Overall Conference Reflection

What did I observe? Youth and adults collaborating to make the conference happen.
What did I learn?
1. The 6 million paths to peace workshop validated all service as a positive journey to peace. Community service and service-learning work hand in hand. We do not need to feel like a 'step-child of service-learning" anymore.
2. Mary Rogers triangle and circles are visuals we need to use in presentation to our community. They are easy to understand and we can adapt them to our reality. Christine's work showed the importance of a researcher's work for quantifing and qualifing results.
3. I want to become a Shinno-yen Foundation fellow. I will try to go to San Francisco in July.
4. There are wilderness programs that combine s-l and American Indian cultural exploration in Oklahoma. We might use them to train 8th graders. (Rite of Passage)
5. We need to consider exploring Earth Force resources
What is next?
a. Greater focus on Challenge 20/20
b. Training: Shinnoy-en Foundation reflective tools
c. Revision of Brussels Presentation: Triangle, Circles
d. Training of YAC using State Farms YAB website
e. Exploration of a new course on understanding NGO and philantrophy= 15 hours of service-learning

Saturday, March 31, Third and final Day

8:00-9:30: Community Builders Learning about the Nonprofit World. Judy Jenkins(jenkinsj@aa.edu 1-505-828-3262), Albuquerque Academy It was the experience of a 4 week summer course that introduces students to the world of NGO (Non profits or Non Govermental Organizations) and the essense of philanthropy. It is free for all accepted students (20). It teaches students about the building blocks of the community. It is designed to provide an inside look at how the many non-profit organizations in the community function. It gives students the opportunity to meet and learn from community leaders committed to making a difference in the lives of others
1. What is a 501(c)(3)non-profit?
2. How do you start a non-profit?
3. Where does the non-profit money come from?
4. Who oversees the operations of a non-profit?
5. What is the role of a non-profit board?
6. What are foundations and how do they work?
7. What role do non-profit art and education enterprises play in the economic development of a community?

Concrete examples:
1. Who feeds and cares for the homeless?
2. How are shelters funded?
3. How do young artists find studio space and support?
4. Who takes care of the elderly who have no one else?
5. How do we bring great artists and speakers to Albuquerque?
6. Who protects animal rights?
7. How do we fight intolerance and hate?
8. Who speaks for the trees?
9. How do communities provide education and counseling about substance abuse, teen pregnancy, and child abuse?

How do the students learn?
A Philanthropic simulation: They are given $100,000 to give away. They have meetings at different times of about 2 hours, mostly in the afternoon or evening. I was provided with a copy of their schedule. The students give away funds "for real" now.

Results: The reflection of the students were amazing. There has been an increase in alumni giving as well as participation in non-profit giving. No statistical analysis has been conducted yet.

Possibilites for our school: Partnerships with Mr. Mauldin, Ms. Waren, the Center for non-profits, and Oklahoma City Community Foundation to provide the funding for the course and the connections to the resources. Other sources of funding mentioned: Toyota Foundation, the Corporation of National Service (governmental organization), Kellogs Foundation. Resource mentioned: www.board source.org.



9:45-11:15: Youths for Environmental Change: Pat Lupo (plupo@lea.earthforce.org), Lake Erie-Allegheny Earth Force; Examples of effective environmental service-learning. Earth Force: http://www.earthforce.org/ Earth Force engages young people as active citizens who improve the environment and their communities now and in the future. They do so by training and supporting educators in programs that enable young people to lead community action projects focused on creating sustainable solutions to local environment issues in the community.

Global Warming: Be part of the answer, not of the problem. We have the power to heal and hurt. Earth Force develops a sense of love and respect for the community the earth and one another. Listening with the ear for the heart to develop service-learning initiatives to help our earth. Lead with your heart!

Process:
1. Community environmental inventory
2. Issue selection
3. Policy and practice research
4. Options for influencing policy and practice
5. Taking Action
6. Looking back and ahead

Some ideas for our reality
Match 1st grade with 9th grade, etc. Create a "stewards of the earth patrol." Keep your building clean, conserve energy, do not waste paper. Create an environmental club in all the schools and have them interact together. Build energy efficient light bulbs and give them away with statistical information about energy saving to parents and surrounding community.

Do an statistical analysis of the litter collected on Adopt the Street clean-ups and create a plan of action to solve the problem. Sister Lupo's students in collaboration with the city government created signs similar to the adopt street signs to raise awareness about smoking and litering.
Resource: EELINK; North America Association for Environmental Education http://eelink.net, e-mail: staff@eelink.net

11:30-1:30: Closing Reflection and CelebrationAdam Davis McGee: Roas manager for hip hop sensation Gritts was the motivator. Steve Culbertson, CEO of Youth Service America gave a motivation speech and said that the 2008 conference will be in Minneapolis-25 anniversary-April 9-12.

