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In June 2004, Union #98 was awarded a $28,500 "Living Democracy" grant.  The grant funds were from the Maine Department of Education and the Learn and Serve America Program and will go to developing service learning projects in history and civics.  The grant will be distributed over three years, with MDIHS matching funds through in-kind contributions.  Plans are underway to extend the grant for a fourth year in order to focus on integrating Service Learning projects in history and civics into the Union #98 Social Studies curriculum.

Service Learning is an instructional technique designed to motivate and engage students by identifying and then addressing real needs within the community.  Service Learning puts students in the role of planners and evaluators, leading to greater student ownership and increased motivation while developing civic competence.

This website will contain links to all the materials related to Union #98's on-going efforts to integrate service learning in history and civics.

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Union #98 Living Democracy Vision:

The KIDS Consortium Model of Service Learning is a vital instructional methodology in citizenship education.  By requiring that students participate in projects that have academic integrity, serve a real community need, and allow students to engage in apprentice citizenship, Service Learning provides authentic opportunities for students to develop civic competence.  Service Learning is not meant to supplant other curricular objectives, but rather to enhance the teaching of the Social Studies curriculum in order to deepen student learning.  Another key principle of Service Learning is student ownership.  Allowing students to make key decisions in the Service Learning project helps to keep students motivated and engaged, and also serves as another venue for civic education.

A primary goal of the Living Democracy Grant is to increase the capacity for Union #98 faculty to integrate Service Learning into their Social Studies courses.  The Living Democracy Grant seeks to create a culture in which Social Studies teachers see Service Learning as a vital part of any course and as a primary, as opposed to secondary, instructional method that benefits all students.

Original vision and action plan from the 2004 Summer Institute (.pdf)
Revised vision and action plan from the 2005 Taking Stock Session (.pdf)
Revised vision and action plan from the 2006 Taking Stock Session (.pdf)