UNC Charlotte senior Jameka Parker has been recognized
for outstanding leadership and service by North Carolina Campus Compact, a
statewide network of colleges and universities that are committed to community
engagement. