Service projects draw students into community

Only tenths of an inch taller than the second-graders she stands with, sophomore Carly Knight may not have a physical presence that commands attention--but what she lacks in stature she makes up for in enthusiasm. With 20 seven- and eight-year-old kids clinging to her sides, it is evident that they care just as much for her as they do for the candy she holds above them as a prize.

"We're going to play another game of sharks and minnows, and then the winners will get candy," Knight says.

In reality "everyone gets candy in the end," Knight whispers, "but for now it's just good for them to be out, and practice group skills like how to work together."

Knight, along with 15 other students from Duke and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, coordinates, leads and participates right along with the elementary schoolers of Carter Community Charter School in the debut year of their gym program. Participating in the program, which began about a month ago, involves two hour-long trips to the school each week.

"Duke students become passionate with particular groups, organizations and causes," CSC Director Elaine Madison said. "Although it may be a relatively short time frame, there's a more intense pattern of involvement."

For many students, volunteerism in college entails a personally motivated commitment since the University does not require service hours for graduation like many high schools do.

"There is a trend of long-term commitment and students with extensive community service in high school," Madison said. In college, she said, students "tend to take leadership positions and participate in a more sophisticated kind of involvement."

The CSC aims to involve the Duke community in service both inside and outside the University's walls. Often this involves the Durham community and other associations outside of the University alerting the center about its needs for volunteers, which are then relayed to students by way of its student representatives and CSC staff.

"We serve as an umbrella organization," said senior Alice Williamson, one of two CSC student directors. "A lot of clubs are under the CSC, which they then receive funding from us because we get a lump sum from Duke Student Government and then can act as an advocate for them and track their volunteer records."

Williamson noted that involvement tends to drop off after freshman year when students move from East Campus, where the CSC is based, to West Campus. To combat this trend, the center added 14 quad representatives for upperclass students to the 24 freshman representatives and 22 student staff volunteers this year.

Francesca Tenconi, a junior and third-year CSC representative, said she got involved to get to know the Durham community.

"I participated in community service in high school," Tenconi said. "It gives me a sense of reality because here we get consumed with everything we have to do, but volunteering lets you know the community."

Even though many students claim to presently be volunteering, or have done so in the past, the extent of their involvement varies greatly. According to the CSC, 49 percent of those surveyed only participated once or twice a semester; 60 percent acknowledged that they do much less volunteering than they did in high school; and 68 percent claim to be unsatisfied with the amount of service they do now.

The main reason students report for their lack of involvement is they are "too busy."

"Academics can be overwhelming here and students develop this tunnel vision about them, losing sight of all the opportunities they can give back to the community," said Jacqueline Grassi, a sophomore and CSC representative. "Really dedicated students return to a program because it holds their interests and they realize they gain as much as they give."

Motives for involvement certainly range for students. Freshman Chad Hayes first became involved with community service on campus to satisfy requirements for a scholarship.

"I like working with little kids because they're so much fun," Hayes said, "but I also needed hours for this scholarship I'm applying for."

The various motives, however, have little bearing on the way the students at Carter School see the volunteers and their work.

Second-grader Porsche Satterfield of Carter School explains how much she likes to play games like Red Light, Green Light and Duck, Duck, Goose with the volunteers while her friend Renaisha Pratt, jumps around the school's parking lot, where they play a game of tag--or sharks and minnows. Pratt exclaims, "This is the best camp ever!"