NATIONAL WEB RESOURCES
Featured Links:
Antioch New England Institute's Center for Environmental Education’s mission is to create greener K-12 schools and communities. CEE maintains a Resource Center, providing quality EE materials, curriculum and networking connections directly to teachers and students across the U.S. and Canada. They also operate CEE Programs, working with particular schools, districts and communities (mostly in New England, but also in some major cities throughout the U.S.) to create model community-based EE projects
Publishing with Students is a wonderful site for teachers, parents, librarians, and students interested in publishing students’ writing. Created by veteran teacher Chris Weber, the site includes: practical advice and tips on writing and publishing students’writing; research that describes the benefits of publishing students’ writing; links to Web sites that focus on student writing and publishing; and more.
–see our review of book in print Publishing with Students
Kidsgardening Web Site, a resource of the National Gardening Association, is an interactive hub where teachers, parents, and others who garden with kids find inspirations, advice, and opportunities for exchange. It features an extensive article library of classroom stories, projects, and teaching strategies; monthly thematic features; a Resource Directory of grants, books, Web links, and free materials; plant science courses for K-8 educators; a national School Garden Registry; and the Gardening with Kids store.
YouthBuild USA's mission is to unleash the intelligence and positive energy of low-income young people to rebuild their communities and their lives. To help build a movement toward a more just society in which respect, love, responsibility, and cooperation are available for all people in all communities to fulfill their own potential and contribute to the well-being of others.

The Food Project's mission is to create a thoughtful and productive community of youth and adults from diverse backgrounds who work together to build a sustainable food system. Our community produces healthy food for residents of the city and suburbs, provides youth leadership opportunities, and inspires and supports others to create change in their own communities.The Food Project brings together thousands of youth and adults to grow organic vegetables that are donated to homeless shelters and sold at urban farmers' markets and to families in suburban Boston.

Alfie Kohn's Rescuing Our Schools from "Tougher Standards"
Educator Alfie Kohn gives background, suggests ideas for action, and connects you with contacts and resources concerned about the growing standards movement. This acclaimed author's books include: BEYOND DISCIPLINE: From Compliance to Community (1996); THE BRIGHTER SIDE OF HUMAN NATURE: Altruism and Empathy in Everyday Life (1990); THE CASE AGAINST STANDARDIZED TESTING: Raising the Scores, Ruining the Schools (2000); NO CONTEST: The Case Against Competition (1986/1992); PUNISHED BY REWARDS: The Trouble with Gold Stars, Incentive Plans, A's, Praise, and Other Bribes (1993/1999)

Synergy Learning is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to engage teachers and learners in science/math/technology explorations which develop independent thinking and self-motivated learning. They offer support through the award winning publication CONNECT®, Professional Development Workshops and a selection of TeachersLabTM Resources.

    The National Service-Learning Clearinghouse is a comprehensive information system that focuses on all dimensions of service-learning, covering kindergarten through higher education school-based as well as community based initiatives.

    Epicenter : An information center for effective practices related to service-learning. A project of the Corporation for National and Community Service.
The Orion Society The Orion Society is an award-winning publisher, an environmental education organization, and a communications and support network for grassroots environmental and community organizations across North America. It is a nonprofit membership organization with 8000 members, individual and organizational, representing all fifty states and thirty-one foreign countries. The Orion Society's work covers a broad spectrum, including teacher training and model classroom programs that have pioneered "place-based" education, reading tours that have brought leading nature writers and poets to communities in over twenty-five states, and a variety of publications and online resources.
The Corporation for National and Community Service was reated in 1993, as a public-private partnership that engages Americans of all ages in service through three national service initiatives - AmeriCorps, which includes more than 600 local and national programs, AmeriCorps*VISTA, and AmeriCorps*NCCC; the National Senior Service Corps, which includes Foster Grandparents, Senior Companions, and the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program; and Learn and Serve America, which provides models and resources for teachers integrating service into classrooms from kindergarten through college.

The Responsive Classroom is a program of the Northeast Foundation for Children. NFC's Web site contains information on their numerous publications and resources, including the nationally acclaimed Teaching Children to Care—along with other Responsive fClassroom materials and services.

    Engaging Youth, Making a Difference. The W.K. Kellogg Foundation in 1998 launched
    Learning In Deed, a national initiative to engage more young people in service to others as part of their academic life. The concept at the heart of the Initiative is service-learning – a teaching strategy that links community service experiences to classroom instruction. The Foundation has supported service-learning for decades because they believe it engages youth in a powerful way that can help ensure a bright future for our nation.
Rural Schools and Communities Trust—Working as Partners for the Future of Rural America. An educational organization dedicated to enlarging student learning and improving community life by strengthening relationships between rural schools and communities and engaging students in community-based public work.

