麻豆影院

麻豆影院 State Student Plans Youth, Family Engagement at Local Community Center

Kalena Speicher

Kalena Speicher, an AmeriCorps member within 麻豆影院 State's Community and Engaged Learning program, has placed an indelible mark on the 麻豆影院 community.

A Non-Profit Studies minor, Speicher recently planned and coordinated a youth and family engagement event at Ravenna鈥檚 King Kennedy Community Center that drew a couple dozen 麻豆影院 State students and faculty who volunteered to facilitate various activities to help local children learn about and celebrate the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

As if that wasn't enough, earlier that same day Kalena also led a team of 20+ volunteers (including the entire 麻豆影院 State Women鈥檚 field hockey team) preparing lunch in the Flashes Fighting Hunger Kitchen, and transporting it to King Kennedy Center, where she organized four different activities for children. In addition to eating lunch together and learning about Dr. King, attendees played basketball and enjoyed spending time together outdoors.

A few days later, the MLK Commemorative Events Committee hosted an event titled, 鈥100 Plates 鈥 Peace and Conflict: MLK to Today,鈥 based on the Service Speaks model that Kalena has completed special training for as an AmeriCorps Member. Participants ate lunch and read Dr. King鈥檚 1956 sermon, 鈥淲hen Peace Becomes Obnoxious,鈥 and an excerpt from the late congress member John Lewis鈥檚 2020 Common Dreams book, 鈥淭ogether, You Can Redeem the Soul of Our Nation.鈥

Lastly, Kalena facilitated a series of small and large group discussions, during which participants shared their feelings and mapped out action steps to improve community relations.

POSTED: Wednesday, February 7, 2024 11:00 AM
Updated: Thursday, February 8, 2024 11:06 AM