Senator says national community service program for students should be modeled on Broughton High program
March 11, 2002 - U.S. Senator John Edwards visited Broughton High Monday (March 11) and pointed to the school's Community Service Program as a model for a new national service initiative for high school students he wants to see created.
 Senator John Edwards talks about creating a new national student community service program modeled on one at Broughton High. |
"Americans rallied after the September 11 terrorist attacks to show the world that our national spirit remains strong," Senator Edwards said. "There is nowhere that the American spirit is stronger than in our high schools. There are no Americans with more untapped energy and greater ability to contribute to communities that make our country great."
Edwards said he would introduce legislation to create the Community Corps. The legislation would provide $65 million in annual grants to encourage states to establish community service programs in their high schools and middle schools.
Broughton High Principal Diane Payne thanked Edwards and welcomed him back to the school his children attended. As students, they took part in the community service program. Broughton's program began seven years ago. Students are required to perform 25 hours of service each year as a graduation requirement. Last year, students performed approximately 54,000 hours of service in the community.
Senator Edwards introduced Broughton students who talked about their community service work and what they learned from their efforts.
David Esquilin, an 11th grader has volunteered for three years at Rex Healthcare, working in the surgery ward and guiding patients and visitors through the hospital. "I volunteered for the past three summers," Esquilin said. "I helped out the nurses wheeling patients out when it was time for them to leave, fixing the beds after patients left and running errands, tasks that gave nurses more time to tend to the patients."
Francisco Jaimes, a 10th grader, has volunteered nearly every afternoon this school year at the Wade Edwards Learning Lab. He recruits other volunteers, translates materials into Spanish, and assists students in the lab. "I've volunteered at the lab to help students with Spanish," Jaimes said. "I've helped people in the lab with computers, helping them out if they had trouble."
Gaya Myers, 12th grader, is president of the Key Club, a tutor at Wade Edwards Learning Lab, and participates in Student Action for the Environment, the Salvation Army, Underwood Elementary's Fall Festival, and the Leo Club. "Being president of the Key Club, a lot of initiatives have been started because of the community service requirement, anything from ringing Salvation Army bells over Christmas to volunteering at the Food Bank," Myers said. "One initiative that was started this year that benefited a lot of students was the Accelerated Learning Program. We send students every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday to volunteer with below grade level students. The biggest reward is the smile on their face and how they're improving every time you go back."
Gina Nguyen, 12th grader, is president of the National Honor Society, tutors elementary school children and English as a Second Language students, and volunteers at the Wade Edwards Learning Lab. She volunteered with Walk for Hope, served food at a homeless shelter, and participated in UNC TV's telethon, and in Wake Relief, a program that fights hunger in the Triangle. "Throughout my years at Brouhgton, I have done my community service through the Key Club and National Honor Society," Nguyen said. "Its been a diverse range of activities from volunteering at shelters or helping at the Food Bank. I volunteered at Underwood Elementary in their Accelerated Learning Program. I thought it was fun. I got to go every Thursday and meet with the same kids over and over again and became friends with them. I thought I helped them."
Senator Edwards presented representatives of community agencies that put the students to work. Earline Middleton of the Food Bank said high school and middle school students performed more than 29,000 hours of volunteer service last year at the Food Bank, sorting donations in the bank's grocery warehouse. Angie Oblinger of Hopeline said 32 students currently serve as phone volunteers for Teen Talkline, a crisis line requiring 30 hours of training, and 15 students work on Phonefriend, a friendship line for elementary students. Melinda Robertson of Rex Healthcare said they use about 150 high school volunteers. Their program includes on-the-job training and access to a wide range of hospital activities.
Edwards said his legislation would establish a nationwide competitive grant program to provide assistance to states or local school districts that require a community service commitment as a condition for high school graduation. States could tailor high school service programs to meet local needs and interests.
 Principal Diane Payne introduces Senator John Edwards and Mrs. Edwards to a panel discussion on community service. |
Edwards said the community service program at Broughton High could serve as a model for the national Community Corps. Like Broughton, a growing number of high schools across America already require students to perform some form of community service in order to graduate. Only Maryland makes community service a requirement for graduation.
Edwards pointed to North Carolina Superintendent of Education Mike Ward's recent trip to Afghanistan with Stop Hunger Now and the planned service trip to Guatemala by six Broughton High faculty members later this month as powerful role models for students.
"Young people want to do something," Edwards said. "Its not just adults that feel this great patriotism given what's happened to our country. I think young people want to contribute. I think its much more likely that students who are involved in helping people in the community are going to be involved over the rest of their lives helping other people in the community. They will be more likely to vote, more likely to be involved in their government. It's just a way to tap into the energy, idealism, and enthusiasm that young people have."
Edwards said the legislation that will create the Community Corps is still being written.
"The goal is to try to have community service be as much of every students' learning experience as taking a course at school," Edwards said. "People will learn what Broughton has learned which is that it really works. Kids get something out of it. The community gets something out of it.
Broughton High Community Service |