1. Service Learning Project Sarah Repp & Trent Trias srepp00@knights.ucf.edu triast2009@knights.ucf.edu April 10, 2010 EEX 4070
2. Going into this project, we were unsure on exactly what to expect both from the students that were participating and the elderly individuals that were involved. We were concerned with the quality of work that we would receive and the acceptance of the work by the elderly. There was a slight feeling of excitement when we actually were able to begin the project and see what the students would create. Early Perceptions
3. We visited two different school sites for the learning project. Oakcrest Elementary School is located in Ocala, Florida. This school is currently seeking International Baccalaureate accreditation and has achieved a school grade of “A” for the last 3 years. We chose to use the children in the ASD unit to assist us with the service learning project. Introduction to the Setting
4. We also chose a high school to participate in the service learning project. Vanguard High School is also located in Ocala, Florida. Vanguard High School continues to stay on the cutting edge of curriculum offerings, has one of the largest active School Advisor Councils in the state and is a leader in school-wide technology. Introduction to the Setting
7. Personal Demographics Trent Trias: I am currently a junior with the Regional UCF campus. I work as an ASD Para Professional at Oakcrest Elementary in Ocala, Florida. I have been married for 4 years and have no children. My main interest is softball. I play for a men’s slow-pitch softball traveling team. We have traveled as far as Las Vegas, Nevada to compete against some of the best teams in the nation. I hope to graduate in December of 2011. Sarah Repp: I am currently a junior with the Regional UCF campus. I have been a licensed massage therapist for 5 years in Ocala, Florida. Both of my parents are in the education field. My father is currently an art teacher and my mother is an assistant principal in Marion County. I have a pug named Jack and a cat named Sassy. I hope to graduate in May of 2011.
8. Engagement Activities Planning: 6 hours total. We worked as a team creating activities that the children would participate in. We had the students decorate construction paper with different designs. We provided markers, crayons, scissors, and paper. Each student had the opportunity to be as creative as possible to design each of their placemats. Vanguard High School: 3 hours total. We worked in Mrs. Raym’s ESE self contained classroom. Oakcrest Elementary: 3 hours total. We worked in Mrs. Rodriguez’s ASD classroom. Final touches: 2 hour total. We took the placemats to be laminated, and then cut them individually. Nursing home: 2 hours total. We delivered the placemats to the nursing home, and personally talked to a few of the recipients.
9. Participant Demographics Oakcrest Elementary: The age in the ASD classroom varies from 7 years of age to 11 years of age. The unit consists of 8 students, all that are labeled as Autistic, and are considered to be high functioning. The ethnic backgrounds of these students varied. One student is from Jamaica and another is from Mongolia. The rest of the students are either African American or Caucasian. Vanguard High School: The age in the ESE self contained classroom varied from 14 to 18 years of age. The classroom consisted of 12 students. The ethnic backgrounds of these students varied. The students consisted mainly of African American and Caucasian. Oakhurst Care and Rehab: The age of the recipients was 55+. Due to security reasons the only people we were able to speak to were the staff members, and select patients. In doing our service learning project were able to produce 30 placemats which will serve numerous patients at Oakhurst Care and Rehab.
10. Reflection of your Experience This experience has broadened our knowledge of how to incorporate school with the community. We realized through this project that simple everyday tasks that come very easy to us serve as difficulty to others. We also recognized and appreciated the strength that these children have and the impact that even though these children have disabilities, they could prove to have a positive impact in the community. The experiences that had the most significant impact were when the children were able to express their creativity through art. It was motivating to watch children create artwork through a selfless act of kindness for a perfect stranger. Through this experience, we have gained an appreciation for community service. Both of us have not participated in a community service project since high school. We can honestly say that this experience has been both humbling and rewarding. So many teachers are petrified to teach in an ESE field mostly due to the lack of knowledge about children with disabilities. This experience showed us that working with these children could be very challenging but could also be very rewarding. These students considered us to be more than a visitor that just walked in the room. One of the most important insights that we gained was classroom structure. These students knew exactly what time each transition would happen and exactly what they would be doing. Overall, this service learning project has been a positive influence that will be carried into our personal classrooms. .
