Two weeks ago, we welcomed our program participants to the second personal learning workshops for the Kids Action Team, Race Against Waste, and Students Taking Action Today programs. We were joined by two special guests at all three sessions; the Paley Center for Media Director of Education, Bekah Fisk who led participants through using media analysis to support service-learning investigations, and professor of language and literacy, Dr. Mary Ann Cappiello who facilitated participants using text sets to build background knowledge during the investigation stage, and persuasive techniques to create an advocacy campaign for a service-learning topic. Participants viewed and analyzed numerous examples of public service announcements (PSAs) from the Paley Center for Media’s vast collection of media resources, considering the different aspects of each PSA to identify the intent, features, and overall message. Then using their learnings from developing text sets and analyzing media, participants created their own PSA’s as radio ads, buttons, slogans, and jingles.

School Spotlight: IS. 096

This month, we are excited to highlight Alexandra Agostino and her 6th grade Community Service elective, the Lions Den. We connected the Lions Den with Katherine Reeves of Animal Care Center in order to embark on their first animal welfare project. The goal was to create paper hearts to be sent to the animal shelter to serve as decorations for Valentines Day. Ms. Agostino used this project to introduce her students to service-learning. The students learned about some of the issues impacting animal welfare and how they can take action to affect change. Through their investigation and action, this service-learning project is a great start to what is hopefully a long life of service. 

Apply to Youth Communication

Youth Communication is the place for you if you’re a New York City teen that likes writing stories that will help your peers. Apply for their Spring Writing Internship. Youth Communication has two publications: YouthComm*, a magazine for teens; and Represent, our publication by and for youth in foster care. If you are a teen in foster care, learn how to apply for the Represent writing program here. Teen writers are mentored by full-time professional editors, learning memoir writing and journalism skills. Writers get to be a voice for other teens; their work is published for thousands of readers through the Youth Communication publications and partners like The Nation, Chalkbeat, or in Youth Communication curricula. Writers are paid $100 per published article and provided a laptop if they do not own one. Sessions are held both in person and remotely. For those who attend in person, a two-trip MetroCard is also provided. To learn more information about the program, visit the Youth Communication Website.

Girl Be Heard

Girl Be Heard builds leaders, changemakers, and activists by developing, amplifying, and celebrating the voices of girls and young women through theater-making, storytelling, and performances. Girl Be Heard holds FREE after-school and weekend theater education programs for young women, girls, and trans/gender-nonconforming youth ages 12 to 21. All of their programs and curriculum use mentoring and storytelling to help young women develop their writing and speaking skills. Through performance-based storytelling mediums, Girl Be Heard provides a creative and community building space for young women of color and gender expansive youth to develop and deepen their personal and collective leadership, activist, and performance voice. For more information contact nella@girlbeheard.org.

Sanitation



RefashionNYC is a free and convenient clothing donation and recycling service available to schools. The service is provided by the NYC Department of Sanitation (DSNY) and the nonprofit organization Housing Works. RefashionNYC will visit your building to discuss what bin sizes are best and where they should be placed. Buildings simply call or email for a free pick up when the bin is full. Some of the benefits of the program includes:

• Helps keep valuable material from going to landfills.
• Help New Yorkers!. All proceeds from donations support charitable missions.
• Get Tax deductions! Tax receipts for up to $250 are available for individual donors.

To receive a RefashionNYC bin, complete an online inquiry form at nyc.gov/refashion. For any future inquiries, please reach out to email schools@dsny.nyc.gov.

City Parks Foundation



Calling the Bronx and Queens! The City Parks foundation is looking for schools, community organizations, and other partners to host a #GreenGirlsEmpoweredByING program this summer. The award-winning girls’ STEM curriculum is totally free (both to put on and participate in), and meets once a week over the course of five weeks. For more information, visit cityparksfoundation.org/green-girls.

Does your school have a great service project to share? If so, the Service in Schools team wants to know!



Invite the Service in Schools team to visit your service project. We want to see your students and school community in action. Email the Service in Schools team at ServiceinSchools@schools.nyc.gov with two weeks’ notice, and we will schedule a visit to your school to learn about your project and see the impact you are making on the community. 

Visit our website. Follow @ServiceinSchools on Twitter and @ServiceinSchools on Instagram to receive program updates, upcoming service opportunities, resources, and more. We encourage students who use Twitter and are interested in service opportunities to follow us.

Mission: Service in Schools strives to expand the number of NYC students engaged in transformative community service and service-learning experiences that enable them to use their voice, skills, and critical thinking to strengthen communities.