March 30: Second Day

8:00-9:30a.m. On a Grand Scale: The State Farm Youth Advisory Board
http://www.statefarmyab.com/index.php. The youth leaders gave an amazing presentation about the board, grants, and applications for youth associate boards. I take the process as an important example. Groups of 6 students rotated from group to group using about 5 minutes to explain and answer questions. They have an inspirational opening, a fun ice-breaker, an interactive 7-inning strecher, and an inspirational closing.

9:45-11:15 Plenary: Due to weather, Jackie Joyner-Kersee did not attend the conference. Kerry Strug, a former student of mine and 1996 Olympic games gold medallist in gymanstics introduces Robert Flores, Administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. David Eisner, CEO of the Corporation of National Service followed. Youth Julia Sewell open for Verna Cornelia Price, with the peom, "I am a phenomenal woman" Mrs. Price gave an interactive and action charged speech. I bought her book, “The Power of People: Four Kinds of People Who Can Change Your Life.” She motivated the participants to action!
1:45-3:15: Six Billion Paths to Peace: What is yours? Harumitsu Inouye, http://www.sef.org/ Shinnyo-en Foundtion: Reflection for daily life. Service-Learning practices are paths to building a more harmonious world. Focusing our interconnectedness and reflecting on individual contributions, we can build peace in our local and global communities. This workshop was the most powerful reflective exercise I have done so far. I hope to be able to go to their training in California.

Exploring the Spiritual, Religious and Cultural Roots of Service

Marconi Conference Center Marshall, CA July 28-July 30, 2006-90 minutes from San Francisco: Eighth annual summer retreat which will bring together an intergenerational group of approximately sixty-five people to reflect and share ideas about the role of spirituality, religion and culture in lives dedicated to the service of others. (Marshall, CA is approximately 90 minutes north of San Francisco).
This retreat seeks to help nurture and rejuvenate people involved in youth service by providing a stimulating and trusting environment to explore personal value, expand collegial connections and deepen knowledge and self-understanding.

Youth Service California and the Shinnyo-en Foundation are working now to complete a rewarding retreat program, which will include four basic components. Everyone will:

• Select and take part in a small study group of seven or eight that will focus on a single topic and meet three or four times during the retreat. Topics will range from introductory and advanced meditation, spirituality through creative expression, the quest for social justice, and the joy of writing. The study group offers an opportunity to both explore an issue in depth and build personal relationships.

• Take part in optional activities that appeal to multiple intelligences, including a nature walk to the ocean, meditative kayaking on Tomales Bay, talking with the leaders of the Shinnyo-En Foundation and creating original crafts.

• Enjoy unscheduled time for personal savoring of the beautiful environment and the creation of spontaneous on site activities.

• Participate in large group activities that offer diverse perspectives and encourage community identity.

Retreat Details
Eligibility: Anyone involved in youth development work who is interested in the retreat focus is invited to attend. We seek diversity in culture, religion, age and social backgrounds. Youth in high school or college are especially welcome. Organizations may bring groups to the retreat to nurture deeper relationships and increase unity but the number is limited to five members unless extra space becomes available.

Registration and Costs: There is a $75 registration fee, which covers program, room and board for adults. Youth from 16 to 24 have a $25 registration fee that will cover their expenses except for travel.

Retreat Acceptance: The general policy will be to accept registrations on a first come, first served basis. A few spots will be reserved, however, to allow some consideration for ensuring participant diversity. Preference will be given to applications received by May1, 2006.

Accommodations and Amenities: The Marconi Conference Center offers simple but high quality rustic resort-like motel rooms and very tasty food in a sensational, natural setting that overlooks Tomales Bay. Participants will share a double or spacious triple room.
If you have additional questions, please contact:

Don Hill, Youth Service California, don@yscal.org, (650) 356-0288
— or —

Liane Louie-Badua, Shinnyo-en Foundation, llouie@sef.org (415) 777-1977


Hospice Mask Project: http://www.maskproject.com/detail.cfm?MID=25&year=2001 California College of the Arts
3:30-5:00: The Power of Arts Based Service-Learning: Virginia Commonwealth University: Joe Seipel and Jan Johnston; Californa College of Arts: Sonia Manjon and Anne Mettrick; All presenters gave us their reality. What did I learn?
1.We are in the right path with our arts empowerered global service-learning ideas.
2. When we finally travel to our partner schools, we need to bring experts to help us view more possibilities.
3. We need to develop a partnership with OKC University arts and business departments.

7:30-11:00 p.m. Project Ignition Awards: Two Oklahoma Schools: Ada and Louville were selected among the 10 finalist. Both won awards, but a school in Texas was best of the best.