For the first time in 12 years, Central’s service day took place in October instead of the spring.
In this annual tradition since 2006, the college cancels classes, and students, faculty and staff serve Pella and central Iowa.
“Community partners needed help with fall projects [such as raking leaves, above],” explains Cheri Trout Doane ’98, Central’s director of community-based learning.
“We also wanted Intersections classes—interdisciplinary classes required of all Central first-year students—to use service as a bonding experience. Connecting with our regional community enriches civic life, augments student learning and fosters strong community relationships.”
This year, 725 Central students, faculty and staff contributed thousands of volunteer hours—valued at approximately $75,000—to projects that included:
- Teaching English-learning students in Des Moines to play steel pans.
- Improving woodlands at Christie Park in Pleasant Hill.
- Doing outdoor work at Pella Regional Health Center.
- Supporting clients at the Pella Food Shelf.
- Collecting oral histories of Upward Bound participants in Des Moines.
To learn more about service learning at Central, visit central.edu/service.
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