9553448 Wiegand Since one of higher education's goals is to produce educated citizens, not just educated people, there needs to be mechanisms to bring service learning into the mainstream of university science education. The University of Washington's Chemistry Department proposes adding to its significant outreach programs a Science Service Learning-Community (SSL-C) class which links undergraduate students to community projects. Students who take the service learning section of the basic three quarters chemistry series have the opportunity for a concurrent commitment to a community service project. Students are able to select one of three forms of community service: 1) link directly with an ongoing community group; 2) assist teachers and students to implement on-going community service projects such as growing food for community food banks; 3) serve in an elementary classroom assisting teachers to develop hands-on curricula which help students understand the relationship between science and their community. Numerous community groups and non-profit organizations take advantage of limited funding resources, such as Neighborhood Community Action Grants, to undertake projects to benefit their communities. Many of these projects are science based, such as water monitoring, stream revegetation, and salmon habitat efforts. Typically these projects do not involve university students, but they can be a perfect training ground for students to become involved in specific activities which need scientific input to achieve measurable changes in communities. Developing such relationships help achieve neighborhood goals; link students with mentors who live their commitment to community service; and graphically illustrate to students the value of adding scientific information to projects that directly impact communities. This approach is particularly important for young women because they are provided with opportunities to enhance their self- esteem and perception; develop a b etter understanding of the scientific process through applications of specific scientific concepts; develop a more positive image of scientists. It also enhances interest in and commitment to science majors by focusing on how science can help people/the community. The goals of this project are to instill in university science students the importance of scientifically-based community service through projects which are designed and driven by community volunteers, to encourage elementary students to generate and sustain community service projects which have academic outcomes, and to generate elementary science curricula which draw students into scientific inquiry through hands-on science related to community needs and concerns. This program can provide a model for intergenerational community service learning with measurable academic outcomes. The project is being jointly funded with FIPSE (U.S. Department of Education). ***
