Community Service learning Projects
The Next STEP Transition Program provides students with various community service opportunities as part of their work-based learning experiences. Community service learning geared toward the public good helps round out each student’s experiences before obtaining employment or post-secondary education. Service learning is a way of teaching and learning that engages all learners in hands-on projects in the community to meet learning objectives and mutually benefit both the student as well as strengthen communities.
Grand meadow service learning day 2018
Every spring students in the Grand Meadow School district participate in various service learning projects within the school and the local community. This year the freshman and seniors assisted the SMEC district by cleaning up the new property that will become the SMEC Education Center. The students spent the day clearing the fence line, picking up garbage, and tearing down various old buildings. Ger'Darius, a freshman at the Next STEP Program spent his day on the site picking up boards and tree limbs and trying to stay out of the mud puddles.
3-d printer 2017-2018
Students are able to learn some computer technology skills with programming the 3D printer in the Spring Valley Transition Lab. The transition team was tasked to create three-dimensional tactile objects for a visually impaired student in the Enrich program. The Enrich team would request an object for the transition students to create, and the students would locate a similar object on the 3D printer program and get the printer started. The students create a yes/no buttons and some food items so that the Enrich student could single a choice using the objects.
Milk Moola 2013-2019
Students also participate in Service Learning by collecting, sorting, and counting the Milk Moola caps for some of our consortium districts. Depending on the quality of the milk tops, students may also have to clean them. If the Milk Moola is off of a bag of milk, the students also trim the packaging down to a size that is easier to count.
Milk Moola®, brought to you by Kwik Trip and Kwik Star stores is one of the easiest fundraising programs your organization will find. Your organization can earn 5¢ for every cap or bag top collected from Kwik Trip and Kwik Star’s Nature’s Touch® products. There is no limit to the amount of cash you can earn and you can use it for school trips, new books, or playground equipment, the possibilities are endless.
Milk Moola®, brought to you by Kwik Trip and Kwik Star stores is one of the easiest fundraising programs your organization will find. Your organization can earn 5¢ for every cap or bag top collected from Kwik Trip and Kwik Star’s Nature’s Touch® products. There is no limit to the amount of cash you can earn and you can use it for school trips, new books, or playground equipment, the possibilities are endless.
December 2016 -
Congratulations to Timothy Lewison, a Next STEP- Southland student, for counting 1,250 Milk Moola milk tops! The Milk Moola milk tops are collected at Southland Elementary School and counted for reimbursement. All reimbursed Milk Moola milk tops are used for equipment, curriculum, and programming at the elementary school. Way to go, Tim!
Congratulations to Timothy Lewison, a Next STEP- Southland student, for counting 1,250 Milk Moola milk tops! The Milk Moola milk tops are collected at Southland Elementary School and counted for reimbursement. All reimbursed Milk Moola milk tops are used for equipment, curriculum, and programming at the elementary school. Way to go, Tim!
box tops for education 2013-present
The students at the Next STEP Transition Program have volunteered their time to clip and bundle Box Tops for Education that were donated to various public schools within the consortium. The students are helping the districts collect, organize and mail in all the Box Tops submitted by school supporters—and watch everybody smile when a big check comes in return! Box Tops for Education has helped America’s schools earn over $475 million since 1996. You can earn cash for your child’s school by clipping Box Tops coupons from hundreds of participating products.Just look for the Box Tops logo on hundreds of products like Cheerios®, Hamburger Helper® and Kleenex®, in almost every aisle of the store. All you need to do is clip and send them to your school’s Box Tops coordinator —- each box top is worth 10¢ for your school.
cookies for veterans 2016
One Grand Meadow student who has a flair for baking decided with staff to create cookies for the upcoming Veteran's Day Program hosted at Southland Public Schools. Sammy create patriotic pinwheel cookies that she made, baked, and decorated with the help of other Next STEP Transition Students. She then was able to personally thank local veterans when she handed out the cookies at the program.
Festival of trees 2014-2016
The Festival of Trees, to benefit the Town and Country Pool in Adams, was is held every December. Students from Next STEP - Southland have donated a decorated Christmas trees for the past 2 years to the festival as well as a goody basket to be auctioned off. The 2014 tree was themed PAES Lab and included items from the curriculum, plus the colors all of the students home districts. Needless to say it was a very colorful tree! The Next STEP Christmas tree for 2016 was themed the Liberty Tree. All of our students helped out in making the red, white, and blue pinwheel cookie ornaments and the hand-made candy tractors, semi trucks, sleighs, and reindeer. The festival raised over $15,000! Congratulations to the pool - we can't wait to enjoy the pool this summer!
Rebel Talk 2014-2015
Next STEP students assisted Southland Schools with the preparation of the school's monthly newspaper, The Rebel Talk. The students would count and sort the appropriate number of newspapers for each mailing route and peel and stick on the mailing labels so that the newspapers could be delivered. Unfortunately, do to district budget cuts, the newspaper was discontinued. In this photo DeAna and Greg are assembling the newspaper for mailing.
adopt a highway 2013-2017
The public can volunteer and participate in Adopt a Highway to pick up litter along Minnesota’s state highways.
Adopt a Highway also enables residents who are environmentally conscious to make a personal contribution to a cleaner environment. These volunteers helped MnDOT realize an estimated $6 million benefit in 2017.
The Next STEP Program adopt a 2.5 mile stretch of highway on Hwy 218 south of Austin, near the County 4 intersection. The students and staff would go out in the spring picking up litter on both sides of a road.
Adopt a Highway also enables residents who are environmentally conscious to make a personal contribution to a cleaner environment. These volunteers helped MnDOT realize an estimated $6 million benefit in 2017.
The Next STEP Program adopt a 2.5 mile stretch of highway on Hwy 218 south of Austin, near the County 4 intersection. The students and staff would go out in the spring picking up litter on both sides of a road.
pop tabs for ronald mcdonald house - 2013
Students at the SMEC transition program in downtown Adams have been busy counting thousands of pop tabs for a good cause. These 9th – 11th graders from SMEC schools have been volunteering their time to help reach a goal set by their teacher’s nephew, Hunter Kreutzbender. Hunter was born with hydrocephalus and has had 12 surgeries. His family had stayed at the Ronald McDonald House in St. Paul. Hunter’s family wanted to find something positive for him to focus on and Hunter’s Sharing Project was born. Hunter’s goal is to collect 1 million pop tabs to donate back to the Ronald McDonald House.
Chyanne Minto of Lyle schools says she is glad to help out and give back to kids who have to stay in hospitals. She also has a personal connection to the Ronald McDonald House since her family also stayed there. Robert Wilcox of Leroy schools feels good about being able to help Hunter reach his goal and is glad to be a part of the team that helps Hunter collect 1 million pop tabs. The students at the transition program have been busy counting the tabs that nearly filled a 5 gallon bag. The last tally shows that they have counted over 50,000 pop tabs that have been donated from local schools and members of the community.
Chyanne Minto of Lyle schools says she is glad to help out and give back to kids who have to stay in hospitals. She also has a personal connection to the Ronald McDonald House since her family also stayed there. Robert Wilcox of Leroy schools feels good about being able to help Hunter reach his goal and is glad to be a part of the team that helps Hunter collect 1 million pop tabs. The students at the transition program have been busy counting the tabs that nearly filled a 5 gallon bag. The last tally shows that they have counted over 50,000 pop tabs that have been donated from local schools and members of the community.