Choices abound in service learning

Service learning is a program in which both the students and the community benefit through learning and active participation.

It is usually arranged through higher education institutions, elementary schools, secondary schools and various nonprofit and community service organizations.

The goal of service learning is to help students learn in an active and productive environment by encouraging them to become volunteers and mentors in the organizations their classes are involved with. Under service learning, students learn through hands-on experience while at the same time giving back to the community.

English Professor Liz Ann Aguilar, for example, has a project involving Hirsch Elementary third grade students and some of her freshman composition students.

Aguilar's students tutor and mentor the children in writing poems and short stories.

This in turn provides the college students with the experience of working with young children, and it gives the children something different and entertaining to look forward to at school.

The college offers a wide variety of service learning opportunities in departments such as art, computer information systems, early childhood studies, engineering, history and kinesiology to name a few.

Service learning has now developed its own page on the Facebook social network to communicate with students who are interested in service learning.

Coordinator Audrey Grams said this helps students more quickly to collect all the pertinent information at once.

On the Facebook page, which can be accessed without an account at www.facebook.com/sacservice, one can find useful information regarding serving learning and volunteer opportunities and events.

Groups also can upload photos or service projects and join discussions.

For more information, call Grams at 486-0763 or e-mail her at agrams@alamo.edu or civic engagement Coordinator Justin Storrs at 486-0760 or jstorrs@alamo.edu.