Serrano puts her sewing techniques and patience to the test at the Fuerza Unida Center, located off New Laredo Highway.The center focuses on community service projects like food drives and rallies and tries to motivate minority women, especially housewives, to come out of their shell and become independent.

"We are sewing the pillows for a local hotel to make money to pay the bills to keep us going here, and for other events that we have, like food drives and special sewing classes we would like to offer to the community," said Serrano, a sophomore Elementary Education major.

"I really love it here. Even when I don’t have to come, I still come for a while. When the semester is over, I still plan to come and lend my helping hand," Serrano said.

In August of 2000, the Alamo Community College District received a grant from the Corporation for National Service to help institutionalize Service-Learning in the District’s four colleges. Service-Learning should not be confused with volunteerism or an internship. According to the National Community Trust Act of 1993, Service Learning is a method whereby students learn and develop through active participation in thoughtfully organized service that is conducted in and meets the needs of communities...and provides structured time for students or participants to reflect on the service experience.

Students are encouraged to join agencies that are associated with arts, children and youth, education and mentoring, AIDS, disabilities, health care, legal issues, domestic violence, hunger, homelessness or poverty.

"The students are encouraged by faculty to go into a community agency to offer a service," said Lillian Huerta, Service-Learning Coordinator. "In return, they not only learn but they develop the ability to think critically."

Before getting started with the program, students must find out if the classes they are taking offer a Service-Learning component. Then, they must submit an enrollment form. After that, they may choose a designated area or the instructor may select a certain area that ties into the class they are taking. The student must fulfill all course requirements, meet the required service hours and attend reflection sessions, which are held twice each semester. Required hours vary with each faculty member. Students are encouraged to exceed the minimum.

Joseph Sanchez, a sophomore Psychology major, is currently serving as a tutor at Ayers House and Project Learn To Read. Ayers House is a place where juvenile offenders live. He will accumulate 70 hours of service by the end of the semester.

"I try to help out with tutoring for G.E.D classes at the Ayers House. I break down the homework by trying to do it in sessions. Sometimes I tutor a whole group, or one on one," said Sanchez. "At Project Learn to Read, I teach grammar skills," added Sanchez.

Reflection Sessions are a key part of the experience. Sessions are held twice each semester to give faculty and the coordinator an idea of what is going on and what is being learned. Faculty member Steve Mardock held a session in his Criminal Justice class, which sparked a bit of emotion for some students who offer their service at the Ayers House.

"I was very self-motivated when I was there. I came from a bad neighborhood, but I managed to suppress all of that. I wanted to show these guys that they can do that as well," said Aaron Alvarado, a freshman Criminal Justice major.

At the end of the semester when requirements are met, students are awarded T-shirts and certificates. Some are even offered permanent positions at the site depending on the dedication and motivation they showed. The majority of the participants come out with the satisfaction and fulfillment of their service.

"We try to reward students at the end of the program, not based on how many hours they gave, but based on what they learned from the experience, which is something that will be carried with them forever," Huerta said.

For more information about Service-Learning, contact Lillian Huerta (lhuerta@accd.edu) at (210)-921-5126 or or visit the website at www.accd.edu/pac/studact/LSwelcome.htm