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Edison State Community College students tell more than 160 Ansonia
students, grades 4 through 6, that bullying isn’t “cool.”
Nine other
teams recently made the same presentations to Greenville 5th and 6th
graders,
Tri-Village, Bradford, Kiwanis of Greenville and the
Greenville Public Library.
Edison
State Greenville students continue community service traditions
GREENVILLE – Ten Edison State Community College teams, Greenville
Campus and online, continued the tradition of talking to elementary and
middle school students about Bullying. Edison State students also
worked hundreds of hours with elementary and middle school students
struggling with their academics.
The students are enrolled in Edison State’s Fundamentals of
Communication course, Greenville Campus. They learn strong
communication skills, including public speaking, ethics, critical
thinking, human diversity, teamwork and more, and put those skills into
practice while providing a positive service to their communities.
“Students learn that good communication is more than just talking, or
making comments on social media,” Bob Robinson, Fundamentals of
Communications instructor, said. “It’s being able to communicate your
ideas effectively, being ethical and trustworthy, understanding that
individuals are different in how they relate to or perceive your
comments and actions. In today’s world, being able to function as part
of a team is crucial. While all of these points are covered in the
classroom, it’s often an eye-opener when students put what they’ve
learned into practice outside the classroom.”
This fall, eight teams made presentations to students in Bradford,
Ansonia, Tri-Village and Greenville Middle schools. Two teams made
presentations at Kiwanis of Greenville and the Greenville Public
library; they were designed to make adults aware of the issues today’s
kids – and often adults – face.
The Week 16 team presentations were the final assignments for the
course, Robinson noted. “The off-campus presentations were graded by
the teachers and adult participants… on a scale of one to ten, not a
single team was graded under 9.0, and over half received the full ten
points.” Each team worked an average 20-25 hours preparing for the
presentations.
“Semester after semester, Edison State students and faculty are
connecting to our community in new and exciting ways,” said Chad
Beanblossom, Vice President of Regional Campuses. “We are thrilled to
have our students invited into our local schools, service organizations
and the public libraries to share information on the important topic of
bullying. Edison State students are developing communication skills
while delivering an important message to our community youth.”
For their individual term projects, students had a choice between
taking exams and doing a research paper, or working 25 hours with
elementary and middle school students who need academic help. “Again,
it’s one thing to take an academic approach to communication skills,
another to practice them,” Robinson said. “If their schedules allowed,
Edison State students chose the tutoring option.” Forty students worked
over 750 hours with students in Greenville, Anna, and Mississinawa
Valley.
Robinson added this is a win-win for Edison State Community College and
the communities it serves. “College students get needed communication
skills, and elementary and middle school students get valuable life
skills and help achieving their educational goals.”
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