Students win U.S. award for local service

Shaw Middle SchoolShaw Middle Schoolprogram gets $1,500 grant Two University students have received the prestigious 1996 Howard R. Swearer national Student Humanitarian Award. The award includes a $1,500 cash prize to supplement their on-going educational initiative at Shaw Middle School in West Philadelphia. Campus Contact, an organization which sponsors "The Project for Public and Community Service," announced yesterday that College junior Abby Close and Wharton junior Johnathan Seeg would receive the award. The honor, which recognizes five students annually, supports continued efforts to address social needs and recognizes outstanding service to the community. Seeg and Close began their project in September 1994, when two teachers at Shaw Middle School in West Philadelphia decided to create an environmental education program within their "Science Alliance" learning community. The teachers asked Assistant Director of the Penn Program for Public Service Cory Bowman to find students to help implement an environmental education program at Shaw. Bowman contacted the Penn Environmental Group -- and members Close and Seeg agreed to help with the program. University student volunteers started teaching two classes at Shaw that year. The environmental education program has expanded to eight classes in the past 18 months. "We are trying to make learning more exciting and meaningful for kids," Close said. In order to apply for the award, Close and Seeg wrote an essay, included a budget outline for their project and received a letter of nomination from University President Judith Rodin. Rodin is a member of the coalition entitled "The Project for Public and Community Service." The coalition includes more than 520 college presidents -- and each president is only allowed to nominate one project submitted from their respective institution. The essay question asked applicants to describe the community or public service they had performed during the last 12 months. "We discussed how John and I were encouraged to solve a problem," Close said. "We combined our academic experiences with volunteer experiences." Associate Director of the Penn Program for Public Service Amy Cohen said Close and Seeg "display humanitarianism and outstanding public service." "This award supports their continued efforts to address social needs," she added. Close and Seeg enrolled in three academically based community service courses last spring -- Anthropology 206 with Cohen, Environmental Studies 404 with Geology Professor and Director of the Institute of Environmental Studies Robert Giegengack and History 214 with Director of the Center for Community Partnerships Ira Harkavy. Each class contributed to the pair's ability to understand both more technical issues in the community, such as the effect of lead poisoning on the local population, and theoretical issues, such as understanding how to develop a productive relationship with the local community. Close and Seeg will receive their award during the annual conference of the American Association for Higher Education next month in Chicago.