City Year Heroes combine education with action

Environmental Studies. Park clean up. These two topics both sound pretty dull and are often two separate obligations that take place at two separate times in most people’s schedules.

The Case Foundation is a proud sponsor of City Year Washington, DC’s Heroes program, which brings topics like this together all the time – teaching middle and high school students about HIV prevention and then going out into the community to spread the word, learning about alcohol and drug abuse and then creating PSAs or studying the environment and then going out to clean up a mess.

Our City Year Heroes team corps members (young leaders between the ages of 18-21 who are giving a year of full-time volunteer service) work with groups of middle and high school students every weekend from January through May, teaching them how to lead their peers and other community members to tackle real community issues through service, action groups, and other community-based initiatives. City Heroes discuss issues, debate ideas, and participate in hands-on activities to better understand how social conditions affect different people and to identify ways that youth can be a part of the solution.

We could not be more proud of our Heroes Team and their tremendous accomplishments that are making a big difference here in Washington. City Year Heroes have shown us how to really make service learning work – combining education with action that leads to change, and happy and engaged students and community members.

Below is an update on what the team has been up to written by Heroes team member Evan Waldt. I hope as you read it you are as inspired as we are and pass some of these ideas on to your community.

March 2010 City Year DC Case Foundations Heroes Team Briefing

By: Evan Waldt, Team Sponsor Liaison, The Case Foundation Heroes Team

As the snow melts, The Case Foundation Heroes team is heating up by engaging 150 Heroes in service projects and educational programming. So far this year, the Young Heroes have served 2,442 hours during seven different service-learning events, and City Heroes have served 3,842 hours during six different events. As of March 12, the corps members on the Heroes team have performed 11,124 hours of service through one-on-one and small group tutoring at Garrison Elementary and Browne Education Campus two days a week. The rest of the week we plan and execute our Saturday service-learning program and take part in various service initiatives with City Year Washington, DC. I hope you enjoy this update. Please feel free to contact me at ewaldt10@cityyear.org if you have questions.

-Evan Waldt, Team Sponsor Liaison, The Case Foundation Heroes Team

YOUNG HEROES LEARN HOW TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
The Young Heroes have had five successful program days, as well as many other events and service days since the program started. Their first topic the Young Heroes addressed was “Exploring the Elderly Generation.” They discussed how to break down the negative stereotypes of elderly people. During their second week, the Young Heroes discussed “Decisions around Drugs and Alcohol.” They listened to speakers and learned how to make good choices when faced with peer pressure. Then they wrote, performed, and directed public service announcements about drug use and painted inspirational panel murals to be hung in drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers in the city. The topic of their most recent day was “Understanding the Homeless Population.” Our Heroes listened to a very engaging panel of representatives from the National Coalition for the Homeless as well as City Year corps members who have had experiences with homelessness. They also made and delivered Rice Krispies Treats and sugar cookies to two different organizations dedicated to helping the homeless.

CITY HEROES DISCUSS GLOBAL AND TEEN ISSUES
Earlier this year, the 65 City Heroes engaged in discussions on “Prejudices in the 21st Century” where speakers from the Arab American Institute and Advocates for Justice in Education discussed issues facing Arab Americans and students with special needs in the DC community. Most recently, The Heroes discussed the “Media’s Impact on Teens” through social networking, music, and television. They discussed issues such as body image, violence, and perceived perceptions of reality versus reality television. For the service portion of the day, the Heroes partnered with five different local libraries cataloguing a disability section, organizing an entire section of youth books, and canvassing the Shaw neighborhood to inform local residents about services and partnerships available at the local library.

HEROES OPENING CEREMONY WAS A SUCCESS!
Both City Heroes and Young Heroes took part in our MLK Day service project at Ron Brown Middle School in Deanwood where over 600 volunteers, including the Heroes, City Year corps members, community members, and US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan performed a powerful day of service. The Heroes painted murals, organized a library and book room, and recycled books that were out of date so that new books could be brought to the school. They also celebrated their opening ceremony which officially kicked off the Heroes service program. DC Central Kitchen CEO Robert Egger was the keynote speaker, and 150 young people were sworn into the Heroes program by City Year CEO and Co-Founder Michael Brown.