AmeriCorps Members Honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a Day of Service

In honor of the United We Serve initiative, the President's call to national service, the San Juan County Partnership (SJCP) AmeriCorps members planned and implemented activities with elementary school students in Aztec and Blanco. The SJCP AmeriCorps members worked for several weeks to plan a Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service with the 21st Century Community Learning Centers after school programs at Park Avenue, McCoy and Blanco Elementary schools. The message they wished to share was of MLK's belief in freedom and justice for all by encouraging citizens of all ages to come together through service to strengthen communities, empower individuals, bridge barriers and create solutions.

The SJCP AmeriCorps members planned small MLK Day activities for three days on January 22, 23 & 24, 2013. Over those three days they provided a brief description of who Martin Luther King Jr. was and why he is important. They then led the students in a short writing exercise, helping the students write their own "I Have a Dream" letters. Other activities included: constructing a mural of MLK's profile using an art medium of their own choosing and blending them together as a class; and making handprint frames for their "I Have a Dream Letters." On the final day, the AmeriCorps members led the students in creating Valentine's Day cards for family and friends.

San Juan County Partnership AmeriCorps members work with youth in afterschool programs (K-6th grade), teaching youth about Dr. King’s vision and influence on our country. Students at Park Avenue Elementary School enjoyed creating this mural of Dr. King.

-Submitted by Jennifer Dowdy, AmeriCorps Community Liaison, San Juan County Partnership