Running head: SERVICE LEARNING 1

Service Learning Project

Holly Ehrke

Ferris State University

SERVICE LEARNING 2

Abstract

Service learning was researched and project established with the Onaway Area School. Contact

at the school was informed of the project requirements and goals. Permission granted to work

with the adolescent athletes at the school in organized sports and with additional gym classes.

Education on injury prevention, nutrition and hydration, and sportsmanship will be taught to the

athletes. Goals and objectives will be evaluated after completion of the project. Self-reflection of

the project as it relates to the RN to BSN completion will be evaluated at the end of the service

learning.

Keywords: service learning, athletes, sports injuries, nutrition, and sportsmanship.

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Service Learning

According to the National Service Learning Clearinghouse, “service learning is a

teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and

reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen

communities” (National Service-Learning Clearinghouse). The goal of service learning is to

improve the student and community by reinforcing self- esteem and civic responsibility. Service

learning differs from volunteering, in that service learning enhances the learning experience for

the student by providing a planning process and reflection of the project. “Overall, the most

important feature of effective service-learning programs is that both learning and service are

emphasized” (National Service-Learning Clearinghouse).

I will be conducting my service learning project with the Onaway Area School athletic

department and gym classes. I obtained permission from Marty Mix, athletic director and

secondary principal to work with the students and athletes of the school. Student athletes can be

very competitive and injuries can occur to their developing bodies. I plan to meet with each

sport during their season and educate them on injury prevention, hydration and nutritional needs,

and sportsmanship. I will also meet with the gym and high intensity classes to capture those

students that may participate in sports outside of school such as dance, cheerleading and hockey.

This service learning project is more than fulfilling a requirement for the RN to BSN

completion. It is also more than just volunteering my time to a specified agency. This project is a

giving of myself with the intent to reflect back upon the nursing profession. I am not only

educating a specific group, but I am learning and evaluating how my service has helped others

and myself grow into a BSN prepared nurse. Upon completion of this project, I will be able to

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reflect back onto the project and evaluate my success of the education with the athletes of the

Onaway Area School in meeting my objectives not only for them, but myself.

Agency Description

My service learning project will take place at the Onaway Area School. The Onaway

Area School is a rural kindergarten through twelfth grade public school containing six hundred

eighty-four students. The school serves the students of Presque Isle and Cheboygan counties.

The mission of the school is “working together to prepare students for life”. With this service

learning project, I plan on preparing these athletes for lessons both on and off the field that will

assist them in life. Being that the school is rural in nature, there are not a lot of extra-curricular

activities in the area and many students participate in sports. My target population at the school

will be high school students. My contact at the Onaway Area School is Marty Mix, athletic

director and secondary principal (Dianne Peterman, Onaway Area School).

Service Leaning Described

I perceive my role, with the athletes of the Onaway Area School, to be an educator and

role model. Under permission of Marty Mix, I will meet with each team at the beginning of their

season. The teams will consist of volleyball, cross-country, football, basketball, softball, baseball

and track. I will also meet with the gym and high-intensity classes to try and capture students that

are involved with sports outside of school such as dance, cheerleading and hockey. I will educate

them with injury prevention materials that are specific to their sport. In some instances,

education may be gender specific. I will provide sport specific injury prevention sheets to the

athletes. Secondly, I will educate them on proper nutrition and hydration requirements of an

athlete. I will provide examples of appropriate snacks while exercising and competing. Education

materials will be obtained from the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH), the

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Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA), the American Orthopaedic Society for

Sports Medicine, and the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA).

I will also educate the students about the emotional and social aspect of being part of a

team; sportsmanship. I want the students to develop a respect for themselves, each other, their

opponents and the school. I want these athletes to become the role models of the school and

society. “A community is made of many interrelated and independent parts that are organized to

function for the good of the community (Lowry & Martin, 2004; Shuster & Goeppinger, 2004).

These parts include school systems… The function of these parts are interrelated, as a change in

one part affects other parts of the community” (Pender, 2010, p.78). “Peer groups play a critical

role in molding lifestyles for school-aged children, particularly adolescents” (Pender, 2010, p.

284).

