Multiplying Good

Students In Action (SIA) is a nationwide service-learning and leadership development program for high school students. The mission of SIA is to provide youth with the tools necessary to lead their peers in service that effectively addresses issues facing their communities, using volunteer service as the vehicle for preparing students with the 21st-century leadership and life skills necessary for their success in college and the workforce.

SIA is a service-learning and leadership development program that uses volunteerism as the vehicle for empowering students and youth throughout the county with the life skills necessary to be successful while attaining their education and well after graduation. We use a best-practice curriculum that supplements classroom education with leadership, training, project-based learning, and opportunities for real-world application of the skills they hone as SIA participants. We also have results that demonstrate our impact-as a direct result of SIA, more students in SC high schools are volunteering, making a greater difference in their community, and developing a life-long dedication to public service. SIA students work on a variety of projects that impact their local communities and inspire other kids to volunteer as well.

Through participation in the SIA program, students master several of the 21st-century competencies necessary for post-secondary success. These competencies youth learn are in line with the "Profile of the Word Class Graduate" developed by TransformSC under the leadership of the South Carolina Council on Competitiveness and include many of the social, emotional, and motivational skills that help students succeed at school, in their careers, and in life. From the "Profile of the World-Class Graduate", the student-level outcomes we impact include the following skills and life/career characteristics:

1. Creativity and Innovation
2. Critical-Thinking and Problem-Solving
3. Collaboration and Teamwork
4. Communication
5. Perseverance
6. Work Ethic
7. Interpersonal Skills

Testimonials

Testimonial from the Students In Action Team at Swansea High School where the team runs a student-led food pantry right out of the school:
"In our food pantry, people come for food boxes every 2 weeks. They tell us stories of the hardships they are facing to include homelessness, illness, loss of jobs, drug abuse, fire, domestic violence, and loss of life. One family that comes for assistance is living in a van. Another family is a 63 year old grandmother who just got custody of her 3 grandchildren because her son went to prison. Some of the elderly people who come to us cannot read and we help them fill out the paperwork. One young mother called in a panic because her husband was arrested and she did not know how she would feed her children without his income. Recently, a homeless man came in with a shopping cart to get his box of food. Just the other day, a woman called for help because her husband left her with no money, no job, and 3 children. It is these kinds of stories that inspire us to keep doing more.
People thank us, bless us, and even hug us. They overwhelm us with their stories of grief and words of praise."

Testimonial from the SIA Team at Manning High School where the students complete several projects throughout the year:
"Our service-learning projects made a difference in the lives of the many people we helped. For instance, Kid's Day allows parents and their school-aged children to enjoy a fun-filled day on the high school's campus with community partners, school personnel sharing vital information about our services, and free foods and gifts. The other service projects we completed allowed the community to see that we are being taught to give to others without expecting others in return and that we do care about them. Our organization thoroughly discussed the strategies for helping to provide Christmas to the needy families as we could not imagine being a small child and not receiving a toy on Christmas day. Just as with the flood victims. Many of the people we helped were our closest neighbors and family. Everyone experiences hardship at some point and our SIA team is glad to be of assistance."

Testimonial from Richland One Middle College where the SIA Team runs a program called IDEAS:
"In generating IDEAS (Increasing Diversity in Educational Achievement and Scholarship), the main focus is education and providing a great education for students who are typically disadvantaged. Being that many of our SIA team members are future teachers, principals, and educational leaders, we decided that this project would be a good way of pushing the mission of IDEAS. Furthermore, it would be a great way to allow students to get involved in a field that they love while serving the greater community. Originally, the plan was to begin a reading tutoring program at a local elementary school to address a critical need...