Portland Campus: We have visitors!

Today our office is hosting Deering High School students from the "Make It Happen" program of Portland Schools' Multilingual and Multicultural Programs, supported by USM student volunteer hosts and guides.  Some are visiting classes at this hour, while others are taking a campus tour.  All will be visiting classes at 10:15, after which they'll have lunch in Woodbury Campus Center and then hear from a panel of USM students who share their experience of immigration to and learning in the U.S.  Finally, Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admission Rachel Morales will speak with the students about the college application process before they return to Deering High School, better prepared to take their places in the class of 2019... perhaps here at USM!  We hope you will bear with them if they act like, well, high school students, and offer a friendly welcome and answers to any questions they may have.  Kudos to Stacy Normand, our Programs Coordinator, who organized the day, recruited and supported the volunteers, and supports our strong working relationship with "Make It Happen," where numerous USM students are regular Academic Coaches in the Academic Center.

 

With thanks and hopes for the future,

ATM

 

 

 

 

Andrea Thompson McCall

 Director of Community Service Learning

 University Interfaith Chaplain

University of Southern Maine

P.O. Box 9300

Portland, ME 04104-9300

 

Phone 207-228-8284

FAX 207-228-8403

Volunteers Needed: Help with kid's theater project

Hey Everyone!

Portland Housing Authority is looking for volunteers to help their students
with a theater project about Martin Luther King's life. Volunteers are
needed to help students write scripts/dialogue, to help them design a set,
practice their lines, ect. If you are interested please let me know!

all the best,

Homeless Voices for Justice TOMORROW

Homeless Voices for Justice is a state-wide social change movement, organized and led by people who have struggled with homelessness.  Tuesday, November 15 at 2:00 PM in 102 Wishcamper, Portland, a panel presentation by members of Homeless Voices for Justice will discuss the daily realities of homelessness in Portland. 

 

In their own words, "In addition to the social change benefits resulting from this organizing work, Homeless Voices for Justice has had perhaps an even more profound affect on our leaders and participants, including increased self-esteem, community respect, and an understanding of the collective nature of personally experienced injustices and the power of collective action.  The empowerment and sense of dignity produced by "finding our voice" and participating with peers in making change cannot be overstated. " 

 

This event is free and open to the public, and is one of a series to highlight National Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week.  For more information, see our web site: http://www.usm.maine.edu/community/november-hunger-homeless-awareness-month

 

 

 

 

Andrea Thompson McCall

 Director of Community Service Learning

 University Interfaith Chaplain

University of Southern Maine

P.O. Box 9300

Portland, ME 04104-9300

 

Phone 207-228-8284

FAX 207-228-8403

Civic Matters Friday, November 18

The Office of Community Service Learning is pleased to announce that on November 18, 2010 the University of Southern Maine will host Civic Matters, a symposium of USM community-based projects and research.

 The highlight is a community conversation focusing on how service learning and civic engagement is a promising practice in supporting student persistence and graduation.   Maine Campus Compact Faculty Consultant, Maryli Tiemann will facilitate the conversation.

 

Ben Towne, faculty member in Athletic Training will offer remarks his international service learning work in the Dominican Republic.

This fall, nearly 60 students, faculty and community partners will present during the oral and poster sessions about their work in the community.

This event provides opportunities to all participants to grow as practitioners, network and showcase engagement with the community.  Please join us from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for the poster session, oral session and the community conversation over free lunch. 

You can read more about Civic Matters on the Community Service Learning website http://www.usm.maine.edu/community/civic-matters.  If you have specific questions please send your inquiry to asampson@usm.maine.edu or call 228-8092.   

 

The Civic Matters 2011 program is attached to this email.

 

We hope to see you there.

 

Sincerely,

Alicia Sampson

Service Learning Coordinator

Office of Community Service Learning

University of Southern Maine

asampson@usm.maine.edu

228-8092

 

 

Andrea Thompson McCall

 Director of Community Service Learning

 University Interfaith Chaplain

University of Southern Maine

P.O. Box 9300

Portland, ME 04104-9300

 

Phone 207-228-8284

FAX 207-228-8403

Volunteers Needed on Dec 2nd!