Goals and Objectives for the Athletes

My goals for the athletes during this service learning project include:

1. Athletes will verbalize ways to prevent injuries related to their specific sport.

2. Athletes will verbalize importance of communicating injuries to coach or parent.

3. Athletes will verbalize knowledge of concussions after completion of the “Heads Up

Concussion” quiz by the U.S Department of Health and Human Services.

4. Athletes will verbalize knowledge of proper nutrition and hydration while exercising.

5. Athletes will verbalize proper ways to demonstrate sportsmanship.

6. Upon completion of the project, the athletic director will verbalize positive behavior changes

with the athletes and within the school.

Objectives as Related to RN to BSN Program

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The main objective for this service learning project, as related to the RN to BSN

completion program, is developing into a professional nurse. The transition from RN to BSN

allows the nurse to develop professional skills such as accountability and autonomy. Personal

and professional accountability is demonstrated in this project by planning specific goals and

objectives for the focus group (Ferris State University School of Nursing). Professional

autonomy is having the power to make decisions within the scope of one’s practice (Journal of

Clinical Nursing). Also, “planning learning activities in nursing curricula can foster perspective

transformation in professionalism” (Journal of Nursing Education).

My Professional Goals

My professional goal is to enhance my accountability and autonomy skills, as a nurse, by

collaborating with the Onaway Area School. I will demonstrate this by preparing health

promotion education materials for the athletes that will be delivered in group settings. Working

with adolescents can be difficult at times; they see themselves as invincible. My professional

communication and clinical leadership will hone these skills as I work with this population.

Another professional goal that I have, that will not affect me personally, is to enhance

learning opportunities to the adolescents of the school. I love working with kids! Adolescents are

a vulnerable population; with increased peer pressure. The services that I will be providing, with

the service learning project, will help benefit the school and families of athletes. With proper

education, the athletes will be able to identify injuries, such as concussions, and seek proper

treatment as needed. They will be able to make informed decisions about nutrition and hydration;

thus prevent additional injuries. And foremost, with proper role-modeling and discussion, I will

actively be “working together to prepare students for life” (Onaway Area School).

My professional goals for the service learning project include:

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1. I will develop a plan for a service learning project to take place, in collaboration with the

Onaway Area School, during the course of the RN to BSN program.

2. I will provide education to the athletes of the Onaway Area School.

3. I will work closely with my FSU faculty advisor and course faculty and with my agency

contact to implement this community service learning project.

4. Upon completion of this service learning project, I will identify personal and professional

insights that have occurred and submit this information in a written report.

5. Upon completion of this service learning project, I will give clearly described and verifiable

examples of the project in written format.

6. I will critically examine how this service learning project has impacted my career process.

7. Upon completion of this project, I will evaluate my transition from RN to BSN and

development into a professional nurse.

Evaluation

I will evaluate my own learning by indirectly evaluating the goals and objectives for the

athletes. I will also evaluate the discussions with the athletes that are prompted with my

education to them. Successful implementation of these goals will demonstrate that I effectively

and autonomously taught the athletes the proposed materials. I will evaluate my outcomes, as

related to the community, by communicating and evaluating with the athletic director and

coaches any positive behavioral changes noted in the athletes and if they feel that changes within

the athletes have promoted positive changes within the school.

Agency Contact Information

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My approved agency contact is Marty Mix, athletic director and secondary school

principal at the Onaway Area School. The address of the school is 4559 M-33 Onaway,

Michigan 49765. The phone number is 989-733-4970. Email is mmix@oacsd.com

Conclusion

“Service learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful

community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic

responsibility, and strengthen communities” (National Service-Learning Clearinghouse). This

project not only enables teaching to specified group, but also enhances the growth and

professionalism of the RN to BSN student. Upon completion of this project, with the adolescent

athletes of the Onaway Area School, injury prevention and health promotion behavior will be

evaluated. In theory, improved health promotion behaviors with the athletes will promote

healthy behaviors among the student population. “Peer groups play a critical role in molding

lifestyles for school-aged children, particularly adolescents” (Pender, 2010, p. 284). Also,

completion of this service learning project will enhance my learning and self-reflection upon the

nursing profession.

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References

American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine. (2010). Stop sports injuries-keeping kids in

the game for life. Retrieved from http://www.stopsportsinjuries.org/media/statistics.aspx.

