College Students and Joven Students Dance on Stage (A Learn and Serve America Grantee)

Three days a week students from San Antonio College traveled to the JOVEN to teach dance to 45 students ages 4 to 14. San Antonio College students organized themselves into three teams. Teams choose the day of the week and dance style they would teach. Team members rotated being lead dance instructor for the children's classes. Teams selected class music, planned the warm-up, loco motor movements across floor and choreographed a dance for their JOVEN class.

San Antonio College students caucus weekly to preparation for their JOVEN class. Class discussion included class structure, learning styles, technique, safety, and any problem that may have occurred.

Each semester the project culminates with a joint performance of the JOVEN and San Antonio College Students. The excitement and thrill of the performance is felt by both groups of dancers. JOVEN students are thrilled to share what they had learned with their family and friends. The JOVEN students leave the concert proud of their performance and the skills they had learned. The San Antonio College students are confident that their efforts have created such joy and accomplishment for the children. They exposed the children to the love of dance, an opportunity they may never have had the opportunity to participate. They planted the seed that college is a possibility in every child's future. "The best thing is when at a performance they are so excited. It is the best feeling," SAC student Marina Mendoza to Conexión Newspaper. To the San Antonio Express-News Mendoza stated, "We just fell in love with them. And to see them perform and do it so well, it was awesome."

The Service Learning Project constituted 25% of the overall grade. It will be divided as follows: 10% working at JOVEN, 5% class preparation, 5% Performance, and 5% Reflection paper. Read More.