Hey Everyone!

We are still looking for volunteers to help out on December 2nd during a
bullying intervention workshop with youth at Portland High School.
Volunteers will perform a short skit for the youth, help facilitate
discussion and then assist with a simple, reflective craft. The workshop
takes place from 2:30-4:00. Please let me know if you are interested in serving.

all the best,

Volunteers Needed: Bullying Intervention/Prevention

Do you want to do something about bullying in our public schools? Do you
want to make an impact?

Every year, the Office of Community Service Learning hosts an MLK Day of
Service project to celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This
year, we will be serving at Portland High School and Boys and Girls Club of
Southern Maine in Riverton Park by teaching youth about nonviolent bullying
prevention and intervention. USM students will engage high school youth in
a bullying intervention workshop. Once the high school students are trained
in bullying intervention, they will then serve with more USM and SMCC
students at Boys and Girls Club by teaching elementary aged youth about
bullying and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Here are the details of the event:
Days to Volunteer:
Dec 1st & 2nd from 2:15-4:00 at Portland High School
-Help us train high school students at in bullying prevention and
intervention. Volunteer activities include leading an open discussion,
performing a short skit, and then doing an arts & crafts reflection activity
with the youth. You can volunteer on one day, or both days!

January 13th- from 3:30-5:30 at Boys and Girls Club in Riverton Park
- Volunteer activities included leading a guided discussion about what
bullying is, who Martin Luther King is, and how bullying relates to MLK's
mission. Volunteers will also perform a short skit, or sit with the children
while they watch the skit. At the end of the day, volunteers will help the
elementary school students create a 6 word reflection on what they have
learned on a cut out hand, which will then be pasted to a "tree" to make the
leaves.

This is a great way to make a difference in the lives of youth without
making a major time commitment. You can volunteer on one day, two days or
all three! Let me know that you are interested in volunteering. Let me know
if you are interested by replying to this email!

All the best,

Volunteers Needed:College Experience Day

Hey Folks!

On November 30th, the Office of Community Service Learning is hosting
College Experience Day, an event that allows freshman ELL students from
Deering High School to visit the Portland campus and learn about college
life and the college admissions process. A part of this experience is
sitting in on classes on the morning of November 30th. We need a few
volunteers to greet students when they arrive, guide them to the class they
want to attend. Volunteers need to be available between 9:00-11:00. This is
a really awesome, short –term volunteer opportunity that would allow you to
do some community service without even leaving campus! If you are
interested, please let me know.

all the best,
Stacy Normand
Programs Coordinator
Office of Community Service Learning

Volunteer Opportunity: MLK Day of Service

Hello Everyone!

Every year, the Office of Community Service Learning hosts an MLK Day
of Service project to celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
This year, we will be serving at Portland High School and Boys and Girls
Club of Southern Maine in Riverton Park by teaching youth about
nonviolent bullying prevention and intervention. USM students will
engage high school youth in a bullying intervention workshop. Once the
high school students are trained in bullying intervention, they will then
serve with more USM and SMCC students at Boys and Girls Club, by
teaching elementary aged youth about bullying and Martin Luther King
Jr.
Here are the details of the event:

Days to Volunteer:
Dec 1st & 2nd from 2:15-4:00 at Portland High School
-Help us train high school students at in bullying prevention and
intervention. Volunteer activities include leading an open discussion,
performing a short skit, and then doing a creative reflection activity
with the youth. You can volunteer on one day, or both days!

January 13th- from 3:30-5:30 at Boys and Girls Club in Riverton
- Volunteer activities included leading a guided discussion
about what bullying is, who Martin Luther King is, and how bullying
relates to MLK's mission. Volunteers will also perform a short skit, or sit
with the children while they watch the skit. At the end of the day,
volunteers will help the elementary school students create a 6 word
reflection on what they have learned on a cut out hand, which will then
be pasted to a "tree."

This is a great way to do some community service with children if you
do not want to make a long-term commitment! You can volunteer on
all three days if you want to, but you do not have to! For more
information, or to sign up, contact Stacy Normand at
snormand@usm.maine.edu.