National Service News
www.cns.gov
For citizens in service through Learn & Serve America, AmeriCorps, and
the National Senior Service Corps.
Published every other Monday on the worldwide-web site of the Corporation
for National Service.
For the latest information and updates, visit http://www.cns.gov
(Issue #32, July 14, 1997)
NEWSFLASH: AMERICORPS & LSA CLEAR SECOND FUNDING HURDLE
The U.S. House appropriations committee voted on 7/8 to fund fiscal year
1998 AmeriCorps and Learn & Serve America grant programs at current
levels ($402.5 million). Check cns.gov for funding updates.
AMERICORPS: WHAT GOT DONE
New studies show that the 25,000-strong AmeriCorps Class of 1996 really
got things done in over 1,100 American communities. Members sponsored by
local and national nonprofits, A*National Civilian Community Corps and
A*VISTA assisted more than 11.5 million people and recruited, trained and
deployed more than 300,000 community volunteers. Visit cns.gov for the
full reports. Highlights:
Education: 508,493 children taught or tutored and 706,527 students
provided educational enrichment activities. 95,327 youth mentored.
39,294 community tutors recruited and/or trained.
Public Safety: 3,133 public safety patrols and programs established or
expanded. 85,406 students enrolled or supervised in after-school
programs. 109,370 trained or counseled in violence prevention.
Human Needs: 42,381 families placed in emergency shelters. 64,449
children and adults immunized. 143,513 individuals provided health care
screening. 2,886 persons placed in jobs.
Environment: 3,544 neighborhoods cleaned up. 24,307,203 trees planted.
3,066 miles of riverbanks and shoreline restored.
A*VISTA: MAKING A DIFFERENCE - THAT LASTS - IN PHOENIX
The Oakland University Park neighborhood in Phoenix, AZ, is a safer place
to live, thanks to two A*VISTA members who helped the local neighborhood
association initiate sustainable crime prevention programs. A Criminal
Abatement Program identified over 80 properties with a history of
criminal activity. 75 drug houses were shut down and park safety was
dramatically improved. Adopting the "Broken Windows" approach that has
proven successful in cutting New York City crime, a toolmobile now
travels the neighborhood helping residents maintain their property.
Crime and other neighborhood problems are down 80% thanks to combined
and continued pressure from the neighborhood association and law
enforcement. Oakland-University Park has seen its drug activity ranking
drop from third to 17th in Phoenix. The A*VISTA members are gone, but
the community is sustaining the effort.
FROM THE FRONT:
"The kids went out and looked for a problem. Math was integrated by
planning and implementing a budget, figuring areas and the amount of
paint needed." LSA students in teacher Charles Safford's pre-algebra
class at Pershing County High School in Lovelock, NV repainted a
graffiti-covered highway overpass.
"You need to feel a sense of urgency about what you're doing. Start
taking action!" AmeriCorps member Kristy Hicks participates in a
violence prevention program at Pontiac, MI junior and senior high
schools.
"They give us more eyes and ears to better do our job." Leslie Lazo
coordinates the California Highway Patrol's Senior Corps*RSVP initiative.
After 80 hours of training, RSVP volunteers support CHP officers by
preparing reports and data entry in the office and deploying radar
trailers and working traffic control in the field.
RSVP: ON THE BEAT IN SAN DIEGO
Over 400 Senior Corps*RSVP volunteers are helping the San Diego Police
Department provide a safer community. Five years ago, the RSVP
volunteers began conducting house checks while owners were on vacation,
visiting shut-ins, and conducting neighborhood watches. Now their
efforts include fingerprinting community residents, participating in
follow-up witness checks, issuing parking citations and patrolling bank
parking lots - where their efforts have been a major factor in reducing
bank robberies from 16 a month to the current average of one a month.
Sgt. Joe Markwell, the San Diego Police Department's volunteer
coordinator, credits the program's success to a diverse group of RSVP
volunteers who take pride in helping the police keep the nation's sixth
largest city a safe place to live and work.
AMERICORPS: FINISHING UP RIGHT
Summer is a time for many AmeriCorps members to wrap up a great year of
national service and for AmeriCorps wannabes to make a commitment they'll
never regret. In Minnesota, 350 members provided flood relief to cap
their year of service, while in Pennsylvania members with AmeriCorps*MANY
Corps combined a final get-together with service fixing up a Pennsylvania
state park. Now AmeriCorps is preparing for another year of service. If
you know someone ready to be a new Member, call toll-free 1-800-942-2677,
visit cns.gov or contact your local state commission or CNS state office.
WHAT WORKS: LEARN & SERVE ON THE FOND DU LAC RESERVATION
The Project: "Walk the Talk in Our Moc's" is a peer leadership group of
Learn & Serve America secondary school students at Fond du Lac Ojibwe
School in Cloquet, MN. The "Walk the Talk..." students are part of a
wellness/prevention/intervention class that incorporates service-learning
into the curriculum. Students developed their project goals and were
responsible for carrying out the program. "Walk the Talk..." students
initiated peer conflict mediation in grades 6-12, mentored elementary
students, promoted positive after-school activities for their peers and
helped run a wellness conference for over 60 area Native American youth,
where student-selected presenters spoke on alcohol abuse, dating, teen
pregnancy, identity and gangs.
The Results: Teen pregnancy is down, instances of negative behavior have
diminished, peer conflict mediation works, there is a strong interest in
service as a strategy for meeting challenges, and the service-learning
students are established as resources to be tapped, not problems to be
solved.
Why It Works: Student mentors see themselves in a new light as leaders
and role models for their peers -- and live-up to high expectations.
That's not all. With guidance from teachers, students plan, organize, and
utilize skills they've learned to achieve their goals. They learn to
turn setbacks into learning experiences.
Lessons: Peer pressure one of the strongest factors in the development
of a young person can be mobilized for positive outcomes.
Responsibility is a key value to success. These students have learned
they can take charge of a mission, reach the goals they set, and that
both peers and adults value their contribution. Service-learning is
integrated throughout the K-12 curriculum at the Fond du Lac Ojibwe
School; "Walk the Talk..." is but one great example. Contact: Program
Director Brenda Pollak (218) 879-2657.
National Service News is posted on the World Wide Web at
http://www.cns.gov and is distributed by Internet listservs and fax.
State offices, commissions, program and site directors are asked to
distribute copies to citizens who serve. Please send comments and story
suggestions to drodgers@cns.gov
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