Community service and volunteer work are not only rewarding ways to do something good, but also provide wonderful educational, professional and personal growth opportunities. This guidebook provides resources, strategies and valuable information for gifted students and their parents associated with Giving Back.
This is an annual national video documentary competition that encourages students to think seriously about issues that affect our communities and our nation. Students are asked to create a short (5-8 minute) video documentary on a topic related to a specific theme. The competition is open to all students in grades 6 through 12.
Planet Earth is faced with a set of Grand Challenges whose solutions are critical to humanity over the next decades. To be responsible stewards of the planet and to ensure human progress, we must find sustainable solutions for alternative energy, safeguarding our environment, improving healthcare, advancing knowledge, and creating the technologies that enhance the way we live. Five nominated individuals or teams will split a $15,000 prize. In addition, a professional video of each of the five winning projects, including new interviews and footage filmed during March and/or April, will be produced and featured at the April summit in Boston; and travel support will be provided to bring the winners to the Boston summit.
Heifer International has several programs to help people including Read to Feed, in which you read books and raise money to buy animals for poor families.
The program "Builds self confidence, character and team spirit; Gives the good feeling of helping others in an significant way; Provides opportunity to build reading and problem-solving skills; Creates a setting for art, music and other learning experiences; Gives teachers a way to widen children's world."
Created by Young Scholar Ambassador Melody Liu,
Books for Hope is a nonprofit organization centered in New Jersey. The goal of Books for Hope is to to educate people in the community about the low quality of education in Africa by collecting books from libraries and other private donations, and sending them to countries in Africa.
The Green River Preserve is a magnificent 3,400 acre wildlife preserve in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Protected by the Schenck family for two generations, it is one of the finest private wildlife preserves in Western N.C. The Preserve is also a coed summer camp designed especially for rising 4th through 9th grade bright young naturalists.
iMentor's mission is to improve the lives of young people from underserved communities in New York City through innovative, technology-based approaches to youth mentoring and education. They work with schools, after-school programs, community technology centers, and other youth development agencies that serve young people from low-income neighborhoods.
The CNCS provides strategic critical support to volunteer organizations that, in turn, deliver much-needed services to communities throughout the country. One of their many goals is to build character and create career and educational opportunities through the volunteer experience. To accomplish these goals, the Corporation provides grants and training and technical assistance to developing and expanding volunteer organizations. In addition, the Corporation explores, develops, and models effective approaches for using volunteers to meet the nation's human needs and conducts and disseminates research that helps develop and cultivate knowledge that will enhance the overall effectiveness of national and community service programs.
For more than a decade, MENTOR/National Mentoring Partnership has been leading the effort to connect America's young people with caring adult mentors. MENTOR was created in 1990 by financiers and philanthropists Geoff Boisi and Ray Chambers.
The Congressional Award is the U.S. Congress' award for young Americans. It is non-partisan, voluntary, and non-competitive. The program is open to all 14- to 23-year-olds. Participants earn Bronze, Silver and Gold Congressional Award Certificates and Bronze, Silver and Gold Congressional Award Medals. Each level involves setting goals in four program areas: Volunteer Public Service, Personal Development, Physical Fitness, and Expedition/Exploration.
Youth Venture helps teams of people start new youth-led organizations. In 1996, Youth Venture was launched with the vision that everyone in society could take initiative and address social needs. With so many more people taking initiative, imagine how many more problems we could solve! Young people are critical to this vision. If you have an experience of taking initiative at a young age, it is likely that this will prepare you to lead and create positive change throughout your life.
This book offers a hands-on guide for girls looking to take an active role in their school and community. The authors offer solid reasons for active involvement, strategies for choosing how to be of help and with which groups; and methods for getting involved. The book is filled with advice, resources and Web sites. One of the book's more important sections highlights the accomplishments of girls who have successfully made a positive change in their community. A handbook for involvement and empowerment and an inspirational guide for young women wanting to make a difference.
These exciting true stories will inspire teens to believe in themselves and the ability of determined young people to make a difference in the world. The stories are engaging and accessible about fighting crime, taking social action, being a hero and saving the environment. In Kids with Courage, readers meet 18 remarkable kids with the courage to speak out, fight back, come to the rescue, and stand up for their beliefs.
Written by Frances A. Karnes, Ph.D. and Suzanne M. Bean, Ph.D., this book explodes with positive ideas and activities that will help your students discover their leadership abilities. The activities throughout this book stimulate the exploration of ideas and encourage critical thinking about leadership. Students will find guidance and advice that emphasize leadership skills in a variety of settings, including leadership in the classroom, school activities, and the community. It also includes real-life stories about students who took on leadership positions.
Inspire kids and teens to personal, community, and social action with this book of thirty true stories of young people overcoming adversity to achieve great things and make a difference around the world. Compelling, funny, inspiring, and poignant, the book features kids and teens who used their heads, their hearts, their character, their courage, and sometimes their stubbornness to help others and do amazing things. Inside you’ll find examples of youth volunteering, kids making a difference, and young people initiating community and social action to change their world.
Newton and Dillingham's Watersheds 2 is the only environmental casebook of its kind. This book offers discourse on environmental issues from the Exxon Valdez to the population explosion, and includes study questions at the end of each chapter. The authors present cases of immediate interest in a balanced and impartial manner, with an engaging style that will encourage critical thinking and discussion.
The Civic Education Project (CEP) combines traditional education with community service to promote civic responsibility among young people. Through innovative spring and summer programs, CEP offers promising young people the chance to learn and serve in communities across the country and helps students gain the knowledge, experience, and leadership skills necessary to make a positive impact on society. CivicWeek, CEP's weeklong field experience program
for outstanding high school students is open to 9th-12th grade
students from across the country. The Civic Leadership Institute,
CEP's three week summer course on Civic Engagement is open to
10th-12th grade students.
College of the Atlantic offers two summer program opportunities for rising juniors and seniors - "Islands Through Time" and "Rivers Through Time". Through experiential learning and interdisciplinary studies, participants can earn a degree in human ecology in an ecologically diverse location, develop an appreciation for environmental sustainability, and enjoy a beautiful, scenic location.
This foundation is an offshoot of the cartoon series, Captain Planet. Funding for youth projects comes from a combination of grant awards, partnerships with local and national organizations, and an annual holiday fundraiser. CPF gives children the opportunity to become active participants in discovering lasting solutions to issues that affect their entire community.
Kids are indeed heroes and each one has the power to change the world. The Kids Are Heroes™ web site is dedicated to them, designed to inspire your children to become involved in the act of giving by learning from other kid heroes who are doing amazing things.
Davidson Young Scholar Ambassador Elizabeth Hauser created this video production for children who have had a pet that died, presented from a child's experience and point of view. The presentation was created with the intention of helping children and their families in learning to accept the death of a pet.
This website is a resource for service-based projects for the family. The site includes "Project Central", with more than 60 hands-on projects to help the homeless, elderly, disadvantaged and ill.
This online curriculum from the EPA provides hands-on lessons and activities, enrichment ideas, journal writing assignments, and other educational tools related to preventing and reducing trash. Each chapter includes one or more fact sheets providing background information on each topic. In addition, each chapter includes an index showing the grade ranges, subject areas and skills used for each activity to help teachers select the appropriate activities.
This website is a principal online destination for people interested in dismantling bigotry and creating communities that value diversity. Through its online resources and ideas, expanding collection of print materials, outreach efforts, and downloadable public service announcements, Tolerance.org promotes and supports anti-bias activism in every venue of American life.