2011 Northern California Regional Service Learning Conference, “Planting Seeds of Learning”

Join with teachers, faculty and community members in a day of interactive workshops and networking opportunities with colleagues across Northern California. Learn best practices and research in service-learning, community service and civic action. View conference workshops through “Workshop Descriptions” tab above.

WHEN: Friday, March 4, 2011.  8:30 am – 2:30 pm.

WHERE: Humboldt State University – Nelson Hall East

For registration and information contact Sue Murray @ (707) 441-0271 or murrays@eurekacityschools.org

More information available soon at the website: www.humboldt.edu/servicelearning

8th Annual Northcoast Youth Summit, “Time For Action!”

All 7th-12th grade youth ( and adults who work with these youth) are invited to attend this outstanding annual event held this year on the College of the Redwoods main campus. There will be 40 dynamic workshops available on topics that will empower youth to a “Time for Action,” and keynote speakers who will motivate and challenge delegates to confidently be agents of change in their world.

WHEN: Saturday, February 12, 2011

WHERE: College of the Redwoods

TIME: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm (check-in begins at 8:00 am)

WHO: 7-12th graders (and adults who work with youth)

Full details and registration forms are on our website: www.ysummit.org

Eureka High School Presents… Read a Book

Welcome to Eureka High School’s collection of teachers’ top book recommendations. If you are ever in the need of a good read, click on one of your favorite Eureka High teacher’s name to see the books they love to read. Then head to the library or book store and READ A BOOK!

Visit   http://www2.eurekacityschools.org/ehs/teacherreading/

Web site created by Morgan Bass as a senior project with the hope that we will all enjoy sharing a good book.

Eureka High School Blood Drive

December 8, 2010
Eureka High students support the local Blood Bank. The EHS blood drive is the largest blood drive in the county and has been a legacy project for over 10 years.  It has had a very recognizable impact on the community.  The blood supply is vital to local hospitals, and their ability to save lives during surgery or after accidents. Every pint donated saves three lives. Big thanks to all who donated!

Eureka High School Holiday Projects

Eureka High School is hosting a variety of service projects related to the holiday season:

The ECS Stocking Stuffer project is collecting items that will fit in stockings for all ages for the Eureka City Schools Homeless Education Program.  Cards for $10 are available to purchase with the inscription “a stocking full of joy has been given to a homeless child in your name” or you can donate items such as school supplies, hygiene/beauty products, accessories and small toys/games.

EAST students are coordinating the Angel Tree, the tree is located in the attendance office at EHS.  Pick a tag and bring the new unwrapped gift back to the attendance office.  EHS clubs that did not provide a Thanksgiving basket can participate in the Angel Tree to stay in good standing.

NJROTC is working with Toys for Tots; barrels for donations are located in various classrooms and offices at EHS.  Help them “stuff the bus” full of toys.

EAST students are hosting a Christmas party for the Eureka City Schools Infant Toddler Program.  Donations of gifts/supplies for infants and toddlers can be dropped off at the EAST Lab by Tuesday, December 14th.

EAST students are also coordinating a food drive with Food for People and Backpacks for Kids.  Various teachers have donation boxes in their classrooms or donations can be dropped off in EAST

For more information contact the Eureka High School EAST Lab at 476-1632 or e-mail johnsonj@eurekacityschools.org This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

“Take Another Look” Calendar

December 7, 2010
The fourth annual Take Another Look calendar is here! Created by AnnaLisa Smullin, the calendar features landmark businesses from around Humboldt County.

Project Ignition

October 25, 2010

Apply for funding to support student-led teen driver safety promotion projects through Project Ignition. Applications are due Nov. 15, 2010. Visit www.sfprojectignition.com for more information.

Students at Eureka High School in northern California are seeing measureable results from their involvement in Project Ignition, a teen driver safety program funded by State Farm® and coordinated by NYLC. Throughout the 2009-2010 school year seatbelt usage increased by seven percent at the high school’s campus, bringing it to more than 95 percent. With those results, students are emphasizing distracted driving and reaching out to other schools as their main goals for their third year of Project Ignition involvement, according to project coordinator and student Jaylea Cutter-Falk, and fellow student Nick Lewis.

