International Education – Global Service Projects
May 4, 2010
Coming next year: Global Community Service projects for all Hamilton Students
On April 21, the Hamilton International Middle School PTSA hosted a meeting with current and future Hamilton families to discuss plans to include community service projects with a global perspective at our school. Over 40 attendees gathered to learn more about International Education in the Seattle school district, and hear from Hamilton administrators about plans to implement school-wide community service projects with global impact.
Plans include a day of service at each grade level, once a semester. Each year, projects focus on a specific global issue, for example: the environment, health care or poverty. At each grade level, the geographic reach of the projects expands: from a local level focus in 6th grade; to a regional/national level in 7th grade; and with global organizations or projects in 8th grade. Meeting attendees met in small groups to add to the list of service projects generated by staff (some already taking place in certain classrooms) and to generate a list of potential partnership organizations.
Finally, we brainstormed ways that the PTSA could further support international education for all Hamilton students: from hosting international events for families to expanding library support for international literature. It was an invigorating evening of exchanging ideas and contributing to the growth of our students’ education.
To share your ideas please go to the form below.
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Ideas generated at the April 21 HIMS PTSA Meeting
Question: What community service projects would be meaningful to our students and help to expand their global perspective?
Ideas for Service Projects
- Cultural competency projects (includes: race, ethnicity, physical ability, gender, sexual preference)
- Design, build or maintenance of outdoor playspaces
- Working with ELL families
- Stream restoration – salmon habitat importance of salmon to indigenous culture
- Use current events to teach about native cultures
- Service projects with immigrant communities
- Composting
- Dental kits
- Work with new immigrant families (nearby elementary?)
- Intergenerational projects
- Environmental (i.e., bicycling – world cultures)
- Work w/int’l community retirement homes (e.g. Asian): tap into elder knowledge
- Broaden involvement with migrant worker food bank
- Research projects in home rooms: produce posters, all focused on a single topic, e.g., poverty
Question: What community partnerships can we develop to support our work?
Ideas for partnership organizations
- University House
- Wallingford Senior Center
- Secondary Bilingual Orientation Center
- Japanese & Spanish elderly homes
- Immigrant community agencies
- Consulates
- Sister schools
- PATH
- Gates Foundation
- Solid Ground (Family Works)
- Beach Naturalist Program
- Restoration (Replanting) King City
- People for Puget Sound
- Seattle Parks
- World Vision
- Community Gardens (learning about other cultures)
- Page Ahead (book drive for multi-lingual families)
Question: How else can the PTSA support International Education at Hamilton?
Ideas for PTSA Support
- Research for opportunities & resources
- Support students who want to continue with community service
- Fund a Service Learning Coordinator
- Reach out to media outlets like KBCS to involve students in reflection projects
- International trips
- Bring back the Geography Bee
- Recognize United Nations Day
Please share your ideas on the form below:
Questions? Problems? Email to clrodgers@ohana.org
Hamilton International Middle School PTSA
