A Gift of Giving

A Gift of Giving is a service-learning program for kindergarten through eighth grade children based on two successful Camp Fire programming elements. First, community service opportunities are an important part of a young person’s Camp Fire experience. Second, successful in school programming has given Camp Fire a depth of understanding about the challenges and opportunities on in-school programming.

The goals and outcomes of A Gift of Giving were verified by an independent evaluation of a two-year pilot.

The goals of the program are to:
• Increase awareness of community.
• Give children the opportunity to participate in the initiation, planning and execution of a    chosen service project.
• Engage children in a progression of positive experiences that foster community service.
• Provide meaningful reflection and analysis of the community service experience.

Program Outcomes: Child Impact
• Personalize remote problems and make them real.
• Enhance cooperative learning.
• Increase understanding and empathy for others.
• Instill confidence in developing ideas and abilities.
• Focus thinking on needs the the community.
• Enhance leadership skills.
• Improve academic skills

A Gift of Giving complements the basic instructional programs in the school curriculum because students learn by doing.

The curriculum is age-appropriate and varies for each grade level. The differences are centered on increasing the children’s sophistication in generating ideas, gathering information, and planning and organizing their projects.

A Gift of Giving is structured around five classroom sessions that last between 45-60 minutes each, depending upon the project chosen and the age of the children. The sessions are as follows:
 

Session I
Community Concept
The ideas of community and service are introduced to the children in the first session. Community includes their school, neighborhood, city, nation or even the planet. Through various activities, volunteerism is introduced and children will share their previous volunteer experiences. The goal of this first session will be complete when the children are able to define their communities and the meaning of community service. The students begin to identify and discuss problems of needs in their communities.

Session II
Needs Assessment and Project Choice
Once the children understand the meaning of community and community service, they will assess needs and problems in the various communities by talking to parents, friends, teachers, and community members, and by reading the newspaper and watching television. The class will choose a need or problem on which to focus as a community service project. The initial plans and preparation will be formed in this session.

Session III
Planning and Organizing a Project
The students will complete the preparations necessary for their service project in this session. Group interaction and teamwork are essential components of this session.

Session IV
Project Day
The actual project implementation will continually reinforce teamwork and volunteering. The children will understand their importance to the community and see how they can make a positive impact and improve their world.

Session V
Reflection, Recognition and Celebration
In this final session, the children will be guided through a structured evaluation of the project. They will summarize and give meaning to their service experiences. Every child will be encouraged to express the meaning of the project for them. They may choose to write a report or a poem, a song or a play, create a drawing or videotape their reflections.

Building an 'outdoor classroom' in Tumalo
Fall 2006 Gift of Giving project