Students Against Vandalism Everywhere

Projects Link Classrooms, Community
The Providence Journal - Providence, RI [West Bay Edition]
Author: Lisa Vernon-Sparks
Date: March 23, 2007
Section: News

COVENTRY - Over the past three years, hundreds of students in the Coventry schools have diligently worked on several community service projects, also known as service learning projects, which provide opportunities to apply school lessons to real-life situations.

The projects, all conceived by students from the elementary schools through the high school level, varied in design and focus.

Some were environmental, requiring water testing at local ponds.

A group of third-graders conceived an outdoor science classroom, complete with a weather station, bird sanctuary and a butterfly garden. Eighth-graders came up with an anti-vandalism campaign called S.A.V.E. (Students Against Vandalism Everywhere) and designed armbands, bumper stickers and posters.

One project was simple and artistic: a group of high school students made ceramic food sculptures of cupcakes and plates of spaghetti and meatballs, which will be donated to local restaurants.

All told, 20 service learning projects, or findings from those projects designed by roughly 500 Coventry students this year, will be presented Tuesday evening during an awards ceremony dubbed "Celebrate Coventry."

It will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Coventry High School library. After the presentations, students will receive certificates and plaques from the School Committee and others, including Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch, Sen. Leo Blais, Rep. Victor Moffitt and Police Chief Brian O'Rourke. The event will conclude with a performance by the Coventry High School Drama Club.

"We are a part of a three-year service learning grant," said Supt. Kenneth R. DiPietro. "When kids take their learning into the community, there are two-fold benefits. The community benefits and students benefit because they see how their learning affects their community."

DiPietro said the service learning program has been a part of the curriculum for years.

Service learning connects classroom learning with real life. It gives students an opportunity to inspire other students through mentoring and tutoring opportunities and it gives students a sense of ownership on projects, because they come up with the ideas to pursue. They learn to appreciate their citizenship because the projects are designed to help the community in some way.

Dolores O'Rourke, a high school librarian who coordinates the grant efforts, sought the funds from KIDS Consortium, a nonprofit organization that promotes learning through community involvement.

A $10,000 grant from the Maine-based organization opened the door to other grants from the state Department of Education, which enabled the Coventry schools to receive nearly $30,000 to pursue the projects.

"It's definitely a win-win situation, because of the ownership. The students enjoy the projects. The students who wouldn't ordinarily be motivated are motivated,'' O'Rourke said. "Those students who do well also shine. They have a venue and an avenue."

O'Rourke said there are studies that suggest students who perform projects for their communities are less likely to engage in bad behavior. Those students who are helping with outdoor projects, such as the middle school children who are helping elderly people who have been victimized by vandals, are less likely to commit those acts and can warn others against doing them as well.

"They feel connected to their community and they are helping," O'Rourke said.

lsparks@projo.com /(401) 277-7156

Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.