Civic Star Award

Albion Central School Named Civic Star Award Winner

Albion Central School was selected as the recipient of the 2008 N.Y.S. State Civic Star Award and will represent New York in the pool of 23 contenders for the National Civic Star Award. The award program culminates at the AASA National Conference on Education on February 16, in Tampa, Florida when one national winner will be chosen from the state level winners.

The award is given annually for excellence in school district and community partnerships. It is sponsored by the American Association of School Administrators and Sodexho School Services. It recognizes that community and schools are vitally linked. The program encourages the development of strong relationships between school and community to insure the successful education of productive citizens.

ACS was chosen for their district wide service learning and character education initiatives which are funded by the NYS Learn and Serve America grant. The district, in response to a community wide survey, completed a decade ago, recognized the importance of combining academics with community service. As the community service program evolved, leaders recognized that a key component to this program was helping students to recognize that a need existed in the community and empowering students to seek out solutions. Building on this component, our current service learning program was born; connecting classroom curriculum with meaningful service while partnering with community agencies.

Service Learning projects have included construction of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial located in front of Middle School, and a monument erected to the Early Black Pioneers of Orleans County that was placed in Mount Albion Cemetery. Service Learning is also responsible for several downtown beautification projects such as the construction and filling of the planters throughout downtown, the placement of flags in the downtown area from Memorial Day through Labor Day, and the construction and distribution of blue bird houses in the community. Students also have sponsored a diabetes screening and health fair for the community. Service Learning Projects, too numerous to list; continue to challenge students to become a part of the community in which they live.

The program structure is simple, yet unique. Teachers work to educate students and through service learning, incorporate character development. Community members engage students to put their education to use and encourage students to work collaboratively. The result of this partnership between school and community is an involved student population with a very deep connection to the community.

This initiative, including Albion’s expansion into a regional site for service learning training as the Finger Lakes Service Learning Institute, has allowed information to be spread across a 14 county region. Grants through the New York State Learn and Serve America program and the U.S. Department of Education have been received to support these initiatives both regionally and across New York State. The Albion Central School District continues to aggressively pursue new grants that allow us to continue to maintain and expand this important program.