by ·Comments Off on Making a Michigan Difference through Alternative Spring Break

By Gary Ashley

This year, 67 students and staff participated in Alternative Spring Break (ASB) from February 26-March 4, 2017. 

Through IMPACT Days and STAY-cation programs at the University of Michigan-Flint, participants engaged in local community service in the city of Flint. ASB worked with 9 community partners to provide service sties for participants addressing the social issues of homelessness/hunger, women’s advocacy, community wellness, urban renewal, poverty/public service, and education. This year, ASB also partnered with local community organizations including Weiss Advocacy, Salvation Army and more to provide on-site education sessions for participants. Based on the feedback received, taking students to sites instead of bringing speakers to campus proved to be a positive, powerful and eye opening experience. In addition to educational activities and service, STAY-cation participants spent the week immersing themselves in downtown Flint. While staying at the First Presbyterian Church of Flint, students ate at local restaurants and participated in group activities which allowed them to further enrich their ASB experience. 

In addition to the traditional local ASB in Flint, 10 University of Michigan students and staff from the Dearborn and Flint campuses spent their week serving in Muskegon, MI as part of a multi-campus initiative made possible by a Bicentennial Grant.  During the week, this group worked with Community Compass and the Muskegon/Oceana Community Action Partnership where they painted, organized, talked with the clients, and more! This unique opportunity allowed students from across the campuses to engage in meaningful community service, learn about another city, network with a diverse group of students, and create lifelong memories. Raquel E. from the Dearborn campus said “It is very powerful to meet people from the same university and that share the willingness to make something to help to improve this world”.

by ·Comments Off on Three U-M Campuses Team Up for Alternative Spring Break

By Gary Ashley

asb-2016

As a public institution, the University of Michigan has a responsibility to the state of Michigan, its history, and its people. Each of the three University of Michigan campuses find ways to honor this responsibility through teaching, learning, and service. As coordinators who oversee the respective Alternative Spring Break programs on the Flint, Dearborn, and Ann Arbor campuses, we saw the University’s Bicentennial Celebration as a unique opportunity to engage students from the three campuses together in a high impact learning experience centered on service within community in a way that has not been executed before.

Typically, Alternative Breaks engage small groups of students from the same campus with similar interests in service and volunteerism in an experience that yields intrapersonal awareness, interpersonal skills, and deeper understanding of the world (Jones, et. al., 2012). This project will bring together a diverse group of 30 students from all three campuses to learn from and with each other. Facilitated by a group of three student leaders (one from each campus), they will work to learn about their role in addressing community issues within the state of Michigan while directly meeting community-identified needs. We will be working on the west side of Michigan. Once the community partners have been confirmed, we will determine the social issue that these experiences will explore.

by ·Comments Off on Flint Southwestern Academy Students Complete Animal Habitat and Outdoor Learning Space

southwesternBy Nic Custer

After two years of planning, more than 100 Flint Southwestern Academy students put the final touches on a wetland restoration project next to their school. The 150-foot-long excavated site was designed and constructed as part of University Outreach’s Discovering Place program and will retain rain and snow melt to create a plant and animal habitat and outdoor learning space. Rows of donated pine trees were also planted behind the site by students.  Discovering Place works with Flint-area teachers to implement place-based education projects connecting students’ curriculum requirements with their surroundings.

Teachers Linda Heck and Kim Hatfield have worked with Discovering Place for the past five years using the place-based education program to expand the connections between in-class lessons and real world examples. Over the years, students worked with Genesee County Conservation District staff to learn about the importance of wetlands for people, animals and water retention. The project, which aligns with green and blue infrastructure goals in the Flint master plan, was an important collaboration between the city of Flint and community stakeholders as well, according to City Planner Adam Moore. He said the project is part of a city strategy to responsibly maintain the city’s more than 1,800 acres of parkland.

southwestern-academy-018Hatfield said the pool gives students a sense of ownership of the space having been involved in the design and physical work to change the grass to a wetland. She said it is also great that students who couldn’t help build the site will be able to benefit from the site long after it is completed.

by ·Comments Off on Human Resources Staff Come Together for Day of Service

civic-park-rectangleHas your office or department ever considered a day of service? On August 4, 2016 nearly 40 Human Resources staff from the University of Michigan-Flint and the University of Michigan Ann Arbor came together to serve alongside each other in the Flint community. University Outreach played a key role in identifying strategic partnerships, leading reflection and overall planning coordination of the day.

