110 HRES 1463 EH: Recognizing the benefits of service-learning as a teaching strategy to effectively engage youth in the community and classroom, and supporting the goals of the National Learn and Serve Challenge.
U.S. House of Representatives
2008-09-22
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Whereas service-learning is a teaching method that enhances academic learning by integrating classroom content with relevant activities aimed at addressing identified community or school needs;
Whereas service-learning has been used both in school and community-based settings as a teaching strategy to enhance learning by building on youth experiences, granting youth a voice in learning, and making instructional goals and objectives more relevant to youth;
Whereas service-learning has been identified as an effective tool in addressing the Nation’s dropout epidemic by making education more hands-on and relevant, especially to disadvantaged youth;
Whereas service-learning provides great benefits to disadvantaged and at-risk youth by building self-confidence, which often translates into overall academic and personal success;
Whereas service-learning provides not only meaningful experiences, but a greater quantity and quality of interactions between youth and potential mentors in the community;
Whereas service-learning simultaneously empowers youth as both engaged learners and actively engaged citizens and contributors to the community;
Whereas youth engaged in service-learning provide critical service to the community by addressing a variety of needs in American towns, cities, and States, including needs such as tutoring for young children, elderly care, community nutrition, disaster relief, environmental stewardship, financial education, public safety, and a host of other needs;
Whereas far reaching and diverse research shows that service-learning enhances the academic, career, cognitive, and civic development of kindergarten through 12th-grade students, and of higher education students;
Whereas service-learning strengthens and increases the number of partnerships among institutions of higher education, local schools, and communities, which strengthen communities and improve academic learning;
Whereas service-learning programs unleash a multitude of skilled and enthusiastic college students to serve in the communities surrounding their colleges;
Whereas service-learning programs engage students in community-based research and are strengthening the ability of America’s nonprofit organizations to meet community needs;
Whereas Learn and Serve America, the only federally funded program dedicated to service-learning, annually engages over 1,500,000 youth in service-learning;
Whereas Learn and Serve America engages these youth by leveraging public-private investment that leads to a highly cost-effective $25 per participant amount;
Whereas the National Learn and Serve Challenge is an annual event that takes place from October 6 through October 12 that spotlights the value of service-learning to youth as well as to schools, college campuses, and communities; and
Whereas the National Learn and Serve Challenge encourages others to launch service-learning activities, and increases the recognition of Learn and Serve America: Now, therefore, be it
That the House of Representatives—
(1)recognizes the benefits of service-learning in enriching and enhancing academic outcomes for youth, engaging youth in positive experiences in the community, and making more constructive choices regarding their lives;
(2)encourages schools, school districts, college campuses, community-based organizations, non-profits, and faith-based organizations to work towards providing youth with more service-learning opportunities; and
(3)expresses support for the goals of the National Learn and Serve Challenge.
Lorraine C. Miller,Clerk.