Recap: Service in Schools Leadership Institute

This spring break, high school student leaders from across all five boroughs joined together to participate in the Service in Schools (SIS) Leadership Institute. The students were chosen from a highly competitive pool of applicants, and each of the selected 35 students expressed a deep commitment to making a difference in their community.

During the Institute, the student leaders investigated different issues affecting NYC: animal welfare, disability rights, fast fashion, and housing and homelessness. Interviews with representatives from community-based organizations enriched the student leaders’ learning and provided new ideas for service, action and advocacy. The SIS team thanks the representatives from The Humane Society of New York, INCLUDEnyc, FABSCRAP, and Breaking Ground for sharing their knowledge and experiences to inspire students to make a difference. 

Gathering their knowledge from an intensive investigation, student leaders then collaborated in small groups to create original lesson plans. They will teach these service-learning lessons to elementary school classes during the SIS Virtual Youth Service Summit in June. The high school student leaders hope to inspire young students to be agents of change in their communities.

The Earth School

As of 2021, only 28% of the MTA’s 472 subway stations were accessible for people with disabilities. Fourth and fifth grade students from the Earth School who are participating in the SIS Students Taking Action Today program were featured on CBS News for their work on accessibility and disability rights. These committed students advocated for elevator access across the city in front of the MTA Board. Shout out to Ms. Andrea Yankovich and her students for their hard work and dedication to their service-learning project on disability rights. 

IS 25 Adrien Block

Students at IS 25 have been collecting gently used textiles as they "Sprung Into Service." The school partnered with USAgain, a company that provides communities with a convenient and eco-friendly option to rid themselves of excess clothing, which is then diverted from landfills. By exporting clothes and shoes to struggling countries, USAgain generates revenue, creates green jobs here in the US and abroad, and helps to improve the well-being of people around the world. The entire IS 25 school community has been donating many bags of textiles to reuse and repurpose, and with every full bin they collect, USAgain plants a tree. These textiles are reused or broken down so the fibers become usable for things like housing insulation and more. USAgain also measures their impact, including tracking how much water they are saving and how they are lowering carbon emissions with each full bin. If you are an educator and would like to find out how to add a “TreeMachine” drop-off bin to your school, visit the USAgain website to sign up.

Reading Partners

Students reading below grade level in grade 3 are four times as likely as their peers to drop out of school before earning their diploma. Reading Partners is a national nonprofit that mobilizes communities to provide students with individualized reading support they need to read at grade level by grade 4. Reading Partners builds a partnership with teachers, parents, and community volunteers to provide students the support they need to succeed. By providing volunteer tutors research-based, structured lesson plans designed to focus on the individual needs of students, Reading Partners is helping students become strong, confident readers with a passion for learning. Volunteers must be 14-years or older. Visit the Reading Partners website to learn more and get involved.

9/11 Memorial Volunteer Opportunities

As a monument to human dignity, courage, and sacrifice, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum honors the nearly 3,000 people killed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 and February 26, 1993, recognizes the courage of those who survived, and salutes those who risked their lives to help others. The 9/11 Memorial & Museum invites visitors to learn about the history of the 9/11 attacks and 1993 World Trade Center bombing at the site where the Twin Towers once stood. The Museum’s dynamic blend of architecture, archaeology, and history creates an unforgettable encounter with the story of the attacks, their aftermath, and the people who experienced these events. The Museum also hosts a plethora of volunteer opportunities for students 16-years or older. Apply on the Museum’s website by filling out the volunteer form. For questions about becoming a volunteer, email volunteer@911memorial.org.

9/11 Museum Lesson Plans

The 9/11 Memorial & Museum is a monument that honors the lives that were lost on September 11, 2001 and February 26, 1993. In order to educate students on the events of those days, the Museum offers free interactive lesson plans for grades 3 through 12. The lessons address the 9/11 attacks, their ongoing repercussions, and the history of the World Trade Center. Lesson plans are organized by grade level and theme. Visit the Museum’s website to access these resources.

NYC School Library System

NYC School Library System (Library Services) provides NYC educators numerous free resources. By providing reading resources for educators, Library Services help provide inclusive learning environments in order to achieve greater equity. Their resource collection includes access to TeachingBooks and the NOVELny collection, which includes Gale databases, Encyclopedia Britannica, and Britannica Escolar. Additionally, readers can discover grade-level ebooks and digital audiobooks in a variety of languages simply by logging into the Citywide Digital Library on Sora using their DOE email credentials. Library Services also wants to hear from you. Recommend titles to be included in the collection.

Does your school have a great service project to share? If so, the Service in Schools team wants to know!

Invite the Service in Schools team to visit your service project. We want to see your students and school community in action. Email the Service in Schools team at ServiceinSchools@schools.nyc.gov with two weeks’ notice, and we will schedule a visit to your school to learn about your project and see the impact you are making on the community. 

Visit our website. Follow @ServiceinSchools on Twitter and @ServiceinSchools on Instagram to receive program updates, upcoming service opportunities, resources, and more. We encourage students who use Twitter and are interested in service opportunities to follow us.

Mission: Service in Schools strives to expand the number of NYC students engaged in transformative community service and service-learning experiences that enable them to use their voice, skills, and critical thinking to strengthen communities.