Hopa Mountain News Blog

New Youth-Led Service-Learning Projects focus on Healthier Communities

The Governor’s Office of Community Service announced today that Hopa Mountain (www.hopamountain.org), a nonprofit organization based in Bozeman, has awarded Learn and Serve America grants to six Youth Leaders in Service projects, through a partnership with the Corporation for National and Community Service, an independent federal agency. Each project will receive a grant award of $15,000.

The Learn and Serve America award recipients in Montana include the Anaconda Family Resource Center, Blackfeet Learning Academy, Boys & Girls Club of Lewistown, and Northwest Montana United Way in Kalispell. Also receiving the grant award is Bronco Youth Program in Wamsutter, Wyoming and Cheyenne River Youth Project in Eagle Butte, South Dakota.

“Through Youth Leaders in Service, rural and tribal youth will have the opportunity to design and implement innovative service projects in cooperation with local community partners,” said Bonnie Sachatello-Sawyer, Executive Director of Hopa Mountain.
“Our young people have the desire, energy and ability to make a real difference in their community,” said Jan Lombardi, Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Community Service. “Hopa Mountain engages students in school, work and life that generates lasting results.”

Hopa Mountain’s mission is to invest in rural and tribal citizen leaders, adults and youth, who are working to improve education, ecological health and economic development.

Each Learn and Serve Youth Leaders in Service grant recipient will implement a weekly youth-led service-learning program to create healthier communities in 2010-2011.

Adult service learning program directors will work with youth leaders to determine a meaningful community service project(s), provide training and reflection on the service-learning initiatives, support the recruitment of adult volunteers, and manage grant funds and documentation. Youth, with service-learning adult mentors, will design and implement innovative service projects with local community partners that improve their community and build their civic engagement, academic, leadership and community problem solving skills.

Learn and Serve America helps over one million students every year make meaningful contributions in their communities while building their academic and civic skills and establishing a lifelong commitment to service. For more information please go to http://www.learnandserve.gov/.

The Corporation for National and Community Service engages more than four million Americans in service each year through Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America. For more information please go to http://www.nationalservice.gov/.

The Governor’s Office of Community Service (serve.mt.gov) was created in 1993 to expand and promote national service and volunteer opportunities in Montana.

Geoff Bellman, author of “Extraordinary Groups,” will give a lecture explaining techniques and tools for creating and sustaining productive and outstanding teams on Wednesday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m. in SUB Ballroom A.

The event is sponsored by Hopa Mountain and the MSU Leadership Institute. It is free and open to the public.

Bellman founded his own consulting firm in 1977 and has worked with a number of companies including Verizon and Boeing. He has also served as guest faculty for several university graduate programs. Bellman has a bachelor’s degree from Gonzaga University and a master’s degree from the University of Oregon. He is the author of six books.

As part of Hopa Mountain’s 4th annual leadership series, Bellman will also lead an interactive workshop on Thursday, Oct. 28, from 9 a.m.-1p.m. on “How to Create Extraordinary Groups” at the C’Mon Inn in Bozeman. Audience members will learn how great groups work and how to help create stronger groups within their business or organization to achieve amazing results. For more information about the workshop or to register, contact Hopa Mountain at 586-2455 or info@hopamountain.org.

For lecture information, call the MSU Leadership Institute at 994-7275 or visit www.montana.edu/leadership.