But they aren’t doing it alone in this northern California school district. “Through the students’ partnerships with Humboldt County Public Health and local State Farm agent, Paul Nicholson, we’ve been able to triple or quadruple our funding for Project Ignition,” reported Jennifer Johnson, service-learning teacher.

This collaboration has allowed students to host six “Drive Safe, Drive Smart” events in their own and neighboring communities. Partners are featured at these events, which are designed for teen drivers and their parents. Hands-on activities such as a go-cart course with simulations illustrate the dangers of distracted and impaired driving. “Students walk away from these events with a better understanding about the dangers of distracted driving — in a very entertaining way,” said Lewis.

Lewis and Cutter-Falk rattle off additional partners critical to their Project Ignition program: California Highway Patrol, Eureka City Police Department, Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services, State Farm, Rio Dell Police Department, Eureka City Fire Department, John’s Auto Wreckers and Humboldt Driving School. Says Johnson, “The students handle everything, including all communication with our community partners.”

Because these events are so popular, both on campus and in the community, the school is expanding to work more directly with schools in other counties, mentoring them in their Project Ignition application process, and sharing their Project Ignition plan. Eureka students host driving summits for other interested schools and participants leave with detailed curriculum.

Cutter-Falk and Lewis agree that Project Ignition has given them countless opportunities to develop their own leadership and communication skills. They’ve been asked to serve on the Office of Traffic Safety California Youth Council, the Humboldt County Youth Driving Coalition, and to present at the California Office of Traffic Safety’s Youth Traffic Safety Summit.

But they describe the impact they’ve had on other students as being much more important. “Students tell us all the time we are making a change; that is an awesome feeling,” said Lewis.

TAPESTRY “It All Starts With You” Origami Crane, Community Art Project

 The TAPESTRY (Teen Adult Partnership Enhancing Strategies Toward Responsible Youth) Program leads Teen Health and Wellness curricular-based activities in high school Health and Safety classes. The program also puts on a yearly Young Women’s Conference. For the 12^th annual Young Women’s Conference participants, teen leaders, AmeriCorps members and program leaders together developed an Origami Crane Art project. Students from various local schools learned to make origami cranes with a goal of producing 1000 paper cranes. These cranes were taken to the conference as symbols of their teen community. Students, also, wrote intentions and wishes for a healthy future. Conference participants put the cranes and written intentions together, assembling an art project. The goal of 1000 cranes was met. Additionally, young women were asked to record their wishes in answer to the question: what is one wish you have for yourself and other women? The Origami Crane Art project was showcased at the once monthly community event “Arts Alive” at the Gazebo in Old Town, Eureka on June 5, 2010. Students and staff were present at the event to display the cranes, share the audio production and answer questions.

Fifth Grade Jelly Bean Mural

Lafayette Elementary Afterschool students’ Service Learning project wins Food For People event

Program Coordinator, Catrina Scheffler initially discussed the idea of making posters for the Food For People’s, First Annual CanSculpture event with Afterschool program students but, together, they decided to enter the competition with a food sculpture. Interested students began working with the art teacher studying nutrition and the food pyramid. The students also discussed the needs of the Food Bank, how they would feel using the facility and the types of food they would want available. Project design began and the group secured Murphy’s Market as a sponsor.  Students sought donations of canned goods, worked with engineering visual and hands-on concepts, made posters and cardboard cut-outs with stands and finalized the design they would build the day of the event.  On Saturday, March 6^th the group built the structure during the event at the Bayshore Mall. When done, they talked about the nutritional benefits of the competing structures and discussed their project expressing their excitement and pride in their contribution and also their concerns about whether their entry would fare well against the other entries or even continue to stand up. To their great surprise and joy the Lafayette entry was declared the competition winner and also won prizes for nutritional content and the weight award. Since then, these students have expressed a better understanding of the needs in their community. They have also talked to fellow students about their entry in next year’s competition as well as other possible projects to help in the community.