Let the Learn & Serve Challenge Begin!

Dear service-learning supporters and fans,

Let the 2009-2010 National Learn & Serve Challenge begin!

This week, more than 71,000 young people, educators, community partners, civic leaders, and business partners will participate in activities to build awareness and public support for service-learning through the National Learn & Serve Challenge.

For two years, the National Learn & Serve Challenge was an opportunity to dedicate one week each year to promote and spotlight service-learning success stories around the country. This was made possible with support from the State Farm® Companies Foundation. Today, we are pleased to announce that the National Learn & Serve Challenge is now a nine-month initiative designed to increase service-learning in our nation's schools and communities.

This week, we continue to celebrate and spotlight service-learning in schools and communities nationwide. Check out the Challenge map to locate kick-off week events and activities in your state or local communities.

In addition, we will also kick off a national call to action that builds on President Obama's national call to service by challenging schools, college campuses, faith-based partners and youth-serving organizations to commit to engaging young people in service-learning this school year.

Through the Challenge, young people--from elementary to college age--will help rebuild and renew their local or global community by using the content knowledge and skills learned in the classroom or a community-based program to create and implement innovative solutions to problems within five priority areas:

* Community renewal, including responding to the economic crisis
* Education, including literacy and keeping kids in school
* Energy and the environment
* Health and nutrition
* Safety and security

Join this national grassroots effort to create more opportunities for young people to learn and serve.

Accept the Challenge. Let us know you are ready to engage young people in service-learning in your classroom, youth group, club, school, campus, faith-based or community organization. Invite your friends and colleagues to do the same.

Once you've accepted the Challenge, gear up for service-learning success. Access free online resources, lesson plans, planning tools and virtual professional development opportunities. Join us on Facebook to learn from and connect to others.

Click here for an overview of new National Learn & Serve Challenge, how it works and how you can get involved.

Accept the Challenge today.

It's not too late to do something this week to spread the word about service-learning in your school or community. Access the Challenge Kick-Off Week Toolkit for quick ideas and easy-to-implement activities you can use to promote service-learning this week.

Over the next several days, we'll continue to share updates and service-learning news stories from around the country as well as opinions and commentary from field leaders and voices from the field. Visit our Online Newsroom for the latest news and information.

Thank you for all you do to advance service-learning. Stay tuned for more information.

Nelda

Nelda Brown, Partnership Executive Director

The Learn & Serve Challenge is a signature event of the National Service-Learning Partnership at the Academy for Educational Development and made possible with support from the State Farm® Companies Foundation. The Challenge is supported by more than 100 local, state and national organizations. Click here for a complete list.