With the beginning of the school year approaching, it is exciting to hear about some hands-on projects going on in our communities. Using an approach known as service-learning, students are applying classroom lessons to real community needs. By developing their own service projects to help others, students in Turner have taken part in a recycling program. “Jeepers Creepers, We Need Your Sneakers!” partners Leavitt Area High School students with other local schools, students and community partners.

Mr. MacLean’s class at Leavitt first heard about the project from SAD 52 service-learning coordinator Debbie Dagget. From there, all he had to do was involve his class.

Sneaker boxes were made and placed in schools as well as in a local store. By project’s end, over 1,300 sneakers had been collected and donated. Additionally, MacLean’s class has documented the project on video and film. Their plans are to produce materials to showcase student efforts with the project.

Dr. King said that anyone can be great because everybody can serve. His words are more prevalent today than ever. It is exciting for a native Turner citizen and graduate of Leavitt to see that by using service-learning to improve our communities, Leavitt students are helping to keep his dream alive in Turner.

Within the state of Maine, there are a variety of resources about effectively engaging service-learning in the educational environment. Specifically, KIDS Consortium is an amazing resource of highly educated, able, and willing service-learning experts.

Matthew Maloney, Turner

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