Enriching School Connection and Learning in African American Urban Youth: The Impact of a Service-Learning Feasibility Project in Inner-City Philadelphia

This chapter describes the impact of a service-learning study conducted with African American youth in a low-income marginalized community in Philadelphia. Due to many of the community's rising environmental health issues and concerns about youth awareness of the issue, it was grounded in the principals of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), a stepwise approach to addressing health and environmental issues. Surveys were conducted to evaluate how youth's participation influenced their (1) feeling more committed to their school, (2)greater recognition from their teachers, (3) greater prosocial commitment, and (4) social anxiety. The analysis suggest implications for further service-learning studies with African American youth in marginalized communities. (author)