AVID, Kids Club and SoWashCo CARES Partner on Service Learning Project
AVID, Kids Club and SoWashCo CARES Partner on Service Learning Project
South Washington County Schools (SoWashCo Schools) has been awarded an Innovation in Service Learning Grant from the Minnesota Department of Education. With the support of the grant, Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) and Kids Club will expand on their partnership, which began as an opportunity for AVID students to give back to their community and mentor younger students in the Kids Club program.
AVID is a school-wide system to develop successful leaders in their communities and society offered for grades 7-12. AVID students represent our community’s economic and cultural diversity. Service learning is an essential part of the AVID curriculum. Through service learning, students practice mentorship, leadership, and empathy skills outside of the classroom.
“The partnership offers a valuable learning experience for both AVID and Kids Club students,” explained Julie Onken, AVID Coordinator and Teacher. “AVID students are leaders and mentors.” Kids Club students get to see older students from similar backgrounds in leadership roles.
Throughout the school year, Woodbury High School (WHS) AVID seniors and Kids Club students at Bailey, Pine Hill and Woodbury elementary schools will complete three service learning projects addressing genuine community needs, including winter clothing, nutritious snacks and school supplies. They have partnered with the nonprofit, SoWashCo CARES Education Foundation, for community outreach and distribution.
“It is an opportunity for the students to give back to the school community and get more involved with their school community,” said Amy Saldana, Kids Club Out of School Time Support Specialist.
“I got to know all these wonderful kids and got to be a mentor to them,” said AVID student Adriyana Lolar.
AVID students learn about each topic, practice teaching it, and then present the lessons to elementary students at Kids Club. The first-trimester project covered winter clothing and consisted of three sessions with each Kids Club site. In the first session, AVID students taught lessons on preventing hypothermia, and the importance of waterproof gear and had a relay race to put on winter clothing. In the second session, AVID and Kids Club students worked together to budget and order approximately $9,000 of boots and waterproof gloves.
“One thing I really enjoy about doing the Kids Club activities was talking to the kids and seeing what they enjoyed,” shared Owen Spores, AVID student.
The students wrapped up the Winter Clothing project by writing personal notes and tucking them into the boots and gloves for the recipients to find. Then SoWashCo CARES picked up the items in the Skoolie bus to distribute to students in need.
AVID students are beginning to raise funds for the second-trimester nutritious snacks project. Grant money will not pay for snacks, so the students have organized a district-wide fundraiser. “It’s truly our community, helping our community”, said Cheryl Jogger, Founder of SoWashCo CARES.
