Best Practice Sharing 2013
Issue-based Projects
- Best Practice Description
- The leadership team, which includes the Program Manager, Program Coordinator, Bonner Senior Intern(s), Class Coordinators and Issue-Based Leaders, develop the concept of requiring each of our four issue-based teams to develop an annual project. The leadership team felt that this practice will provide an additional way for the issue-based teams to become more cohesive as well as provide projects that will raise awareness about the issues in the larger Morehouse College community. The development of the issue-based project also enhanced the focus of our bi-monthly issue based meeting and provided the teams with a concrete project that integrated the direct and indirect service from the various community partner placements. In addition, the issue-based project provided the Bonner Scholars with another opportunity to practice and implement their leadership skills. Finally, we hope that the issue-based projects will stimulate our Bonner Scholars and our Morehouse College students to increase their focus on broader policies that impact these issues.
- There were two projects that we want to highlight from the past academic year. The first project was developed by the Education Issue-based Team and the second was from the Environment Issue-based Team. The Education Issue-based Team developed and implemented a week long project that focused on improving the reading skills of preschool and elementary children. They used their community funds and supplement those funds to purchase enough books so that every child would receive a book. They recruited students from the campus to sign-up to read the book to a class at several elementary schools and one pre-school program that the Bonner Scholars have been placed. In addition, they held a panel discussion on campus on the importance of reading. The Environment Issue-based team held a seminar on campus that focused on eating healthy. They invited a panel of local community leaders to discuss healthy eating habits. The panel discussion was followed by a free movie screening of “Soul Food Junkies” filmed by Bryon Hurt. Finally, in conjunction with the Morehouse College Sustainability Program they assisted in organizing and implementing the second Annual Recyclemania Project. The project was a coordinated effort between Morehouse College, Spelman College and Clark Atlanta University and the West End Community that resulted in the recycling of collecting 4.56 tons of Single Stream recyclables, 300 pounds of clothes and 1,160 pounds of e-waste.
- The Issue-based projects were very successful in increasing the cohesiveness of the issue-based teams. The projects were also successful in increasing the awareness of the college campus in the issue-based areas. Finally, the project increase our students desire to look beyond the direct service areas of these issues and begin to focus on policies that would help alleviate these issues.
- Samples or Relevant Resource Material