High School Grade  Project 5 weeks

Slices of Service: Feeding Minds & Communities

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Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
Collaboration
Effective Communication
Content Expertise
Self Directed Learning
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Purpose

The purpose of this project is to deepen your understanding of food insecurity through hands-on community service and advocacy. Engage with local food banks and organizations, harnessing your existing connections and banana bread business to raise awareness and support. By involving peers in volunteering and fundraising efforts, you will foster collective action and reflection on community needs. This experience aims to equip you with collaborative, communicative, and self-directed learning skills while promoting a sense of belonging and contribution to your community.

Learning goals

Engage in critical thinking by exploring diverse, innovative solutions to food insecurity within your local community, leveraging collaboration with peers and community partners. Develop effective communication skills through empathetic engagement, both online and in-person, and by presenting your experiences and findings in exhibitions. Hone content expertise by researching the nuances of food systems and gaining hands-on volunteer experience. Strengthen self-directed learning, utilizing feedback for continuous improvement, and cultivate an academic mindset that deepens your sense of belonging and identity within community service initiatives.

Competencies
  • Critical Thinking & Problem Solving - Students consider a variety of innovative approaches to address and understand complex questions that are authentic and important to their communities.
  • Collaboration - Students co-design projects with peers, exercise shared-decision making, strengthen relational agency, resolve conflict, and assume leadership roles.
  • Effective Communication - Students practice listening to understand, communicating with empathy, and share their learning through exhibiting, presenting and reflecting on their work.
  • Content Expertise - Students develop key competencies, skills, and dispositions with ample opportunities to apply knowledge and engage in work that matters to them.
  • Self Directed Learning - Students use teacher and peer feedback and self-reflection to monitor and direct their own learning while building self knowledge both in and out of the classroom.
  • Academic Mindset - Students establish a sense of place, identity, and belonging to increase self-efficacy while engaging in critical reflection and action.

Products

Develop a series of short promotional videos and digital flyers to raise awareness of food insecurity, incorporating insights from your interviews and volunteer experiences. Assemble a portfolio that documents your learning journey, including blog entries, survey results, and reflective pieces. Create a comprehensive budgeting plan that outlines the financial management of your banana bread sales, donations, and volunteering expenses. Design visual displays and presentation boards for an exhibition that highlights your project findings and community impact, inviting peers and community members to engage and reflect on their role in addressing food insecurity.

Launch

Kick off your project by hosting a Banana Bread Festival at your school as a vibrant introduction to your mission. Organize booths with interactive stations that provide insights into food insecurity, feature guest speakers from your community partners, and invite peers to participate in initial surveys to gauge their understanding of the issue. Use this event to share the story behind Sunny Bread, your personal commitment, and the upcoming volunteering opportunities, creating excitement and setting the stage for collective action.

Exhibition

Host a community showcase engaging Sunny Bread, local food banks, and your school community. Organize interactive stations where attendees participate in hands-on activities related to food insecurity. Facilitate presentations from your volunteer peers and community partners to highlight individual contributions and learning experiences. Incorporate a banana bread tasting area tied to your fundraising efforts, emphasizing the connection between efforts and impact. Use this as a chance to gather feedback from community members and collaborators while sharing future plans for continued engagement.