Service Learning Program Applications & Forms

“I truly believe these service-learning experiences have made me a more effective teacher and have provided students a voice and a chance to show how much of a difference they can make as a citizen, even at a young age.”
-Barry J. Guillot, NBCT | 8th Grade Earth Science, Harry Hurst Middle School

Eligibility

Teachers who would like to participate in the Service Learning Program must apply for an award using the button below.

The criteria to apply is as follows:

    • Grades K-12 from schools in Louisiana and Mississippi are eligible.
    • Any subject area is eligible for participation in the Service Learning Program.
    • Projects are part of a school course or classroom learning; grant awards do not fund extracurricular activities such as school clubs (or the community service projects of a club).
    • Homegrown/standard applications for the 2024-2025 school year will be accepted electronically via the STEM Library Lab website between February 1, 2024 – April 26, 2024.
    • Ready-to-go applications for the 2024-2025 school year may be submitted via online application, email, snail mail, or in-person at STEM Library Lab by April 26, 2024.
    • Policies and Requirements for the Service Learning Program are available here. Got questions? Contact the Service Learning Manager, Maria Landrum, at maria[at]stemlibrarylab.org or 504.517.3584, ext. 3.
Applications

Homegrown Service Learning Projects

Homegrown projects are designed by you! You select the community issue you want to address, choose a service partner to work with, and create the lesson plans. If you’re looking for guidance, you can sign up for a service learning workshop and/or schedule a meeting with the Service Learning Manager; the manager can be reached at maria@stemlibrarylab.org or 504.517.3584, ext. 3. Additionally, our Resources page has project ideas and more. To apply, click the button below.

2024-25 Homegrown Service Learning Application
*NOTE: If you are applying for the LSU Coastal Roots program, use the Ready-to-Go application below.

 

Ready-to-Go Service Learning Projects

Ready-to-Go projects are pre-packaged service learning projects developed by STEM Library Lab for schools in the Greater New Orleans area. The service component has been paired with relevant classroom curriculum and is aligned with Louisiana standards. Curriculum may be provided as lesson plans for the project, delivered by educators from the service organization, or a combination of both. Greater New Orleans partners for the 2024-2025 school year include CRCL, LSU Coastal Roots, The Green Project, Ozanam Inn, Woodlands Conservancy, LUMCON and more. To sign up for these projects, explore the options below.

LSU COASTAL ROOTS

The overall goal of the LSU Coastal Roots Native Seedling Nursery Program is to assist students in developing an attitude of stewardship toward our natural resources and to explore strategies for sustaining our coastal ecosystems within a constructive active learning opportunity. The following program objectives support this goal:

1. Conduct an on-going school-based nursery program growing native Louisiana plants.

2. Involve students in a hands-on habitat restoration planting where students plant their crop of school-grown seedlings.

3. Inform teachers and students about critical environmental issues such as ecological stewardship, coastal land loss, habitat restoration and conservation, while learning basic science and horticultural concepts and skills.

Prior to submitting this application, please contact Dr. Pam Blanchard at 337.739.8506 or PamB@lsu.edu to ensure that you fully understand the program and are willing to fully participate in the program. For more information about the Coastal Roots Program, visit www.lsu.edu/coastalroots/.

COASTAL ROOTS APPLICATION

CR PROJECT PACKET

 

LUMCON

This pre-packaged Service Learning Field Trip to LUMCON Headquarters in Cocodrie, LA is aligned with Louisiana science standards for grades 3-6 and 7-12. Students will learn about the importance of estuary monitoring and add to the data sets used by scientists in Louisiana and beyond.

LUMCON APPLICATION

LUMCON PROJECT PACKET

Submit Form

 

COALITION TO RESTORE COASTAL LOUISIANA

This pre-packaged Service Learning Field Trip to CRCL’s Restoration Headquarters in Violet, LA is aligned with Louisiana science and social studies standards for grades 8-12. Students will learn about the Louisiana coastal land loss crisis while aiding in restoration efforts by bagging oyster shells into mesh bags in preparation for reef construction.

CRCL APPLICATION

CRCL PROJECT PACKET

Submit Form

 

 

WOODLANDS CONSERVANCY

Woodlands ConservancyThis pre-packaged Service Learning Field Trip to Woodlands Conservancy in Belle Chasse, LA is aligned with Louisiana science standards for grades 8-12. Students will learn the part that forested wetlands play in storm mitigation and will be planting native trees in a designated restoration area.


WOODLANDS APPLICATION

WOODLANDS PROJECT PACKET

Submit Form

 

UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS

Students will receive instruction about homelessness and household budgeting before a trip to Ozanam Inn, or a visit from a formerly unhoused guest speaker, before selecting one of the following service actions: donation drive or multipurpose cleaning product creation. The project curriculum is aligned with Louisiana student content standards in math for grades 6-7 and includes financial literacy curriculum for grades 6-12.

