"VOLUNTEERISM and CITIZEN SERVICE must lead Louisiana's recovery effort." -Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu The Louisiana Serve Commission is pleased to announce Volunteer Louisiana, a website and call center that matches volunteers with service opportunities throughout the state. Visit www.volunteerlouisiana.gov or call 866-286-3835 or 225-342-3070 to find out how you can begin a summer of service.

Louisiana State Parks Grow and Renew The Louisiana Office of State Parks has spent nearly $80 million in major construction projects since 2004, providing two brand-new parks and a new historic site, adding cabins and campsites to existing parks and building visitor center at one park, the preservation area and three historic sites. Learn More >>

March 4, 2008

CONTACT:
Seth Harvey
(225) 342-8153
sharvey@crt.state.la.us

BATON ROUGE - Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu, who oversees the Louisiana Serve Commission, announced a grant opportunity offering teachers and schools a unique resource to enhance education through service-learning programs. The Learn and Serve America grant program, targeted at K-12 public school teachers, public schools, and public school districts, provides federal funds to support service-learning. The program provides up to $5,000 per year for new programs, and up to $12,000 for established programs for the 2008-2009 school year.

"As we work to improve education for our kids, Learn and Serve grants provide a great resource for our public school teachers and schools," Lt. Governor Landrieu said. "Research shows that when students participate in these service-learning programs, their academic performance improves and they develop a sense of civic engagement."

Service-learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities. Service-learning combines service objectives with learning objectives, promoting personal and social growth and development for students.

The Learn and Serve America program offers this example of service-learning: "If school students collect trash out of an urban streambed, they are providing a service to the community as volunteers; a service that is highly valued and important. When school students collect trash from an urban streambed, then analyze what they found and make suggestions for reducing pollution as part of their science curriculum, they are engaging in service-learning."

"I encourage public schools and teachers across the state to apply for this grant funding," said Carter Mills, Louisiana Serve Commissioner of Ruston, Louisiana. "We look forward to expanding the reach of this program to all regions of the state."

The Learn and Serve grant program focuses on health and human needs; community improvement; education; natural environment; public safety and conflict resolution; and disaster preparedness. The program requires grantees to provide a 1:1 match, either through funding or in-kind contributions.

Please visit the Louisiana Serve Commission's website at www.crt.state.la.us/laserve for due dates, guidelines and application. The deadline for application submission is April 15, 2008. For more information, contact a Learn and Serve program officer at (225) 342-2038 or ddowell@crt.state.la.us.

The Louisiana Serve Commission was established in the Office of the Lt. Governor in 1993 to rekindle the spirit of service among the citizens of Louisiana. The Louisiana Serve Commission's mission is to build and sustain high-quality programs that meet the needs of Louisiana's citizens and to promote an ethic of volunteer service. The Commission administers the Corporation for National and Community Service's AmeriCorps*State and Learn & Serve America grants and manages the online statewide volunteer portal www.volunteerlouisiana.gov.

For more information, log onto www.volunteerlouisiana.gov, or call toll free: 866-286-3835.