Illinois At a Glance

Meeting community needs in Illinois through Service Learning. More than 52,341 students grades K-12 in Illinois are participating in the Corporation for National & Community Service, Learn and Serve America, federally funded grant program.

Service learning offers a concrete opportunity for students from kindergarten to high school across the Land of Lincoln to get involved in their communities in a tangible way by integrating service projects with classroom learning. Service learning engages our young people in the educational process, combining what they learn in the classroom to solve real-life problems. Students not only learn about democracy and citizenship, they become actively contributing citizens through the service they perform.

Educators throughout Illinois have applied Service-learning across all subjects and grade levels, as Service-learning can involve a single student or multiple students, a classroom or an entire school. Students engaged in Service-learning build character and become active participants as they work with others in their school and community to develop service projects in areas like education, public safety and the environment.

In 2006, Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn assumed responsibility for Illinois' Learn and Serve America program. This joint federal/state initiative provides three-year-grants to school districts seeking to create or expand service-learning opportunities. FY08-09 will mark the 3rd year of our grantees three-year continuation grant cycle.

The Office of Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn has partnered with the Illinois Resource Center (IRC) to provide training and technical assistance for recipients of the Illinois K-12 School-Based Learn and Serve America grants. These grants, which are determined by the Illinois State Board of Education and the Office of Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn, foster the growth of service learning - a curriculum-based pedagogical method that is rapidly gaining acceptance across the nation.

There are many high quality models of service learning occurring all throughout the Land of Lincoln. To learn how you can become apart of the service learning movement in a community and local school district near you visit our website, www.serveandlearn.org

Learn and Serve America in Illinois