OZANAM INN APPLICATION

OZANAM INN PROJECT PACKET

Submit Form

 

M.E.S.S. Lab

The Environmental Education and Paint Recycling programs at The Green Project have united to create the M.E.S.S. Lab, combining Math, English, Social Studies and Science (M.E.S.S.) in a place-based learning lab. The M.E.S.S. Lab houses a paint recycling operation where students experience the paint recycling process from start to finish. This service project is Louisiana standards-aligned for 4th-5th grade science.

M.E.S.S. LAB APPLICATION

M.E.S.S. LAB PROJECT PACKET

Submit Form

 

 

COMMON GROUND RELIEF

This pre-packaged Service Learning Field Trip to Common Ground Relief’s headquarters in New Orleans, LA is aligned with Louisiana science and social studies standards for grades 8-12. Students will learn about the Louisiana coastal land loss crisis while aiding in restoration efforts such as: removing invasive species, maintaining previously planted trees and grasses, weeding and potting trees, planting seeds, mulching pots or compost, and/or picking up trash or recycling.

CGR APPLICATION

CGR PROJECT PACKET

Submit Form

 

AFFORDABLE HOUSING & HOMELESSNESS

In partnership with Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center and UNITY, STEM Library Lab is offering a pre-packaged (Ready-to-Go) project that is Louisiana Social Studies Standards-aligned for grades 2-3 and grades 8-12. Students are given an overview of service learning, UNITY, and LaFHAC, and a housing presentation by LaFHAC, before students select one of two service projects which will produce items that will be donated to UNITY.

Housing Application

Housing PROJECT PACKET

Submit Form

 

Rain Barrel Project with GREEN LIGHT NEW ORLEANS

The Joe W. and Dorothy Dorsett Brown Foundation is pleased to support Green Light New Orleans’ Rain Barrel Service Learning Program. Green Light repurposes rain barrels to combat erosion and street flooding, and they invite your students to help with this process. Green Light will provide rain barrels, lesson plans, and paint materials to your school. This project is available to schools within the levee system of Orleans, St Bernard, and most of Jefferson Parish, Louisiana.

We offer a lesson plan to accompany the project!

RAIN BARREL APPLICATION

Submit Form

 

Get In the Scrap! with The National World War II Museum

The Joe W. and Dorothy Dorsett Brown Foundation is a proud sponsor of The National World War II Museum’s Get in the Scrap! Service Learning Program. Inspired by the scrapping efforts of youth during World War II, Get in the Scrap! is a national service learning project about recycling and energy conservation. Most projects can be done without students leaving a school campus. To sign up, visit getinthescrap.org.

 

Forms for Award Recipients

Changes to Service Learning Project Scope

Any changes made to a Service Learning Award (i.e. – budget, service partner, or curriculum) must be approved BEFORE the changes are made. Use the form below to request approval of changes.

Expenditure Report

All Service Learning Award recipients must complete an expenditure report that summarizes the service learning project and accounts for funds awarded and spent. The 2023-2024 Expenditure, Evaluation and Reflection Report is due by May 10, 2024.

Mid-Project Report

Some award recipients have been selected to complete a mid-project report summarizing their project’s progress. For the selected recipients, the report is due before or on Friday, December 8, 2023, unless otherwise stated in the award agreement.

Ready-to-Go Final Report Forms

Ready-to-Go Award recipients must complete a final report that summarizes the service learning project and accounts for funds awarded and spent. The reports should be submitted within a month of completing a Ready-to-Go project but must be submitted by May 10, 2024.

Incentive Forms

As a thank you for participating in the Service Learning Program, the Joe W. and Dorothy Dorsett Brown Foundation is offering free admission to your students and chaperones to the National World War II Museum. Please read the instructions carefully before completing the form.

NEW! Kenner Planetarium and Space Science Complex Form

WW2 Museum Reservation Forms

Timeline
Application Support

If you’re excited to apply but need support writing the application deciding on a quality project, we’re here to help. Start by attending an upcoming workshop, or reviewing the resources below.


Workshops

Service Learning Workshops are offered regularly during Winter and Spring. The workshops are for teachers, counselors, and administrators interested in applying for service learning awards to implement service-learning programs in their schools. Workshops are virtual and conducted via Zoom and registration is required to receive the Zoom meeting link.

If you would like to schedule a service learning PD session for your faculty and staff, please contact Maria at maria[at]stemlibrarylab.org or 504-517.3584, ext 3.

View Timeline for Workshop Dates