Our K-12 Programs | Learn and Serve TPA

Our Programs

Excite2Serve

This new in-school service-learning experience is designed to connect the concept of community service to academic learning and civic responsibility in young adolescents. The program includes interactive modules that target the personal, social, cognitive and academic development of youth as they define community needs, identify stakeholders, and propose service projects. The schedule, curricular connection, and service focus can be constructed as the school's leadership team or teachers deems appropriate. The program has many connections to the FLDOE Resiliency Characteristics. The program can be divided into monthly, weekly, or a one day event. Great connections are found in AVID, Civics, and 8th grade IB service projects. Principals or teachers, contact Learn and Serve Tampa Inc to schedule a time to discuss the program.

Learn & Serve Tampa 9-10-22 (16) (1).jpg

AVID

AVID curriculum provides great points of access for service-learning projects. SL is a stated objective in several grade levels, links seamlessly with WICOR, and supports college and career readiness. AVID teachers can request free virtual consultations with Learn and Serve Tampa to discuss their program and how service-learning instruction can fit in.

8th Grade POA

IB Middle Years Project

One requirement of the International Baccalaureate for the middle grades is to complete a personal community service project. This project can be completed independently, in pairs, or a small group of three. Most 8th grade students have never participated in a service projects, and even fewer have planned and organized one. We help students discover their unique talents, skills, and passions first and then introduce them to community need so they can begin formulating ideas for service projects. We can then offer individual or small group support inn project planning, assist with asset mapping, community contacts, and assure alignment with the the IB MYB Project Requirements and NYLC Quality Standards. We can also provide accountability with assessment & reporting.

Project Examples

Since Learn and Serve Tampa Inc is now a HCPS Partner in Education, we hope to expand into other academic areas to connect service to the classroom. Here are a few projects!

StudentsRebuild

and Art Education. The Besos Family Foundation has provided an opportunity for students to learn about critical world issues and create art in reflection. Student art is uploaded to the Student's Rebuild website and the Besos Family donates $5 to the cause.

Franklin BPA Garden

originally created through a grant from the Karma for Kara, students now have a grant from Tampa Garden Club to refurbish soil and install a drip irrigation system. The all boys magnet school will use youth and parent volunteers to provide care for the garden and will allow family in need to take the produce.

Woody Williams Foundation

and Civic Education and Servant Leadership. The life of Hershel "Woody" Williams presents so many learning opportunities for our youth. His life connects the Medal of Honor Character Education curriculum, Gold Star Family Recognition, and many other military organizations.

PXL_20230424_131033527.PORTRAIT.ORIGINAL.jpg

Kids in Parks

After receiving a grant through the National Park Trust to replace damaged and lost student artwork in the McKay Bay Nature Park Pavilion, Ms. Sherri Alvarez' students are able to take field trips, one to clean-up with Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful as part of their community service projects, and another to identify the variety of plants, animals (birds and insects) found in the park during our visit. Virginia Overstreet from the Florida Native Plant Society brought out volunteers to identifying plants and trees within the park.

Community Gardens

and Culinary Arts and STEAM

through grant support from the Tampa Garden Clubs, Whole Foods Foundation and Roots and Shoots. Students build gardens, growing edibles and flowers, learning across multiple curriculums knowledge that contributes to career and community decisions. This year, students have produced their own seedlings and will be moving them to the garden once Spring is here.

YSA After School Grants

and Cimino Elementary NEHS students are targeting improving mental health in fourth and fifth grade students. Our students are educating students on the importance of good mental health, and sharing strategies that can help. Additionally, they will be providing students with a journal to encourage positive thoughts and questions to ponder as well as a Stress balloon making kit for them to create and use when in need. Our friends in the disabilities self-contained room are creating happy bookmarks for students to use in their journal as well.

NYLC Education in Action

Greco Middle School and Williams Middle School are participating in the NYLC Education in Action Grant Program and are focusing their Equity in Education projects on the Green Team initiative. Greco AVID students held a poster competition and now have six posters that will be used around the school to remind students what goes in their brand new recycling bins.

NYLC Project Ignition

Middleton High School and Gaither High School are participating in the NYLC Project Ignition Grant Program and are focusing their projects on Distracted Driving Awareness Campaigns. Middleton help an Safe driver awareness campaign the week before their prom. Students were asked to read and sign the pledge banner, and were then presented with a Safe Driver wristband. tania and Roger, project leaders, invited the Tampa Police department to talk with Drivers education students about safe driving. Students got to participate in a DUI Rodeo.

Lead Agency Grant

Learn and Serve Tampa Inc has been awarded a YSA Lead Agency Grant for the 2022-2023 grant cycle. The purpose of the grant is to empower youth through volunteer and community service-projects on the three National Days of Service. On September 10, 2022, in recognition of Patriot Day, Learn and Serve Tampa, Inc. hosted a FREE Youth Service Leadership Summit to train youth leaders from the local area so they may return to their communities to plan for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service and Global Youth Service Day in 2023.

Learn and Serve Tampa, Inc. has been awarded a $200 grant to support the Burnett Middle School AVID Garden project! Funds will be used to purchase portable planting bags and potting soil for students' seedlings. Ms. Graham Allen will keep them over the summer so they can be planted in the fall.