library/items/W0042
http://nationalserviceresources.org/library/items/R1174
http://nationalserviceresources.org/library/items/R0283
http://nationalserviceresources.org/library/items/M0089
http://www.service-learningpartnership.org/site/DocServer/partnerpower.pdf?docID=961
10/15/09
Make a Difference Day
The Volunteer Center of Fond du Lac County, Inc. and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Fond du Lac are participating in Make a Difference Day. The event will be held on Sat. Oct. 31st in order to coordinate with city leaf pick-up.
The project starts at 8:30am and raking should be completed by around 11:30am. Staff will be at Big Brothers Big Sisters from 8am-noon. Once raking tasks are complete, a lunch donated by a several generous local sponsors will be served. Lunch includes barbecue, hot dogs, chips, fruit, an assortment of cookies, drinks and more!
Volunteers need to provide the Volunteer Center with a group name, advisor or contact person, phone number and email, and the number of individuals participating. Businesses and clubs are encouraged to participate. Keep in Mind: Due to liability reasons rakers must provide their own transportation. The majority of the lawns are across town.
If your group would prefer to do a project on Make a Difference Day a variety of project options are available through the Volunteer Center.
The project starts at 8:30am and raking should be completed by around 11:30am. Staff will be at Big Brothers Big Sisters from 8am-noon. Once raking tasks are complete, a lunch donated by a several generous local sponsors will be served. Lunch includes barbecue, hot dogs, chips, fruit, an assortment of cookies, drinks and more!
Volunteers need to provide the Volunteer Center with a group name, advisor or contact person, phone number and email, and the number of individuals participating. Businesses and clubs are encouraged to participate. Keep in Mind: Due to liability reasons rakers must provide their own transportation. The majority of the lawns are across town.
If your group would prefer to do a project on Make a Difference Day a variety of project options are available through the Volunteer Center.
9/17/09
Michael Jurmu
Michael Jurmu, Professor at UW Fond du Lac, has been engaging his students with service-learning. His course GEO123 Physical Geography addresses weather concepts and is a natural science elective on the Fond du Lac campus. His students team up to teach the different weather concepts that they are learning in class to 4-5th graders at Boys and Girls Club Afterschool programs.
Before the semester begins he meets with the site managers to let them know what to expect from the students visiting their site. I was fortunate enough to be asked to sit in on the meeting between Kari Baker and Michelle Huhn site managers of two area Afterschool Clubhouses, and Michael. They have been getting together each fall to coordinate this activity. As they have been doing this for several years now, they know what to expect. Briefly we met to determine the dates students will be coming in and coordinating the return of student evaluations. The group commented about how the program almost seems to run itself and the meeting seems to be just a formality. They more time teaching us guests; about how the service-learning project worked, than they did working out details.
Before the semester begins he meets with the site managers to let them know what to expect from the students visiting their site. I was fortunate enough to be asked to sit in on the meeting between Kari Baker and Michelle Huhn site managers of two area Afterschool Clubhouses, and Michael. They have been getting together each fall to coordinate this activity. As they have been doing this for several years now, they know what to expect. Briefly we met to determine the dates students will be coming in and coordinating the return of student evaluations. The group commented about how the program almost seems to run itself and the meeting seems to be just a formality. They more time teaching us guests; about how the service-learning project worked, than they did working out details.
Due to the sucess of the program, Michael was recently asked to submit an article to ESFY "Matters" Newsletter. The article should be coming out in an upcoming issue. Michael said he is continually searching for service-learning connections to be utilized in his other courses. I look forward to seeing what is in store for his students who enroll in his courses in the spring semester, and wish him continual success in service-learning.
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