Florida Learn & Serve State Farm Disaster Prep Grant: Year 2 Submitted by Lora Reed for Eckerd College

1. Florida Learn & ServeState Farm Disaster Prep Grant: Year 2Submitted by Lora Reedfor Eckerd College

2. In 2006 Eckerd College received its 2nd year funding for the State Farm Disaster Preparedness initiative. Needs to be addressed included: • Civic Engagement (w/elem. & middle schools) – defining and giving age-appropriate examples of social studies; explaining and illustrating the importance of civic engagement and citizenship for the society and for the individual. • Students participated in a 3 county hazmat simulation, filming emergency management and hospital professionals, as well as Red Cross and community students engaged in an emergency drill • Also see (Power Point) Sugg Middle School Collaborative Effort: disaster preparedness fair.

3. In 2006 Eckerd College received its 2nd year funding for the State Farm Disaster Preparedness initiative. Needs to be addressed included: • Human Impact on Environment – (w/elem and middle school students) to improve understanding of human impact on the environment; specifically the impact people can have on place through their actions. • Eckerd students worked with students and other stakeholders in the community to increase awareness about green building – and to teach about disaster prep and impact. (See video on CD) • Students also delivered games, activity books, teddy bears, pillows, and clothing to (micro & macro) emergency shelters serving children in Pinellas County.

4. In 2006 Eckerd College received its 2nd year funding for the State Farm Disaster Preparedness initiative. Needs to be addressed included: • Science of Disasters – students created web resources, games, activity books, and other artifacts to educate the community in areas related to the science of disasters. • Students assisted a local middle school, civic organization, and public safety professionals in delivering a disaster preparedness fair to the community – complete with demonstration of the science of disaster. • Still other Eckerd students, working with the Midtown Project, delivered code compliance information to local residents and merchants.

5. In 2006 Eckerd College received its 2nd year funding for the State Farm Disaster Preparedness initiative. Needs to be addressed included: • Careers in Public Safety – students worked hand in hand with local public safety employees to elevate awareness of occupational choices and required education for public safety occupations. • Career exploration was promoted through the disaster preparedness fair, alliances with local shelters, and through working with the disaster preparedness team that filmed the tri-county hazmat hospital decontamination exercise.

6. In 2006 Eckerd College received its 2nd year funding for the State Farm Disaster Preparedness initiative. Needs to be addressed included: • Service-Learning as Pedagogy – Introduce service-learning as an effective pedagogy that demonstrates application of knowledge. • Support faculty and administration by providing instruction on how to implement service-learning, community-based education, and partnerships. • With assistance from Florida Learn & Serve, students planned, implemented, and evaluated effectiveness of a service-learning workshop complete with facilitator Cathy Berger Kaye and teachers from around Florida and the greater US.

7. In 2006 Eckerd College received its 2nd year funding for the State Farm Disaster Preparedness initiative. Needs to be addressed included: • Capacity Building – students and community partners increased their understanding of applied management/leadership theories and knowledge. Career exploration and social responsibility were promoted throughout the entire project. • Some students gained summer internships with the Midtown Project, serving the small businesses and the City of St. Pete. One student gained information to begin a small business in event planning. Still another student created various artifacts for children – and increased her knowledge of children in disaster situations. This student is now in medical school, working toward becoming a pediatrician. • Other community alliances have also emerged from this initiative.

8. In 2006 Eckerd College received its 2nd year funding for the State Farm Disaster Preparedness initiative. Needs to be addressed included: • Social Justice – Students were provided with multiple opportunities to expand knowledge of social justice and group problem solving. • Students selected emergency shelters where children’s clothing, books, and games would be delivered. • Students assisted various community partners and, thus, learned more about S. St. Petersburg neighbors as they worked on projects together – seeking common solutions and leveraging resources. • Students began to create ongoing community, and college community, alliances for purposes of solving problems that impact them and others.

9. In 2006 Eckerd College received its 2nd year funding for the State Farm Disaster Preparedness initiative. Needs to be addressed included: • Leveraged Resources – students raised awareness of the importance of partnerships between educational institutions and community stakeholders in solving complex problems. • They created new (e.g., disaster preparedness fair, special consideration of children in emergency shelters) and expanded existing (projects started last year) opportunities for dialogue related to preparation for, mitigation of, response to, and recovery from disasters. • Here, two students display artifacts related to the Stormy Bear project.

10. Thanks to all of our partners, and especiallly Florida Learn & Serve and State Farm Insurance This is a fine beginning.