Most college students are stereotyped as being lazy and self-involved, however, the students in ETSU’s Service Learning program are just the opposite. Now that school is back in session, Johnson City and surrounding towns will be seeing students giving time and service to the community.
The Center for Community Engagement, Learning and Leadership, also know as the CELL, helps students participate in civic engagement and build leadership skills. One program the CELL oversees is the Service Learning program. Service Learning is a class where students sign up to work 30 hours at a specific site. It is also oral and writing intensive, which is required for many majors here on campus.
Teresa Brooks Taylor, assistant director of service learning said, “We have already conducted five group projects and have seven more to go.” Students must give up one day of one weekend to participate in a group project.
The group project does not count toward the 30 hours required for the class. “We have worked with the following agencies for group projects: Regional Reading Coalition, Appalachian RC&D Council and Arcadia Community Club,” Taylor said.
Students get to choose from a list of sites. “We have students placed at 50 different sites,” Taylor said. Some of the agencies include Roan Mountain State Park, Coalition 4 Kids, ARK Farm and the Hands-On Museum.
Service Learning student Josh Gregg chose Coalition 4 Kids. “I really wanted to work with kids,” he said. “Thirty hours here will go by really fast.”
Many students complete more than the 30 hours required. Even after they finish the class, they still go back to their sites to help out.

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