Learn and Serve America's National Service-Learning Clearinghouse

Across America, service-learning is helping students perform better in school while improving their communities through service. By connecting classroom lessons with community service projects, service-learning engages students and brings learning to life.

Learn and Serve America has created a new set of free tools to help you spread the word about the benefits of service-learning and grow the movement of service-learning from 30 percent of K-12 schools to more than 50 percent of schools in the next five years.

To review/order these materials, click on the links below, send an email to orders-nslc@servicelearning.org, or call 866-245-7378 x130.

• Bring Learning to Life: An Introduction to Service-Learning (Video)
• Bring Learning to Life: An Introduction to Service-Learning (Customizable brochure)
• What is Service-Learning? A Guide for Parents
  (Written by Cathryn Berger Kaye)
• ¿En que consiste el aprendizaje-servicio? Guía para los padres
  (Spanish Version of What is Service-Learning? A Guide for Parents)
• Service-Learning in Action
• Service-Learning Poster

Three-Panel Exhibit Display
Have a conference or training coming up? Borrow the service-learning display to use for your session or exhibit space. The three-panel display is lightweight and easy to set up, and can be used as a tabletop exhibit or extended as a full-length display. The display needs to be requested at least 14 business days before the event date. It will be shipped to you free of charge in time for your event, and can be borrowed for a two-week period.

• Request the exhibit through the CNCS Online Ordering System

Tips for Spreading the Word about Service-Learning

Below are some tips and ideas for how to use these materials in your local efforts to educate others about the power of service-learning and the benefits of your program.

NSLC Tip Sheets

• Introduce Service-Learning to your Local PTA (PDF)
• Present Service-Learning to your School Board or at Another Public Meeting (PDF)
• Present Service-Learning to your School Using the Bring Learning to Life Materials (PDF)
• Recognize Teachers and Students for their Service-Learning Efforts (PDF)

Program Video

• Show it to all educators and staff in your school or organization.
• Contact your local cable access station to see if they will run the video in its entirety.
• Contact local and state educator associations to see if they will play the video at their trainings and conferences.
• Reach out to a neighboring school or organization to see if you can arrange a screening and information session on service-learning.
• Ask your local newspaper or television station if they will host a community screening and forum on service-learning.
• Show the video to potential community partners or funders to demonstrate how service-learning works and how they can be a part of it.
• Arrange a showing for your school board, town council, or other elected officials.

Brochures

• In the white space on the back panel, include your program logo and contact information.
• You can use stickers or insert into a writeable PDF. Don't have the time or know-how? Use your students' talents!
• Distribute the brochures at trainings and events.
• Provide your community partners with a supply of brochures to distribute.
• Encourage teachers who use service-learning to share the brochures with parents during parent-teacher conferences to help educate them on the benefits of service-learning to their children.  

Posters

• Place the posters in your classroom.
• Ask your local library if they will hang a poster on its community bulletin board.
• Distribute them to other educators.
• Distribute them to community partners and service sites.  

PSA Distributed Nationally to Thousands of Broadcast and Cable Television Stations

In late December, Learn and Serve America's first-ever television public service announcement was distributed to thousands of broadcast and cable stations nationwide. In just one month, 78 stations have broadcast the PSA more than 1,000 times, reaching an estimated audience of more than 15 million viewers.

Imagine how many more stations are likely to air the spots after being contacted by a service-learning program in their state or community urging them to spread this important message to parents, students, and teachers. Learn how you can make a difference and encourage local stations to play the PSA. If you have any additional questions, contact Jacqueline Aker.

Check out Make the Case: Tools for Telling Your Service-Learning Story