Local Impact: ScholarCHIPS joins LearnServe in the Catalogue for Philanthropy

"One of the greatest gifts you can give a child is the freedom and support to be creative," Yasmine Arrington wrote in an article for The Atlantic's Renewal Project Blog.  "This is the gift that LearnServe International gave me.  It changed the trajectory of my life and the lives of many like me in my community."

As a LearnServe Fellow, Yasmine realized that of the thousands of college scholarships available, not one in the DC area served young people with incarcerated parents ‒ young people like Yasmine.  Fast forward 10 years, and Yasmine's non-profit ScholarCHIPS has awarded more than $180,000 to 61 college students, all of whom have a close family member in prison.  Yasmine serves as the organization's full-time Executive Director.

This year ScholarCHIPS passed through an intense vetting process to join LearnServe as one of the best small, local non-profit organizations recognized by the Catalogue for Philanthropy. We are thrilled that the Catalogue now supports multiple generations of connected social impact work through LearnServe and ScholarCHIPS.

Travelers Who Change

"We are the generation of change," Lemoni (LearnServe Paraguay '19) reminded her peers at LearnServe Abroad Graduation. "We were recruited to travel to a beautiful country, to experience a new culture, and to better understand global problems such as climate change, poverty, and discrimination... Not to provide one-sided solutions to 'fix' these issues, but to be the catalyst for change by creating a discussion where all who truly understand the problem can come together to make the world a better place."

Lemoni, now a Senior at Parkdale High School, captured the essence of why we believe global education matters to social innovation. We are all part of a world-wide conversation about how changemakers solve issues on the local level. You can check out her LearnServe Paraguay blog post here.

We recently spoke with educator Sherman Hughes about the power of global citizenship. "Global Education is no longer a luxury," reflected Sherman. "LearnServe provides an opportunity for all students to feel relevant, celebrate diversity and learn beyond their immediate environment."

We are excited to share that Sherman, who we honored with our Global Perspectives Award at the 2019 Gala, has joined the LearnServe team as a curriculum consultant, specializing in diversity, equity, and inclusion.

"The LearnServe Abroad theme 'Travelers Who Change' was created and inspired by the need to have a growth mindset as a traveler... As Travelers Who Change, we value building trust in ourselves and others, challenging implicit bias, and empowering youth to understand the power of their presence, voice and actions."

You can read Sherman's full reflection on the LearnServe Blog here.

Meet Semira! LearnServe Office Manager and Program Coordinator

"All of these ventures were rooted in personal experiences and passions, really demonstrating the character that is needed to be a changemaker," shared Semira. "It was a sneak peak into all that is to come as I continue my journey with LearnServe."

Semira Tesfai is LearnServe's new Office Manager and Program Coordinator. Within her first two weeks, Semira joined the LearnServe Fellows as a guest speaker, engaged in mentorship conversations with LearnServe Incubator students, helped facilitate the LearnServe Middle School Hackathon (above), and attended the L'Oreal Women in Science Awards with Lauren Jordan, Seeding Social Innovation Program Director and a group of LearnServe students.

Semira is originally from Asmara, Eritrea but grew up as a Marylander in Hyattsville. Before joining LearnServe, she founded the Hidri Youth Group; a branch of a national community organization, which focuses on bridging ties of the average Eritrean-American and creating avenues for personal development, college readiness, skill building, and community service. She brings an inspiring passion and enthusiasm for social change and youth empowerment to our team!

Read Semira's thoughts on her first two weeks at LearnServe.

From Libya to LearnServe: Social Entrepreneurship Exchange

''To me, international exchange is so important," explains social entrepreneur Hamza Muftah, "because it is the means by which we develop and entrepreneurial mindset, experience new models, and gain exposure to new cultures."

Hamza is the Project Manager at Sabratha Youth Center for Capacity Building in Libya. He recently completed a fellowship with LearnServe through the Legacy Professional Fellows Program. He consulted with LearnServe staff, spoke with Fellows about his experiences as a social entrepreneur, and helped facilitate the LearnServe Hackathon. He makes a compelling case for the importance of global perspectives in social entrepreneurship.

"Based on my experience with LearnServe students and staff, I can build the foundation for a thriving ecosystem to teach young university graduates how to bring sustainable change to their local communities in Libya through social entrepreneurship."

You can read Hamza's complete blog post here.

Trust Youth: Lessons Learned from Coaching Young Changemakers

"The power of young people to create change is real," explains LearnServe Director and CEO Scott Rechler, "but it is also precarious.  While students themselves are in the driver's seat, we as adults play an important role."

Now more than ever, youth are refusing to stay silent on pressing social challenges. Movements like the March for Our Lives and youth leaders like Greta Thunberg have powerfully challenged the status quo on urgent issues like gun violence and climate change. Scott shared why he is not surprised ‒ and why we should not take these youth voices for granted.

"Our LearnServe students channel the vision and voice of Greta. They know the change that needs to happen ‒ and have begun to see themselves as the changemakers that will shape their vision into reality."

Read Scott's post on trusting youth, embracing vulnerability, and celebrating changemaking here.

LearnServe on the Radio: Stevie Bridgwaters with Emma Strother

LearnServe Development Manager and Alumna (Fellows ’10, Zambia ’10) was recently interviewed by Stevie Bridgwaters on trusting youth, challenging assumptions, and the latest in LearnServe social ventures. The interview aired on El Zol Deportes 1580 AM, WJFK 106.7 The Fan, and 94.7 the Drive. You can listen to the whole piece here!