Team Service Learning Project

Melanie Courchaine

SummaryCommunity Service-Learning Teamwork Project Proposal form

Group Members: Melanie Courchaine and the members of the Lincoln Elementary PTO Green Bay, WI.Date or Dates of Service-Learning Project: October 30, 2012

Goals of Service Learning Project (What do you hope to accomplish): 1. Halloween Party for 400+ students and family members of Lincoln Elementary2. Participate in the planning, setting up and cleaning.Participate in the Lincoln Elementary School PTO helping to plan a successful Halloween party for 300 student’s grades 4K-5th and their family members. Party will consist of a hay maze, haunted hallway, classroom trick or treating, Halloween party games and the preparation of food such as meatball sandwiches and finger cookies.

PTO Meetings To Plan 10/09/2012

Lincoln Elementary

◦ 6:00 PM Everything is in place but we still have a lack of help from parents and we will need to buy more prizes in order to make the night a true success. We also can not start setting up until 3:30 and with the bash starting at 5:30 this will prove to be a challenge!

09/11/2012

Lincoln Elementary

◦ 6:00 PM go discuss who will be in charge of which parts of the Halloween bash. I am assigned to help with the food and setting up a haunted hallway as well as printing out a volunteer sheet for parental help.

Active ListeningWhen working with a team listening skill are imperative. The listening skills that I used during things group project were reflecting; at one time several of the group members were frustrated about the way things were going. I was able to stop and listen and help them know that I understood how they were feeling. Another listening technique that I used in this process was validating. Letting the other group members know that I acknowledge the value of their issues and feelings and that I appreciate their efforts.

ProblemsWe encountered several problems while planning and pulling off this fun activity for the students of Lincoln Elementary school. First was the amount of outside help that we were given. With a school of over 200 students we had a total of 5 parents show up at the PTO meetings with interest in helping with the celebration. Next, we were only given 2 hours to set up everything, with only 5 parents and a handful of teachers it proved to be a tough feat. We called upon our spouses, moms, dads, brothers sisters and students in upper grades looking to get some volunteer time in. We ended up with a family of 6 making all of the food. Several husbands setting up the hay maze and the principal helping out with music set up and running of some of the mini games. We asked the parents to participate by sending in bags of candy and mini prizes and they really pulled through we had a ton of candy, prizes, pencils and didn’t have to buy anything extra.

5:30-6:00 Trick or treating will take place at the K-2nd grade classrooms and library.

6:00 Music will start in the Gym along with a costume contest.

6:30 dinner will be served along with

the opening of the haunted hallway and hay maze.

Mini games will be open as well with prizes and candy for everyone.

7:15 Last call for dinner and last dance will be played.

Events Schedule

Bloody Eyeball Sandwiches. (Meatball Subs)

Monster Jaws (apple slices)

Cheesy Fingers (string cheese)

Worms in Dirt

Peanut butter and jam sandwiches.

Witches brew will also be served as a beverage.

Dinner Menu

Pictures of the Halloween Bash

Pictures of the Halloween Bash

ReflectionAfter scrambling to get everything set up and sweating in a “scary” costume all evening I was a little tuckered out. But once the kids started coming though to see the haunted hallway and watching them get their grove on in the gym it was all worth it. I learning that sometimes it can be difficult working as a team if you don’t know what to expect from all of the other individuals involved. Lucky for me during this project I was working with some amazing people and we had a ton of people pull together at the last minute to help everything fall into place nicely. The one thing that I would do differently in the future is when planning a big event like this have a few extra meetings. Meeting once a month didn’t seem to be enough maybe meeting every other week for a few months would probably be best.

Criteria Self-Evaluation Instructor Evaluation

Summary includes a description of the project

10 8 5 0 10 8 5 0

Summary includes how you collaborated with others during the project

10 8 5 0 10 8 5 0

Summary includes the problems you encountered and how you resolved them

10 8 5 0 10 8 5 0

Summary includes which active listening skills you used in your service

10 8 5 0 10 8 5 0

Summary includes reflection on your learning from the project and how you benefitted from it

10 8 5 0 10 8 5 0

Artifact included for your portfolio: brochure created, photos, newspaper article etc.

10 8 5 0 10 8 5 0

Project received prior approval by instructor

10 8 5 0 10 8 5 0

Summary/Service-learning is professional

10 8 5 0 10 8 5 0

  Total 80 /80 Total /80