TELLURIDE – Community service is alive and well in Telluride schools thanks to a new program, known as the Service Learning Day, developed last year to unite students and nonprofits in a day of service.

On Wednesday, Oct. 10, more than 200 local high school students will again participate in the Fall Service Learning Day, joining efforts with local nonprofits to provide a day of service in our community.  According to Telluride High School Principal Mike Conran, the Service Learning Day is an important teaching and learning strategy that helps teach students about civic responsibility while strengthening their sense of community. “We want our students to learn the benefits of being of service to others, learning to be compassionate individuals, and the Service Learning Day provides those opportunities,” he said.

During last year’s Service Learning Days, high school students partnered with local nonprofits including the Pinhead Institute, EcoAction Partners, the Southwest Institute for Resilience, the Telluride Ski & Snowboard Club, the Telluride Historical Museum, and more Students selected their area of interest and, under the direction of teachers and nonprofit staff, worked to fill unmet needs at the various organizations’ offices and throughout the Telluride community.  According to Pinhead Institute Executive Director Sonchia Jilek, “We hosted seven kids all day.  They helped us to review the curriculum of our popular Pinhead Packs, tested every experiment, and gave us excellent feedback.  It was a very successful project and we would love to have them back this year.”  

Kris Holstrom of EcoAction Partners reported that her students painted, weeded, mulched, and even built a chicken run. “They were very willing workers,” Holstrom said. “It would have taken us many hours to do each of those tasks individually.  With the service learning crew we accomplished three large tasks in one day!”

The 2012 Fall Service Learning Day is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 10, and the school district is soliciting nonprofit providers’ involvement, on all levels, from local preschools to Habitat for Humanity, local sports clubs, and the Telluride Historical Museum.  As Principal Conran said, “We are interested in building sustainable bridges between our schools and students, and the greater Telluride community.  Over the long term, that will be best for our students, our schools, and the community.”

Sara Kimble, high school counselor, is the contact person at the school district and can be reached at 970-369-1217 or via email at skimble@telluride.k12.co.us.