Missouri State service-learning students conducted 250 vision screenings for Springfield’s homeless population as part of this year’s HOPE Connection event. A total of 182 were referred for follow up care to the Jordan Valley Community Health Center, MSU Care Clinic or Vision Rehabilitation Center of the Ozarks, where they were scheduled for a further examination by an optometrist or fitted for corrective lenses. HOPE Connection is an annual day-long service event coordinated by Community Partnership of the Ozarks, hosting a consortium of agencies and volunteers from the region that provide essential services to the impoverished, including “enhanced direct services” for veterans as part of Veterans Stand Down. This is CASL’s third year at the event, but the first in which service-learning students were able to screen clients before visiting the health clinic. This provided subsequent vision professionals more precise information about a client’s vision health than in years prior. Service-learning students used Welch/Allyn’s SPOT Screener, digital imaging cameras that quickly … [Read more...] about Service-learning takes vision screenings to the homeless at Hope Connection
Earlier this year, CASL partnered with the Vision Rehabilitation Center of the Ozarks (VRCO) to produce a promotional documentary premiered during the organization's annual "Dining in the Dark" fundraising event. The VRCO supports southwest Missouri's vision health with low or no-cost optometry services. Citizenship & Service-Learning often refers patients to the VRCO that are found to have potential vision problems through our signature Vision Screening Program. The "Dining in the Dark" fundraiser, in which guests are blindfolded during dinner to simulate the difficulties of blindness and low vision, raises funds for advancing VRCO services and technology. CASL supported the VRCO's efforts through the production of a promotional documentary that was played during the dinner. CASL Director, Dr. Kathy Nordyke and VRCO director, Wendy Jackson executive produced. Charles Whitaker and Tatym Brown produced all video content on a $0 budget. Watch the full video below and be sure to visit VRCO's website for information about how you can help support their efforts. … [Read more...] about CASL and VRCO Partner Up in Fundraising Video
While just a freshman, Social Work student Rachel Funken decided to take on the challenge of service-learning this semester (Spring 2016) to gain more experience in her field of study before pursuing a full internship. She chose to work at Greene County Children’s Division (CD) because it fit her interest of advocating for child welfare and helping families directly. She recently shared more information about her service-learning experience. 1) How has your experience been at CD? It has been amazing! I've learned and gained so much information that I would never be able to get in a classroom setting. 2) What kinds of things do you do at CD? When I'm at CD, I work alongside one or two of the workers in the department while they’re either working on a case, meeting with clients and/or their lawyers, or going out into the field to check up on children after a hotline call comes in. 3) What do you enjoy most about working with this organization? What I enjoy most about working with CD is that it's exactly what I want to be doing when I'm out of college. It also gives me … [Read more...] about Service-Learning Spotlight: Rachel Funken
Missouri State University students who take on a component service-learning course get to understand their academic coursework better while at the same time work at various local non-profit organizations, schools and government agencies that are making a difference in our community. Each spring and fall semesters, about 80 to 100 students enroll in service-learning and they are involved in many different types of work and projects. Here’s what several of the students who did service-learning in 2015 shared about their experiences: I decided to do service-learning because I love working with children and wanted to tie that in with helping someone. By working at Douglas Head Start, I got to gain some experience working with children while helping the teachers at the same time. I loved my experience here. Children in this age group are so loving and hungry for knowledge. They are more than willing to hear what you have to say and respond to it. As my service-learning was for my nutrition class, I focus my time helping the children to understand that in a couple different ways. … [Read more...] about Service-Learning Students Say…
To gain hands-on experience in her field of study and at the same time explore her interest of working with children, Social Work student Lindsey Hathaway chose to take on a service-learning course this semester, securing a placement in the Early Child Care & Education program at the Development Center of the Ozarks (DCO). She recently spoke to a Citizenship and Service-Learning (CASL) staff about what it’s like to help teach and interact with a group of energetic toddlers. Why did you choose to serve at the DCO? I was referred by someone from a previous job and I love working with children. How has your service-learning experience been so far? It has been good. I’ve learned new things about teaching children. What have you learned from doing service-learning? I've learned that teachers really do work hard on discipline with children. For example, the two-year-olds I work with have been taught how to sit and wait quietly before doing activities. What kind of work do you do at the DCO? I help entertain the children while the teacher is getting things prepared. … [Read more...] about Service Learning Spotlight: Lindsey Hathaway