Description
Professor Anna Krift and Assistant Professor Joe Melita were honored with the 2024 Changemaking Education Award, which recognized their work in the Citizenship Project classes this past January. The award is sponsored by Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of South Florida, the Miami-Dade County Teacher of the Year Coalition, and the Armando Alejandre Jr. Memorial Foundation.
From the program:
Anna Krift, Lynn University: The Citizenship Project at Lynn University includes a community-engaged learning course that is required for all first-year students and consists of four learning outcomes: 1. To evaluate a civic issue from multiple perspectives; 2. To identify and describe examples of civic engagement and articulate the relationship between service and citizenship; 3. To demonstrate a positive shift in attitude toward the value of citizenship by discussing their experience; 4. To show an increased desire to be engaged in the political processes that shape the larger community by constructing a creative class project. Classes have common readings focused on community involvement that include Derek Bok’s chapter on “Preparation for Citizenship” and excerpts from Paul Loeb’s “Soul of a Citizen.” Students in Professor Krift’s classes focused on service-learning projects as well as conscious consumerism to minimize plastic consumption and prioritize sustainability. Her students also led a mangrove clean-up along the intracoastal in Spanish River Park while serving with Gumbo Limbo Nature Center and removed debris ranging from boat parts to small microplastics disguised in the sand. They also researched and prepared information about plastic waste as well as a listing of environmentally friendly politicians to distribute through QR codes. Students maintained an information table where they spoke to students, faculty and staff about plastic waste and overconsumption as well as conscious consumerism and asked them to sign the pledge to minimize their consumption of plastics by making conscious decisions. Their efforts were centered on UN SDGs 12, 14 and 15.
Joe Melita, Lynn University: The rationale for our citizenship project is based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Our class created sensory boards aligning with goal four, Quality Education – to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.” Some students can self-regulate and focus all day long with no assistance while others may have tremendous difficulty staying calm, focused, and on task. Having a sensory board helps these students focus on one sense at a time and allows students to be able to rejoin class after using the board. The board is primarily catered towards students with special needs and sensory issues but may be used by all students. Using the sensory board allows the students to self-regulate and calm down when overstimulated. Additionally, it ensures all students have a happy and positive classroom environment. With this goal in mind, our class created seven boards and placed them in different schools within Palm Beach County. Principals and teachers reported that their students love the boards, and they are helping them stay calm and focused.
From the program:
Anna Krift, Lynn University: The Citizenship Project at Lynn University includes a community-engaged learning course that is required for all first-year students and consists of four learning outcomes: 1. To evaluate a civic issue from multiple perspectives; 2. To identify and describe examples of civic engagement and articulate the relationship between service and citizenship; 3. To demonstrate a positive shift in attitude toward the value of citizenship by discussing their experience; 4. To show an increased desire to be engaged in the political processes that shape the larger community by constructing a creative class project. Classes have common readings focused on community involvement that include Derek Bok’s chapter on “Preparation for Citizenship” and excerpts from Paul Loeb’s “Soul of a Citizen.” Students in Professor Krift’s classes focused on service-learning projects as well as conscious consumerism to minimize plastic consumption and prioritize sustainability. Her students also led a mangrove clean-up along the intracoastal in Spanish River Park while serving with Gumbo Limbo Nature Center and removed debris ranging from boat parts to small microplastics disguised in the sand. They also researched and prepared information about plastic waste as well as a listing of environmentally friendly politicians to distribute through QR codes. Students maintained an information table where they spoke to students, faculty and staff about plastic waste and overconsumption as well as conscious consumerism and asked them to sign the pledge to minimize their consumption of plastics by making conscious decisions. Their efforts were centered on UN SDGs 12, 14 and 15.
Joe Melita, Lynn University: The rationale for our citizenship project is based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Our class created sensory boards aligning with goal four, Quality Education – to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.” Some students can self-regulate and focus all day long with no assistance while others may have tremendous difficulty staying calm, focused, and on task. Having a sensory board helps these students focus on one sense at a time and allows students to be able to rejoin class after using the board. The board is primarily catered towards students with special needs and sensory issues but may be used by all students. Using the sensory board allows the students to self-regulate and calm down when overstimulated. Additionally, it ensures all students have a happy and positive classroom environment. With this goal in mind, our class created seven boards and placed them in different schools within Palm Beach County. Principals and teachers reported that their students love the boards, and they are helping them stay calm and focused.
| Awarded date | Oct 26 2024 |
|---|---|
| Degree of recognition | Local |
| Granting Organizations | Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of South Florida (RPCVSF) |