Service Learning Beyond the Classroom

The Greenhouse Project

Youth gain a broad base of experience through local service-learning projects. Take a look at how students at the Alternative Learning Center in east Austin are getting hands-on educational experience.

LifeWorks became a community partner with the eastside school in the fall of 2003.


"We didn't know what to expect since this was new to us, but we were eager to see how we could help."

Youth Excellence

The roots of the ALC Greenhouse Project began in 2002 when a federally funded service-learning grant provided funds to purchase the modular kit. When LifeWorks Institute arrived on the scene at the beginning of school, 2004, we saw piles of materials.

When new people come into a culture it takes time to create relationships and trust. We didn't know anyone in the school, and they didn't know us. Our desire to serve youth is what sustains us and assists in expanding our patience! "Strangers can create powerful relationships that are forever remembered" we told ourselves over and again.

So there they were with a pile of stuff that was supposed to transform into a greenhouse by the end of the school year. Yikes! The brains began to swirl as the team met school staff and began to get the lay of the land.

Things can come together in weird ways. We counted our blessings and asked for help! We collaborated with teachers about how to choose students who would be taken out of classes. Teachers wanted to ensure the time spent out of the classroom would be beneficial to their students.

Planning, calculating, drilling, cutting..... Middle school and high school students got alot of hands-on learning at the Alternative Learning Center in northeast Austin.

Remember how it is to learn something new--something entirely foreign to your way of thinking? That is the opportunity youth have at the ALC. They gained real-life experience as they contributed to the construction of an on-campus greenhouse, and growing plants.

It is not easy for the youth, the teachers or the mentors. Watching young people hold a drill for the first time, seeing the struggle of learning something foreign, letting them make mistakes requires patience. Stanley Smith knows the importance of respecting youth.

He can tell many stories of how youth who have little self confidence and self esteem can find strength within as they use their hands and bodies in purposeful ways. "For me, it's less about teaching youth to respect their elders as it is to show them what it is feels like to be respected." That is an experience not soon forgotten. Building on that understanding, it takes time and consistency for youth to learn about trust of an adult.

It was a crisp February day. A local nursery had donated fruit trees for the students to plant. In my role as the plant lady, I gathered four interested students that would rather be outside digging holes than being inside.

With an impromtu permaculture lesson to help students choose a site for the trees, Aubrey took the only pear tree to plant in view from the front of the school. While digging the hole, Aubrey was happy and focused. Worms, grubs, ants, beetles...so much going on right under his feet. Once the hole was deep enough we planted Aubrey's tree.

As things often happen with 13 year olds, Aubrey got distracted....calling out to girls leaving school early. Ms. Johnson, his teacher, told him he needed to go inside. Not without a struggle. Aubrey went over to the tree and sat on it breaking it nearly in half.

I saw the damage and knew the tree would die. The other youth made a splint, tied the tree up and told the tree we wanted it to live. The next day Aubrey apologized. He commented, '"The tree has been through a rough time. I caused the pain and want to make it right. It deserves a second chance." The tree made it.

We define mentoring as a dedicated relationship between mentee and mentor that defines and co- creates success over and over again. Success might be showing up on time for class 5 days in a row, or working towards a scholarship.

Service learning provides a focal point for youth to experience group mentoring. Students still get plenty of one-to-one time, and they get to have fun with their peers.
 

Denise Scioli, special ed teacher at the ALC; Caroline Manfredo, teaching assistant at the ALC; Oakley Barber, teacher at the ALC; Stanley K. Smith, greenhouse project supervisor, LifeWorks Institute; Dana Ellinger, 'the plant lady" LifeWorks Institute; Chef Marko, expert in how to put plants and food together, LifeWorks Institute.

Our other community partner was Youthworks, Paul Bond and Lea Wentworth. And a cast of many who donated construction expertise, plants, volunteer time and compassion beyond belief. Multitudes of thanks to Austin's Service Learning team and Wanda Holland who has a heart as big as Texas!