College Receives Grant for Service Learning Programs

Miami Dade College was awarded a $559,842 Learn and Serve America grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service.

The grant will be used to encourage teachers to implement service learning into educational settings. It will also support the Learn and Serve Legacy project, a joint-effort between MDC’s center for community involvement and school of education.

Nearly 200 colleges and non-profit organizations applied for the higher education grant. Miami Dade College was one of 28 recipients.

As part of the program, School of Education students will be given apprenticeships with Miami-Dade County Public School teachers, as part of a service-learning curriculum.

The School of Education will also provide in-depth education about service learning in a new three-credit class, “Civic Engagement through Community Service.”

The class will be taught by Janis Klein, 2002 winner of M-DCPS’s Teacher of the Year award. Throughout  the next three years, 300 students are expected to enroll.

“The best learning is engaged learning,” said Joshua Young, the college-wide director of MDC’s Center for Community Involvement. “Not only are you learning and retaining information, but you’re [also] giving back to the community.”