The Ray

Our organization is here to offer support for teachers and schools who want to teach youth through community service. We offer FREE virtual consultations and seek funding sources to bring youth service-learning experiences to schools. We plan and support the three National Days of Service so youth can join their community in service. Connect with us today. Schedule a virtual connect today!

Learn and Serve Tampa Inc has been awarded a $4500 grant to support service-learning projects in nine Hillsborough County Schools after school programs. We are exited to see participants serving their communities! Congratulations to the following schools:

• Cimino Elementary
• Greco Middle School
• Monroe Middle School
• Mulrennan Middle School
• Rodgers Middle School
• Freedom High School
• Lennard High School
• Middleton High School
• Spoto High School

Great GO GREEN Ideas for Youth-led Service-Learning

• Lead a plan to preserve a local natural habitats (October 4 is World Habitat Day!)
• Make a schoolwide plan to go plastic-free.
• Organize Carpools or Bike-to-School Campaign to reduce vehicle emissions (October 4 is National Walk-to-School Day!)
• Organize your a beautification event at a local park.
• Create ways to reuse products and share.
• Become a City Scientist at Home (in collaboration with National Geographic).
• Build an insect hotel.
• Create an urban butterfly sanctuary by adding native milkweed to gardens.

Need help? Learn and Serve Tampa Inc's website will soon have a tab dedicated to advise youth on finding local service experience that will work with their age and availability, location, and hopefully connected to the youth's interest, passions, and talents. We will not host registration for volunteering, but we will point you in the right direction and also guide you in planning your own service project if you would like to develop your leadership skills! Learn and Serve Tampa Inc posts any of its own volunteer opportunities on the United Way Suncoast Volunteer Website. Youth must be 13 or older to create an account. This website is a great resource for students and families looking for local ongoing service or one-time events. Youth should sign up through VolunteerFlorida. By creating an account , you will receive information about upcoming opportunities around the state. The official forms for documenting service for BrightFutures is linked in this newsletter. These forms can be downloaded, edited, printed, and, MOST importantly, saved!

To continue the focus on Hispanic Heritage Month, consider volunteering for the Hispanic Services Council. There are many opportunities and ways to get involved. To register, go to https://www.hispanicservicescouncil.org/volunteerhub

Adults might remember the little orange box they were given to collect donations for UNICEF while Trick or Treating. The box has been retired, but youth can still support UNICEF on October 31. Visit the the UNICEF Trick or Treat Link or watch the video below to learn more.

November 11 is Veterans Day. This year, it is on a Saturday. Friday, November 10, is a federal holiday, and students are not in school. There are many ways that youth can do service for this very important day. Veterans Day is to honor the service of all men and women who served in the armed forces. It is celebrated by several nations as Veterans Day, or as Remembrance Day or Armistice Day. The date, November 11, is the day a cease fire was signed in World War I in 1918. While some fighting still lingered, it effectively marked the end of the world's Great War. After World War II, the name of Armistice Day was changed to Veterans Day. Here are some ways you can honor our veterans individually or with a group:

• Make a handmade craft or cards to give a veteran as a gift of thanks
• Visit a Veterans Rehabilitation Center to talk with veterans, maybe even sing or play an instrument
• Invite them to speak with your class or club
• Partner with the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, or other veteran group to beautify a monument or lay wreaths on the graces of fallen service members.
• Find out if your school has planned a ceremony and offer to help.

Franklin BPA< Tinker k-8, and Pizzo K-8 all participated in research activities for 9/11 this year. The 2977 markers used last year at BPA were divided and Franklin focused on the 343 firefighters. Tinker K-8 will be hosting the full monument in the future. Severe weather kept the project indoor this year. Pizzo students (6-8th grade) created biographies for the victims of in the Pentagon and the plane that crashed into it. They were placed on the new display located at USF this year! Please check out our images from this great service on our website today.

This was the first year in Tampa for this annual event. We hope the Lightning Foundation and other sponsors will help bring them back again. having this event across the street from the 9/11 Day Memorial Display means more engagement with this important remembrance project. We were able to get Mayor Jane Castor to declare Monday, September 11, 2023 a Day of Service for the City of Tampa. over 120 college students between the ages of 19 and 25 participated in this event. The corporate volunteers were able to pack thousands of meals for people living in the Tampa Bay community who are food insecure. We want to make sure this event returns next year and that we connect the 9/11 memorial display so more volunteers will visit and interact with us.

Enjoy a seat overlooking the harbor in downtown Tampa on Thursday, October 26, 2023! This is a dine-in only fundraiser between 11:00 A.M. and 11:00 P.M., so plan lunch or dinner with friends or family. Please remember to say that you are eating for Learn and Serve Tampa Inc! We receive 20% of the proceeds of all sales! Check back here in a few days to get the RSVP link as we must have 20 RSVPs submitted by October 22!

We are hosting a GroupRaise fundraiser on November 30, 2023, 11:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M. at the TGI Fridays located at 18001 Highwoods Preserve Parkway, Tampa. If this location is near your home, school, or business, please add this event to your calendar. Learn and Serve Tampa Inc will receive 20% of the total receipts from the day! RSVP HERE to hhttps://www.groupraise.com/events/261676elp us meet our minimum by November 27!

Everyone needs a Sam's Club Membership for the holidays! Learn and Serve Tampa Inc is hosting a membership drive during the month of November! Come back here in a few days, or wait until next month, to get a direct link to our fundraising page. This will be for new memberships and renewals within 6 months!!

Of course, the most direct route to supporting our work would be a direct donation through GiveButter!

We need to buy materials and supplies for youth projects, to provide transportation when needed, and general operating funds for insurance, bookkeeping, technology, and more. We hope to expand our capacity to serve and need your support!

We are seeking new board members who share our passion for youth and their need to build civic responsibility and resiliency through service-learning in Tampa area K-12 schools. Please email Dr. Verdi about your interest and to receive more information. In great need of marketing and social media expertise.