If you’ve been homeschooling for any length of time, you begin to repeat things. Case in point – we’re working on our ninth annual homeschool group service-learning project. I have several families who’ve participated every single year. Because of this, innovation is essential to keep student volunteer efforts fresh and interesting for everyone.
Innovations – Big and Small
Each year’s project begins with elements that we’ve used in previous years and evolves as we explore new ideas. Some of our larger ‘leaps’ came about with Covid – we ventured into online meetings and also established an online presence for our group with student blog posts, student-led art videos, and an on-line art contest.
More often though, it’s been the small changes that keep us motivated year after year. Small changes that include new information, new resources, and new participants.
New Information
Learning is a huge component of our projects. All of us (parents and students) seek out information from online resources and community contacts. When our children (and we) know what we’re doing and why, it makes our project more meaningful and compelling.
For this year’s project – “Know Your H2O” – we’ve learned about our water history and usage in Colorado and the western U.S. and also toured the Golden Water Treatment Plant.
New Resources and Techniques
Several years ago, we picked up trash in area parks. That year’s innovation was the use of a luggage scale to weigh bags of trash and log our efforts. What a sense of accomplishment our students felt when they learned that they had picked up 456 pounds of trash that summer!
Last week, we worked in conjunction with Jefferson County Open Space to pick up trash around the lake at Crown Hill Park. Once again, we used a luggage scale to weigh our haul – a whopping 207 pounds. But this time, we added another component to tie in with our water project.
Our students have all seen the amount of fishing line that gets lost or discarded on the banks of our creeks, rivers, and lakes. So, they’re going to collect it separately and estimate how much they gather – they found 284 feet last Wednesday. At the end of the summer, they’ll tally the grand total and send it all to a fishing line recycling program. (See link below on how you can help.)
New Participants
Our long-standing family volunteers are super valuable. They have experience, are great sources of information and ideas, and have logged countless hours on our projects. Still, it’s always fun to have new participants. They bring fresh enthusiasm and ideas as well.
Keep Going
For all the work we’ve done, we can’t escape an inevitable fact. Rarely can a problem be ‘solved’. With this year’s project, we won’t be able to collect all the discarded fishing line in our community. But, we will make a difference.
As humans, we all need to feel that we make a difference. That we matter. A student who pulls a 35-pound table out of the lake (true story) is going to feel that they matter. That they made a difference.
Volunteering can be a difficult thing to add to your already full list of things to do. I know. But do it anyway. And then go beyond simply showing up. Take the time to keep student volunteer efforts fresh and interesting. It’s worth it – for everyone involved.
Related Information:
2022 Know Your H2O Project Page Scroll down to “How You Can Help” for fishing line recycling info.
Homeschool with Citizen Science Projects
Why I’m Especially Thankful for Monarch Butterflies (Jane Goodall Roots and Shoots Program)