Service Learning Market Fair 2010 (see more pictures here)

 

Service Learning

 Program Overview

 

 

The Service-Learning Program

The Minding Our Business 2009 Service-Learning Program involved 200 middle school students from Hedgepeth-Williams, PJ Hill, Grant and Kilmer elementary schools in Trenton. The Program recently made an agreement with the Monument School to serve 50 middle school students in 2010.

 

Students who participate in the MOB Service-Learning Program, attend 13 after-school training sessions from February through May, and work under the guidance of Rider University student mentors, who facilitate the 13-week curriculum. Organized into teams and working collaboratively, MOB students develop a new business idea, prepare a business plan, and formally present the plan to a board of business judges. The board provides feedback and approval to the student teams, and grants start-up loans of up to $200 to each team. Throughout the program, student teams execute their business plans and unveil their entrepreneurial ventures at a community market fair. During the program, MOB students have the opportunity to meet successful local business entrepreneurs.

 

The Rider University students are crucial to the success of the program. Serving not only as mentors but also as positive role models, these college students, who numbered 52 in 2008, undergo 17 hours of intensive training, and provide more than 21 hours of mentoring services during the program period. Working under the guidance and leadership of Dr. Hernandez, groups of three Rider student mentors work with a team of 7 - 12 MOB youths, and guide them in team-building activities, leadership and communication skills development, and in running their businesses.

 

The Service-Learning Program Works!

Research indicates that students in the Service-Learning Program become more interested in going to college and in starting their own businesses. Students who have participated in MOB observe positive changes in self and improvement in important work/life skills. MOB also improves self-esteem among participating students and in comparison to control groups. Research on academic records data indicates that participation in the MOB Spring Program reduces school absenteeism and tardiness. Research on the MOB Service-Learning Programs has been presented at national conferences and published in the Journal of Entrepreneurship Education.

 

For research results on MOB Service-Learning program for the year 2011 click here.

 

For more information call Dr. Sigfredo Hernandez, Director, at 609-895-5509.                                                                                                     

Or visit www.mob1997.blogspot.com                                                                                                                                                                                             Return to top