S ERVICE L EARNING P ROJECT By: Stephanie Owens

W HAT IS SERVICE LEARNING ? Their definition of Service Learning is a course- based, credit-bearing educational experience in which students participate in an organized service activity that meets a community... My definition of Service Learning is being able to help out the community and give back. It’s also a way you can experience and learn about different lives and help the less fortunate.

A DOPT A HIGHWAY Adopt a highway was a great way to give back to the Valdosta community, by picking up trash along the roads in the downtown area. With our help the area looked a lot prettier, and cleaner for people to walk from shop to shop. While cleaning the streets, we saw some of the downtown people and homeless people. It was sad to see them, but was a good experience to know that your helping them. During clean up, Paige and I played sweet or sour on the side of the street on our break. It was funny and really cool to see how Valdosta community is so nice!

G OODWILL Doing community service at goodwill was a really good experience through doing the actual work, and meeting the people that worked there. While doing community service there, I cleaned bathrooms, sorted clothes, and also hung them up. Cleaning bathrooms was disgusting! But, while sorting through clothes and hanging them up, I had to work with the employees and other people doing community service. It was really interesting learning about different people and why they were there. One person was scary though! I thought she was going to kill me and she cussed a lot!

C OMMUNITY SERVICE OUTSIDE OF CLASS Before coming to Valdosta, I had done community service many times before. I did a variety of things for my church, Such as helping with the concessions at our basketball games, cleaning the kitchen, helping prepare food, help with activities, and also set up rooms for groups. It was a good experience, but its also a totally different experience to do community service in a different way and location.

W HY IS SERVICE LEARNING IMPORTANT ? Service learning is important for many reasons. Service learning develops leadership skills, gains personal growth and also growth in your maturity. It is also important to have the feeling of helping someone in need and less fortunate than you. It really opens your eyes and makes you appreciate what you have. It also gives back to the community that’s gives to you. You learn a lot about different people, cultures, and helps you understand more about different societies.

W HAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF SERVICE LEARNING ? Helps you be able to understand and relate better to people in different communities, social group, and culture. Gives you motivation to help others in need and become a better person. Gives you a potential gain of what you might like to major in. it Helps your resume look better for a job. Service learning helps you gain responsibility in many ways and also makes you feel like you are needed by others.

R EFLECTION ON EXPERIENCE Through the different kinds of community service that I have done these past two semesters, I have learned and grown a lot. It has taught me a lot about being responsible, helping give back, help others in need, and helped me understand, and realize I have a lot, and I should be thankful. Although when I first heard that we had to do community service I was a little annoyed, I am glad we had to, because it not only makes me a better person for helping others, but I know I made an impact on someone's life whether it be big or small.

W ILL I CONTINUE ? Yes, I will continue doing community service throughout my life. I used to do a lot through my church, at home, and will continue to help the community, and those who are less fortunate.

O UTSIDE OF GOODWILL !

H OLDING A LITTLE BABY DRESS !

G ATHERING HANGERS FOR THE CLOTHES !

H ANGING UP SOME OF THE CLOTHES !

I WAS EXTREMELY HAPPY TO HANG CLOTHES !

C ONCLUSION … Throughout all of the community service I have done for my church at home, and through these past two semesters at Valdosta, I have learned a lot not only about community service and giving back, but about myself. It makes me feel like a better person and gives me a good feeling inside knowing I helped make a difference. There are many benefits and also importance to community service and everyone should do it!