PREPARATION | ACTION | REFLECTION | CELEBRATION
IV CELEBRATION
Celebrating service is a key component to success, and for the future of projects. Students enjoy sharing their successes, and can find many ways to do so. The RI Developmental Disabilities Council now plans to honor participating service learning students each year at its’ Spring Quarterly meeting. At this meeting we display portfolios, feature journal entries, Books and Games created by students and in 2004 viewed our first short videotape of the project. This is a nice - but not formal - party at which students mingle with Council members and answer Council member questions about the service experience. In this Celebration students further expand their understanding of developmental disability, since many Council members have everyday challenges they face. When students see the kind of self-advocacy and systems-level advocacy that Council members practice, they learn about inclusion from yet another point of view.
Every year in April the United States recognizes the value of youth energy in our communities in National Youth Service Day. This is an opportunity for your students to feature their work in the community. “Celebration” can be as simple as a press release (we generated these regularly as we moved through the service, featuring incremental successes or recognitions). To really allow for creative expression, especially if you have a large group, it can take the form of an evening of in-school displays in the library or cafeteria (along the lines of the classic science fairs), where students create displays and posters that demonstrate their service. Parents, community members, agency staff and fellow students can view their projects, provide positive feedback and create an atmosphere that generates affirmation as well as more opportunity.
State Farm Insurance sponsors a mini-grant program to support small recognition events.
