SERVICE WEEK- Each year in the Spring Avalon suspends normal activity and all students and faculty are engaged in a week of service-learning.  Below are the descriptions of the group projects from 2008:

Technology with Pete

We plan on working to make technology more easily sustainable at Avalon School and to help prepare our school for the future. This will involve reformatting workstations, doing general maintenance on the machines, coming up with a plan to help students adopt Google Apps, updating the technology plan and doing anything else that we come up with. There will be guest speakers on a variety of tech related subjects and a component that raises money and supports computer initiatives for schools in developing countries. Students need no prior technology education to participate. It is open to any student who wants to learn more about technology.

Inequalities of Education with Regina

We will study the social constructs that dictate the inequality of education in the United States by reading and listening to experts in the field of education and equality. For our service we will work with either (or both) schools or community centers tutoring students who may be underprivileged. Will we be on bicycles? Ya’ sure-ya-betcha! (My Minnesotan is still struggling)

Environmental Restoration with Andy

We will be working with Saint Paul Parks, the National Park Service, Friends of the Mississippi, and Great River Greening on the restoration of Crosby Park (Saint Paul’s largest park) along the Mississippi below Fort Snelling. If you like the outdoors, you do not mind getting a little sweaty and dirty this is the project for you!

Housing and Homelessness with Kevin and Chris

For five days, students will be getting up early (on some days before

5:00 AM!) to explore and discuss homelessness. We will be talking with Macalester College professor Peter Rachleff, reading Barbara Ehrenrich’s Nickel and Dimed, volunteering at Simpson Housing Services, visiting representative Shelley Madore at the capitol, hearing from Michelle Gerrard from Wilder Foundation, and learning about what we can do to address this topic.

Social Justice Service Week with Monessa and Amanda

The Social Justice Service Week will consist of many elements. We will be looking at Social Justice through many points of view: religious/spiritual, social, education, human rights, etc… We have a speaker that will possibly be coming that will be discussing human trafficking. We hope to include a scavenger hunt of the Briggs Building to look for non-profit organizations and businesses that work in different fields that relate or work towards social justice. A person from the Art of Living foundation will come in to do some meditation and breathing techniques to look at the idea of self-care. We will be in the building with guest speakers, and getting out of the building and into the community to further examine Social Justice.

Bridging Inc. with Anna

Anna will be working with an organization called Bridging Inc.: "Bridging was founded on the simple concept that community resources should be shared with those in need. Our purpose is to "bridge the gap" between the " haves" and the "have nots".

Our mission is to provide the economically disadvantaged with a one-time gift of quality furniture and household items which helps to stabilize and improve their lives while effectively using community resources. Through a network of over 200 social service agencies, eligible clients are referred to our warehouse for a once in a lifetime shopping experience."

Avalon students will be able to spend time helping put furniture together, sorting and folding household items, helping shoppers select and gather items, and assisting this organization in other ways, all while learning about the importance of and process of working to rise above poverty. We may also volunteer our time at other important community organizations.

Animal Rescue with Laura (18 students)

This service activity will focus on issues of animal rescue, overpopulation, and animal cruelty. We will discuss different types of animal shelters and rescue programs as well as invite guest speakers to talk to us about the key issues mentioned (anyone know of a PETA member that would like to come talk to us?). May involve volunteer work at animal shelter(s) which requires an application to be submitted, volunteers must be at least 16 years of age.

Learning about Domestic Violence with Jackie

The Service Learning group is designed to help students become more informed about domestic violence and other violence in the community. “According to the Tubman Family Alliance, domestic violence cuts across all socioeconomic, demographic, and geographic lines. It has the potential to affect all families”. The purpose of the service learning group is to: (1) Help students understand how family violence affects the community (2) Understand how the Tubman Family Alliance and other community agencies work together to support and educate others about how to end the cycle of violence; (3) Experience volunteering for nonprofit organization; (4) Understand the impact and services that non profit organization offer; and (5) help students to engage in a new learning experience outside of the regular school environment .

If you are interested in learning more about how to end family violence, this is the service-learning group for you.

Public Art with Geri

How can making art be a service to the community? We will attempt to answer the question by looking at the role of art and the artist in society, artists who have become famous for the impact their art and ideas have had on society and or a specific community in particular. We will look at local and national art projects that have focused on specific issues such as aids, family violence, poverty and homelessness. We will work with staff and residents at the St. Anthony Residence, a sixty-bed residence for chronic alcoholics who are transitioning out of homelessness. The St. Anthony Residence is a recent project sponsored by Catholic Charities. Our group would work with residents to create a work of art that represents the ideas and images that are generated out of our service week interactions.

Adopt a Park with Jo

As park stewards, our group will work on activities that benefit the environment and help create a cleaner, greener park system. In the beginning of the week, our group will learn about the history of our state and city parks, with a focus on our nearby public parks such as Iris, Newell, Como, Hidden Falls, Indian Mound, and Dickerman Park (Avalon’s front yard). A community expert will lead a discussion on issues facing our parks today. The group will decide which park it would like to adopt, and arrange a meeting at the park with the Adopt a Park contact person from the Department of Parks and Recreation. The rest of the week we will work outside at that park, though there may be some prearranged activities at other parks as well. As a member of this group you can expect to help restore natural areas by removing invasive species of plants, plant seeds or seedlings, help maintain existing plantings, and clean up litter. If you are worried about your nails, this is not the group for you. If you want to learn about our parks system, love being outdoors, and care about maintaining our green spaces, you should enjoy this service group.