Service in Schools Program Launch

At Service in Schools, there is nothing we love to see more than teachers utilizing the tools we have provided during any one of our numerous professional learning sessions. We were excited to learn that Meghan Leston from Academy of Medical Students completed the World of Service Activity with her students. The activity was in preparation for their project about food insecurity that they are working on as part of the Students Advocating For the Environment program. Students thought about their ideal community and added elements to their world that they felt were essential for community development. The activity allowed students to discuss what they felt was important, and by listening to their peers, students learned about elements of a community they might not have considered to be essential. The students are excited to continue to investigate food insecurity and develop their service project to positively impact their community.

Stem Matters NYC Spring Break Programs

Students can apply now for spring break STEM enrichment programs! Learn more and apply to have fun, new STEM adventures this spring break! Don’t miss out, spots are limited and the application deadline is Monday, February 12, 2024.

Climate Action Days

Did you know up to 86% of waste generated in schools can be recycled or composted, according to a study from the Department of Sanitation? Let’s work together to make that number a reality!

Waste Climate Action Day – Wednesday, February 7

Wednesday, February 7 is Waste Climate Action Day! Share the Waste Climate Action Day Flyer with your school community (available in all 10 languages) and check out these Climate Action Day materials to share with your school. 

Student Engagement Sessions (Virtual) – February 1, 2, and 7

Log in with your class to one of their virtual Student Engagement Sessions before or on Waste Climate Action Day. These 45-minute interactive webinars are an easy way to support schoolwide action and reinforce learning goals. Register your class to join one or more of these sessions on February 1, 2, or 7.

• Elementary K-2: The 3 R's & Waste Sorting
• Middle School 6-8: The Compost Cycle in NYC
• High School 9-12: Waste & Advocacy

Summer Youth Employment Program

Summer Youth Employment program (SYEP) applications are officially open! SYEP is the nation’s largest youth employment program, connecting NYC youth between the ages of 14 and 24 with career exploration opportunities and paid work experiences each summer. Participants receive the opportunity to explore their interests and career pathways, develop workplace skills and engage in learning experiences that help to develop their social, civic, and leadership skills. By participating in structured projects and work-based opportunities, NYC youth are better prepared for careers of the future. The application deadline is March 1.

Achillea Tutors

Achillea is looking for high school volunteer tutors who are passionate about making a difference and are in good academic standing with their schools. Tutors are matched one-on-one with students in need of academic support who have either experienced foster care or are at risk of entering the system. Many of these students have been left behind in academics and isolated due to COVID. Tutors are not just tutors—they are also mentors, peers, and above all, friends. Sign up via the tutor intake form to become a volunteer tutor. Volunteers must be at least 16 years of age or older. Students in need of tutoring can sign-up via the student intake form.

Paws NY

Pets Are Wonderful Support (PAWS NY) is a grassroots, volunteer-driven organization. If you enjoy spending time with both people and pets, PAWS NY offers wonderful opportunities for volunteers (18 years of age and older) to provide direct services to their clients, mainly through their House Call Program. Volunteers provide help with dog walking, litter box maintenance, transportation to/from the vet, and other pet-related tasks their clients struggle to do on their own. PAWS NY is flexible in terms of level of commitment and welcomes all interested individuals to attend an orientation session to learn more about their work. Visit the PAWS NY volunteer page to sign up for a virtual orientation session. Note, proof of COVID-19 vaccination is required to be a volunteer.

38th Annual Water Resources Art and Poetry Contest

The NYC Department of Environmental Protection is excited to announce the start of the 38th annual Water Resources Art & Poetry Contest. Students in grades 2-12 attending public, independent, charter, and parochial schools (and homeschooled) in New York City and the East and West of Hudson Watersheds are invited to create original art and compose poetry that reflects an appreciation for our shared water resources. Entries will be accepted online from now through Friday, March 1. Visit the 2024 Water Resources Art & Poetry Contest website for contest guidelines, water themes and topics, resource materials, and to view past winning entries, and the portal to submit student entries.

Dorot Genuine Connections

DOROT is gearing up for the winter semester and there are many opportunities for your high school students to get involved and earn service hours through DOROT’s community service opportunities. GENuine Connections welcomes high school students and older adults (65+) volunteers to meet weekly over Zoom in small groups for meaningful conversations and fun activities to bridge generational divides. Workshop activities range from creative writing, chess, art, current events, and more that will lead to the discovery of new and shared perspectives. Complete the GENuine Connections New Volunteer Application to apply for the upcoming winter semester.

C-STEP Playbook

The CSTEP Playbook: Street Trees is designed to support middle school teachers in designing and carrying out projects that investigate climate change through the lens of monitoring street trees, and learning about tree stewardship in New York City and other urban areas. It is part of a series of playbooks that were developed by New York City Public School teachers and external partner organizations. Check out this webinar, created by Angela Carcione of P.S. 207 Rockwood Park, to learn about the important role street trees and urban forests play in mitigating the effects of climate change in cities, and learn about interactive maps and other resources that can be used with students to identify species of local street trees and monitor tree health using a dendrometer.

Talk Space and NYC Healthy

Anyone ages 13 to 17 living in New York City has access to free online therapy through NYC Teenspace from @nychealthy. Talkspace therapists share these warning signs as a critical first step to understanding when teens may need help, but are not able to express it. It’s important these symptoms don’t go unaddressed. Working with a licensed therapist is one way that can help a teen learn coping skills and alleviate their stress. Learn more at NYC Teenspace about free mental health services.

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 Instagram 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.