The first group served at Our Savior Lutheran Church, on N. Saginaw St. Volunteers handed out bottled water and water filters to residents, helped out with the food pantry, did weeding, cleaned up trash, and helped fix a swing.

civic-park-400The second group worked in the Civic Park area. Volunteers put mulch down, painted curbs, planted grass seeds, watered plants, painted a fire hydrant and did a general trash pickup.

The third group was at the Early Childhood Development Center at the University of Michigan-Flint. This group worked with the children on several projects and walked with them to the Flint Farmers’ Market as the youngsters learned about nutrition.

This is a great example of the Flint and Ann Arbor campuses working together on a civic engagement project that aligns with the Flint Master Plan.

by ·Comments Off on If you build it, they will come: Southwestern Academy’s Green Infrastructure Restoration

By Sara McDonnell

“If you build it, they will come,” that was the line from the Field of Dreams movie that Kevin Costner starred in, those of us around in the 90’s will remember that movie. I remember there being all kinds of spoofs off that movie one-liner. I never thought much of it but the saying holds true when it comes to building habitat for wildlife. Many of our Flint parks provide habitat, and many just need the extra nudge to become something special.

picture5That’s what students at Flint’s Southwestern Academy learned last year while in Ms. Kim Hatfield’s and Ms. Linda Heck’s classes. Their school has these really cool internal courtyards that they’ve worked on to improve and create art, garden space, and habitat in. Some of nature’s friends, mostly ducks, have enjoyed living in one of the courtyards but it wasn’t providing enough food or shelter.

The students had begun asking questions, “What if there was a place at our school for wildlife to live? What types of things do ducks, birds, amphibians, need to thrive? What would that look like? Where is the best place to build something?” by getting out of the classroom, practicing place-based education, the students identified an ideal location in the park next to their school.

picture2All of Flint’s schools were planned as school-park sites, which basically means that every school has a park located next door. Cronin Derby Downs is the park next to Southwestern Academy, you know the one with the epic sledding hill? Part of that park is wet most of the year, the grass is usually soggy, making it hard to mow and looking kept up.

Thanks to a mini-grant from University Outreach’s Discovering PLACE program, the teachers were able to work with Genesee Conservation District to design an outdoor habitat space at the park. A partnership was formalized between UM-Flint, Flint Community Schools, city of Flint, and the Genesee Conservation District to get the design work done. UM-Flint Outreach has been working with all the parties for many years thanks to funding from the Great Lakes Fisheries Trust.

swahabitat_concept-9-15The students led a design process that had been approved by adults. Student voices informed development of the habitat project next to the school. The project that supports the Imagine Flint Master Plan, and its recommendations for blue/green infrastructure – naturalize part of the park to provide habitat for wildlife, and cut down maintenance costs. How cool is that!

With no time to rest on their laurels, the students and teachers, working with UM-Flint Outreach and the Conservation District, started digging up the grass in preparation of restoring a vernal pool and planting of native vegetation. It was hard work, and there wasn’t a way the students could get it done in time. The students put their thinking caps back on and again started asking “how much does it cost to restore habitat?” The cost estimates came in and it was going to cost about $19,000 to have the professionals come in, and buy all the materials they needed.

southwestern-46That’s when, University Outreach, with its long standing relationship with Saginaw Bay Watershed Initiative Network (WIN), put together a grant proposal to cover the costs of building the habitat. It was awarded! Saginaw Bay WIN is a group of funders, based out of Midland and Bay City that supports projects that protect and restore the Saginaw Bay Watershed.

Work is going to start this fall, Genesee Conservation District is leading the construction, while a retired school teacher, Ms. Linda Heck, will work with individual classrooms to design lesson plans, so students can learn science, math, and English language arts outside the school, next door in the habitat that their older classmates designed. That is the coolest part of all. The students dreamed and designed a place for local wildlife to thrive. And believe me, they are thriving!

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The Discovering Place program works with Suzanne Knight and Laura McLeman, co-coordinators of the Secondary Teacher Certification Programs, Professional Education Unit at UM-Flint, to align secondary education teaching practices with place-based education. Please contact Leyla Sanker to learn how you can connect with this work at [email protected] or (810) 424-5477.

