This Week in Service Learning

Monday, October 19, 2020

Spanish Book Club

This semester, UNO students from Dr. Tocaimaza-Hatch's class Introduction to Hispanic Linguistics will work with Mrs. Varas’ intermediate grades at Crestridge International Studies and Dual Language School on an e-book club in Spanish. Every week, paired students will engage in reading and vocabulary building exercises from a selected list of books to help improve their reading and comprehension in Spanish.

Sharing Books and Stories

Graduate student pairs from Dr. Ritzman’s class CDIS 8590: Early Intervention: Birth to Five will read a children’s book and present an interactive activity that follows themes in the literature with students at Cody Elementary via Zoom to promote literacy and language development.

Down Syndrome Alliance of the Midlands 

In Jeff Knapp’s SOWK 1500: Social Work and Civic Engagement class, students are working with the Down Syndrome Alliance of the Midlands through virtual service opportunities. These opportunities help connect students with those touched by Down Syndrome through education, advocacy, and support. UNO students will attend virtual programming such as the YAS! Series (Young Adult/Adolescent Series) and help support the organization while learning skills that are paramount to social work. 

Wednesday, October 21, 2020

Community Cookbook

UNO students from Jeff Knapp’s SOWK 1500: Social Work and Civic Engagement class are working with Together, a local, independent non-profit whose mission is to prevent and end homelessness in the Omaha community. In collaboration with other community agencies and the talent of the Omaha South High School art students led by Kelly Lesser, they will create a community cookbook involving the community every step of the way to make their recipes and stories heard. This project is being created virtually and will explore a broader discussion of food justice.  

Thursday, October 22, 2020

Sharing Books and Stories

Graduate student pairs from Dr. Ritzman’s class CDIS 8590: Early Intervention: Birth to Five will read a children’s book and present an interactive activity that follows themes in the literature with students at Cody Elementary via Zoom to promote literacy and language development.

Anti-Racist Teaching

UNO students from Jeff Knapp’s SOWK 1500: Social Work and Civic Engagement class are working virtually with professor Knapp and the UNO Grace Abbott School of Social Work to look at how the program can be actively anti-racist. This project may evolve to include other partners across campus. UNO students will collaborate with the School of Social Work’s BSSW committee to understand what role Anti-Racism plays in an academic program. This is an evolving and changing project, where students are encouraged to express new ideas. 

Friday, October 23, 2020

Sharing Books and Stories

Graduate student pairs from Dr. Ritzman’s class CDIS 8590: Early Intervention: Birth to Five will read a children’s book and present an interactive activity that follows themes in the literature with students at Cody Elementary via Zoom to promote literacy and language development.

Interested in Service Learning Classes?

For students, choosing classes that contain a service learning component brings them out of the classroom and into the community.

Every semester, there are a variety of courses at UNO that incorporate service learning. Students like you are given the opportunity to apply classroom curriculum to actual community needs. The opportunities provide a means of learning about the surrounding community and the organizations that serve those in need and take on important issues within the community. By doing your part, you will strengthen skills that will help you progress through your studies and/or career.

More information is available on the UNO Service Learning Academy Website.