English

Oral Language: 9.2, 10.1, 11.1, 12.1

Research: 9.8, 10.11

History and Social Sciences

Virginia and U.S. Government GOVT.17, GOVT.18

HS.10: Appraisal of community needs

HS.11: Responsibilities of citizenship

HS.12: Stewardship

HS.13: Leadership through service

Leading Younger Students into Service

High school students will design and carry out service projects in which younger students can participate.

Steps To Complete the Activity

In this project, older students will mentor younger students to create and implement a service project. The older students will first survey the younger students about the need for service projects in their neighborhood, town, or state.

Have younger students

• Get into groups of three or four.
• Plan the project including where and when the project will take place, how many people should be involved, and what materials will be needed.
• Decide as a group the type of project to be done.
• Participate in the project and the evaluation of its success.

Have older students

• Direct discussion of possible projects.
• Help the younger students organize the project.
• Participate in the project with the younger students.
• Help the younger students evaluate their success or failure in the project.

Resources

The local newspaper, and local and school officials

The Youth Leadership Initiative has lessons on service and mentoring. See Youth Mentoring Project—PROMOTE THE VOTE in the appendix. Also, see lesson 42 on service projects by visiting the YLI Web site: http://www.youthleadership.net.