Additional Reading

Getting Students Interested in Natural Resources Sciences

Flint initiative redefines place-based education in urban schools

by ·Comments Off on UM-Flint Hosts the 2015 Active Students Leadership Conference

By Alicia Gillman

On Friday, November 6, 2015, 202 students from 18 different colleges from across Michigan’s Lower Peninsula came together at the University of Michigan-Flint for the Active Students Leadership Conference (ALSC) sponsored by Michigan Campus Compact.  Students from the University of Michigan-Flint, Grand Valley State University, Michigan State University, Madonna University, Saginaw State University, Lansing Community College, Central Michigan University, and Mott Community College worked to plan the Active Leaders Student Conference from May through November so that it was truly “for students, by students”.

The theme of the 2015 ALSC was learning how to “live and lead change” in our communities and beyond. The workshops available featured community service, service learning, and civic engagement. Participants had the opportunity to improve leadership skills, partake in personal and professional development opportunities, and learn about ways to improve service opportunities on their respective campuses. Furthermore, the conference gave students, faculty and staff from across the state an opportunity to network and provide a foundation for further collaboration.

Mr. JaNel Jamerson, Director of the Flint and Genesee Literacy Network and native of Flint served as the keynote speaker for the Active Leaders Student Conference.  Mr. Jamerson is committed to leading programmatic and systemic change through the development of literacy in Flint and Genesee County. During his keynote address, Jamerson discussed how participants can evoke change in their communities and left participants feeling empowered to make a difference.

To close out the conference, participants completed five service projects to benefit Carriage Town Ministries, a local homeless shelter in downtown Flint. Though participants only had about 45 minutes to complete the projects, they were able to yield nearly twenty no-sew blankets, over a hundred decorated lunch bags and holiday cards, several boxes of cut t-shirts to be used for residents to make t-shirt rugs, and over two hundred mini first aid kits containing Band-Aids and alcohol prep pads. These items will be utilized throughout the upcoming holiday and winter season by Carriage Town Ministries’ clients.

If you are interested learning more about how you can make an impact in the Flint community during your time at UM-Flint visit our Alternative Breaks page. Visit 2016 Active Leader Student Conference for information about next year’s conference.

by ·Comments Off on UM-Flint’s Alternative Breaks Program

The University of Michigan-Flint’s Alternative Spring Break (ASB) enables students to learn about issues such as homelessness, poverty, hunger, violence, environmental issues, and other complex social and cultural issues. Students listen to and understand community needs and continue a commitment to community service and social change. This programming has been expanded and complemented with Service Saturdays and Alternative Summer Break. Alternative Breaks is now the umbrella name for Alternative Spring Break, Service Saturdays and Alternative Summer Break. With this change we have approximately 39 student leadership roles. We have 5 executive board members, 14 general board members and 20 site leaders.

The University of Michigan-Flint’s Service Saturdays program is a University Outreach sponsored program that offers a community service learning experience on the local level during select Saturdays throughout the year. Students spend time learning about our urban community and many of the social issues that residents face in Flint. On designated Saturdays, participants will meet at the selected service site to engage in meaningful action towards a greater understanding of root causes of relevant issues. Following the project, students participate in critical reflection and analysis of the social justice issues they experienced first-hand.

Alternative Summer Break (ASuB) is a University Outreach sponsored program designed to provide an opportunity for students to partake in meaningful community service learning experiences throughout the United States. During the summer semester, students spend a week serving, addressing a particular social, cultural, or environmental issue. All trips are issue-based, meaning students choose a trip based on a specific topic, not a destination. The organizations and locations are not revealed until a few weeks prior to the trip. Through active engagement, critical reflection, and analysis, students will learn about the issue and the community in which they are serving. Following the trip, students will return as active citizens and be able to translate their experiences into addressing the needs of their communities.

We are looking forward to a great year of Alternative Breaks programming! Visit our AB webpage if you would like additional information on AB programming.

by ·Comments Off on Parks in Focus 2015

by Maria Salinas

Parks in Focus® is an educational program of the Udall Foundation that connects youth to nature through photography by organizing action-packed outdoor excursions to local natural areas and immersion trips to awe-inspiring National Parks. Parks in Focus® formed a partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Flint and University Outreach at the University of Michigan-Flint in 2011. This year, we have included a Mentoring to Access Corps, AmeriCorps member to add a career alignment with the applicants. Together, we have taken groups of BGC youth to explore and photography local natural areas in/around Flint each summer since 2011. For more information, visit pif.udall.gov.

