STEMester of Service applies YSA’s Semester of Service™ framework, giving at-risk middle-school students a powerful service-learning experience and providing educators with resources to teach the science, technology, engineering and math skills critical to workplace readiness.. Extended service-learning experiences such as these YSA-sponsored initiatives have been shown to increase academic engagement and student achievement, and have a greater impact on the community served.*


“Conversation Café,” Fort Collins, CO A Corporation for National and Community Service Grantee


Students at Lincoln I.B. World Middle School engaged in a service–learning project to study the Centennial Uranium Mine project planned in northern Colorado. During a “Conversation Café,” students invited power plant executives, elected officials, and other community members to discuss the students’ research and the pros and cons of uranium mining.


When compared to control groups, STEMester service-learning students**:


 showed higher gains in academic engagement, 21st century skills, science, technology, engineering & math measures;


 identified science, math, writing and reading as areas in which they acquired the most skills as a result of service-learning.


YSA’s STEMester of Service grantees contributed a combined total of 45,274 hours of service in 2011. According to the Independent Sector, the current national average rate of value is $21.36 per service hour. By this measure, STEMester students contributed $967,053 worth of time to their respective communities!


STEMester of Service community partners reported**:  positive impacts on their organizations as a result of working with schools that implemented service-learning projects;


 that service-learning projects had positive impacts on their communities.


*As documented in Unpacking What Works in Service Learning, (Billig, S.H., 2007). **As reported by RMC, the independent evaluator engaged by YSA to measure program impact and outcomes.


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