American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication Manual of the American

Psychological Association. (6th

ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

Hoisington, D. (October 2010). NURS 325 Class Syllabus and Discussion Board.

Michigan Department of Community Health. Protecting against brain injury (concussion)

during sports. Retrieved from http:// www.michigan.gov/mdch/0,1607,7-132-2941_4868

_42176-196414--,00.html

Michigan High School Athletic Association. Promoting healthy and safe athletic classrooms.

Retrieved from http:// www.mhsaa.com/Schools/HealthSafetyResources.aspx.

Mix, M. & Peterman, D. (October 2010). Onaway Area School.

Morris, A.H., & Faulk, D. (2007). Perspective transformation: enhancing the development of

professionalism in RN-to-BSN students. Journal of Nursing Education, 46(10), 445-

451.

National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA). (2010). Coach and trainer toolkit. Retrieved

from http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/

National Pender, N.J., Murdaugh, C.L., Parsons, M.A., (2006). Health Promotion in Nursing

Pratice (5th

ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

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Pender, N.J., Murdaugh, C.L., Parsons, M.A., (2006). Health Promotion in Nursing Pratice (5th

ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Service Learning Clearinghouse. Retrieved from http://www.servicelearning.org/

Skar, R. (2010). The meaning of autonomy in nursing practice. Journal of Clinical Nursing,

19(9), 15-16. Retrieved from http://0-dx.doi.org.libcat.ferris.edu/10.1111/j.1365-

2702.2009.02804.x

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Center of disease control and prevention

Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/ConcussionInYouthSports

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Appendix

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Appendix B

SERVICE LEARNING PROPOSAL RN to BSN and Traditional BSN Tracks

STUDENT NAME:__Holly Ehrke_______________SITE_____________

DATE SUBMITTED__10/23/2010__________________ADVISOR: Dionne _Serges______

PROPOSAL COMPONENT POINTS

POSSIBLE

POINTS

EARNED

INTRODUCTION Introduce assignment. Purpose of paper, 10

AGENCY DESCRIPTION What is role of agency, not just name? Should be

sourced.

10

VOLUNTEER ROLE DESCRIBED What will you do or how will this be

determined?

10

OBJECTIVES AS R/T PROGRAM What do you hope to learn or how will

you benefit AND how will your service benefit the community?

20

ACTIVITIES TO MEET OBJECTIVES What specifically do you anticipate

your activities will be?

10

EVALUATION PLAN How will you evaluate your own learning and the

effects of your activities on the community?

10

AGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION /

INSTRUCTOR APPROVAL Include all pertinent information for contact.

Name, title, phone, street address, email

10

REFERENCES:

The following areas should be addressed and a reference included to

support each:

Support for agency information

Role of service learning in professional education

20

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Support for planned outcomes – is there evidence that the

activities positively influence the outcomes desired?

TOTAL CONTENT POINTS 100

APA /Writing including:

Title page w/ running head, Abstract, Margins, Headers,

Headings, References, Sentence Structure, Grammar,

Punctuation, Typos & clarity of ideas.

(30)

TOTAL POINTS TO BE DEDUCTED FOR APA ERRORS -30

TOTAL POINTS OVERALL

100

COMMENTS: I had a peer review done by Jamie Fortin, RN.

| From: Jamie Fortin

| | Subject: RE: Serv Learn paper peer review

| | Date Sent: October 22, 2010 6:07 PM

| | To: Holly Ehrke(ehrkeh)

I have reviewed your paper there are a few errors, on the second paragraph of service learning

you skipped the space between the period and the next sentance. On your citation of American

Orthopedic Society I think you spelled Orhtopedic wrong if correct in citation ignore. I also feel

you could add something into your evaluation on the feed back you will get form the athletes

themselves while working with them. Other than a few small things this is a great paper, keep up

the good work.

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Appendix D

Service Learning Log

RN to BSN and BSN Traditional Tracks

AGENCY: Onaway Area School

DATE HOURS and ACTIVITY

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STUDENT SIGNATURE:____________________________________________

AGENCY SIGNATURE:_____________________________________________

AGENCY PRINTED NAME:_Marty Mix_________________________________

DATE:___________________________________________________________