Parks in Focus aims to:PhotoGrid_1439916598935

  1. Provide outdoor experiences for youth who have had limited exposure to nature.
  2. Increase participants’ appreciation for their local environment and public lands.
  3. Encourage participants to use photography as a tool for environmental learning and as an outlet for creative expression.
  4. Engage youth in service and stewardship.

Seventeen students and alumni participated this year and were able to receive a camera for the duration of the program. They had the opportunity to visit Ligon Outdoor Center, For-Mar Nature Preserve & Arboretum, Blue Bell Beach, UM-Flint and Applewood Estate. While on their visits, they received photography lessons and were able to integrate their knowledge from the lessons into personal experiences as they took photos of their environment. Guest speakers spoke with the students to enhance their understanding of how to capture great photos of their subjects, using various perspectives. The students were also able to do an interactive activity where they were able to identify different water species.

by ·Comments Off on Beecher Students and Staff Celebrate Global Youth Service Day

By Maria Salinas

global-youth01Given the opportunity to give back to their community, 109 of Beecher Middle High School students participated in Global Youth Service Day. The students enjoyed a day outside of their classrooms and getting their hands dirty. These students also worked alongside their peers, teachers, community members, College Positive Volunteers, college students, and UM-Flint staff. Students completed several projects such as planting sunflower seeds, fruit trees, berry bushes, spreading mulch and gravel, and picking up trash around the school.

The Outdoor Learning Classroom is a learning space that the students imagined a few years ago. They wanted a space where they could take their learning outside the classroom and try different things they learn, such as soil testing. Not only is it a place for them to have hands on experiences, but it is also an opportunity for them to participate in civic engagement by helping to maintain the garden that is also a part of the Outdoor Classroom.

by ·Comments Off on Flint students lead National Arbor Day tree planting

The cold and rain did not stop students from Southwestern Classical Academy and Potter Elementary Schools who worked tirelessly in their effort towards building community pride and contributing to local park improvements at Flint’s Longway Park.arbor-day-201506

On April 30, 2015, students diligently worked with community partners and volunteers to plant 650 white pine seedlings, 100 shrubs/hardwoods and spread an acre of mulch in the park as part of a National Arbor Day celebration.  Their dedication and commitment in support of the City of Flint’s Tree City USA designation through the Arbor Day Foundation was key to a successful event.

The project also implements goals from the City of Flint’s Imagine Flint Master Plan for parks, open space and green infrastructure.  “Given the specific components and short timeline of the initiative, enlisting partners committed to working together was tremendously important to the project’s success” said Angela Warren, Administrator of Genesee Conservation District.

Longway Park is a 36.6-acre park with several ball fields, playground equipment, and approximately 4 acres of wooded area that will be expanded by this project.

This project was made possible through the generous contributions of Great Lakes Tree Experts of Burton, Bell Site Development, Inc. of Waterford who donated mulch for the project.  The Genesee Conservation District was instrumental in initiating the project by convening partners and providing education and hands-on expertise for the seedling planting and working with the students. This effort is part of the statewide On Track to a Greener Michigan initiative sponsored by Consumers Energy and Michigan International Speedway.

Jef Johnson, Senior Conservation Coordinator for Genesee Conservation District expressed his satisfaction and appreciation for the efforts of the students who participated.  “I’m proud of the students involved, they all worked hard and were determined to get the job done correctly.”  He also expressed appreciation for all the collaborative partners who made the event possible and is looking forward to future projects which will utilize green space within the community.

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This event supports the Master Plan as a demonstration of a naturalization project.  Collaboration efforts included individuals from the City of Flint, teachers from Flint Community School District, SWA students, Potter Elementary students, Keep Genesee County Beautiful, Potter Longway Neighborhood Association, Eastwood United Methodist Church, the University of Michigan-Flint, Consumer’s Energy, Michigan International Speedway, Michigan Association of Conservation District and Genesee Conservation District.

“The collaborative nature of this project is a prime example of working together and pooling resources to accomplish objectives in our community,” said Angela Warren, Administrator of Genesee Conservation District.

Kim Hatfield, who teams with fellow teachers Linda Heck and Lynn Louchart-Kiefer to coordinate these efforts, said, “The kids get excited about these place-based projects.  Applying what they are learning in the classroom to real world projects makes learning more relevant for them.”

The school is supported in these efforts by UM-Flint’s Discovering Place place-based education program with funding provided by the Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative, Great Lakes Fisheries Trust, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.