Learn and Serve America Training and Technical Assistance Exchange led by the National Youth Leadership Council (NYLC), provides support to service-learning programs in schools, colleges, and community-based organizations. The Exchange was founded in the spring of 1999 and is being supported by funding from the Corporation for National Service. The five regional partners with NYLC are: the Institute for Service-Learning; Philadelphia (Atlantic Region); the University of Wisconsin; River Falls (North Central Region); the National Dropout Prevention Center; Clemson University (Southern Region); the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory (Pacific Region); and the Center for Service-Learning at the Charles A. Dana Center, The University of Texas at Austin (Southwest Region).
    Demoncracy.org's mission is to promote education for democratic citizenship, create and strengthen "learning organizations," assist individuals and organizations to make and act on decisions based on ethical principles, and promote character education and service learning.
    Search ERIC
    The Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) is a federally supported system of 16 education clearinghouses. This Search ERIC site, hosted by the Clearinghouse for Rural Education and Small Schools, enables the user to search a database that describes nearly one million articles, reports, curriculum guides, books, and other information resources.
    Phi Delta Kappan
    A professional’s print journal for education that addresses policy issues for educators at all levels and frequently covers service-learning. An advocate for research-based school reform, the Kappan provides a forum for debate on controversial subjects. Published since 1915, the journal comes out monthly, September-June. PHI DELTA KAPPA is an international association of professional educators.Their mission is to promote quality education, with particular emphasis on publicly supported education, as essential to the development and maintenance of a democratic way of life.
    Compact for Learning and Citizenship is a national coalition of chief state school officers and K-12 district superintendents committed to integrating service and service-learning into schools and maximizing the contribution of volunteers in schools. It provides a national voice for K-12 school leaders to advocate for the alignment of service-learning and volunteerism with public-school missions, school reform, and effective teaching and learning.
    International Service-Learning Partnership programs unite academic study and community service.
    This allows students to continue recognized academic studies while immersing themselves in another culture.
    The Center for Environmental Education’s mission is to create greener K-12 schools and communities. The two main part of CEE are: • CEE Resource Center, providing quality EE materials, curriculum and networking connections directly to teachers and students across the U.S. and Canada; and • CEE Programs, working with particular schools, districts and communities (mostly in New England, but also in some major cities throughout the U.S.) to create model community-based EE projects
    Foxfire The Foxfire Magazine has been produced, uninterrupted, since its founding in 1966. The quality of the students' work and the interest generated by the elders' stories led to The Foxfire Book series. Over the years, Foxfire was able to obtain and preserve a collection of historic log cabins called The Foxfire Center. Over the years, through Foxfire's teacher programs, they have helped teachers open the imaginations of and create possibilities for countless learners across the country. Teachers and students develop creative and innovative ways to learn the required curriculum in learner-centered, community-focused learning environments.

    The State Education Agency K-12 Service-Learning Network (SEANet) is a national network of staff from state education agencies and other organizations designated by a state education agency that provide leadership for statewide K-12 school-based service-learning initiatives. Through this network of new and experienced practitioners, you can learn what other states are doing, which approaches are most effective, and how to put proven solutions to work in your communities.
    More National Organizations and Resources:
    The National Society for Experiential Education (NSEE) supports learning through experience--for civic and social responsibility, intellectual and ethical development, career exploration, cross cultural awareness and personal growth. NSEE offers a resource center, opportunities for professional development, publications, and program development consultation

    Collaborative on Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) has as its mission to establish social and emotional learning as an essential part of education from preschool through high school. CASEL includes and collaborates with an international network of leading researchers and practitioners in the fields of social and emotional learning, prevention, positive youth development, character education and school reform.

    The National 4-H Council is a not-for-profit educational organization devoted to creating exciting programs and opportunities for young people. Their mission is to build partnerships with those who seek to involve youth in solving issues critical to their lives, their families, and society.
      The National Youth Leadership Council provides training programs for educators and youth leaders interested in developing effective service-learning programs for youth. The Council maintains the Resource Center on Service-Learning and Youth Leadership. Membership includes toll-free technical assistance; copies of The Generator: the Journal of Service-Learning and Service Leadership; and conference discounts. E-mail: nylcusa@aol.com.

      Constitutional Rights Foundation (CRFC) helps young people develop the skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary to serve their communities and nation as active, responsible citizens. A nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, CRFC has conducted law-related education programs for students and their teachers for over twenty years. CRFC reaches out to elementary and high school students through Teacher Training, Resource Experts, and Innovative Curricula. E-mail: crfc@crfc.org.

        Close Up works to promote responsible and informed participation in the democratic process through a variety of educational programs. Close Up's interactive, experiential curricula motivate participants to become actively involved in their government, strengthen their knowledge of how the political process works, and increase their awareness of major national and international issues. Each year, more than 25,000 students, teachers, and older Americans take part in Close Up's study programs in Washington, D.C., while tens of thousands more across the country participate in state and local government studies programs. Need-based tuition fellowships are available.

        Academy for Educational Development (AED)
        AED is an independent, nonprofit organization committed to solving critical social problems in the U.S. and throughout the world. Major areas of focus include health, education, youth development, and the environment.

        Quest International
        Quest’s focus has expanded beyond programs for older teenagers to encompass programs serving young people ages 5 through 19 in school-based and community settings. Their continuing goal is to provide adults with effective tools for helping youth develop positive personal and social skills and character traits.
        Campus Compact
        A national alliance of colleges and universities interested in promoting service and leadership at their institutions. Their Web site includes syllabi of courses with service dimensions, order forms for their publications, and job postings related to service and higher education.
        Character Education Partnership
        National awards program recognizing schools that promote outstanding character development education.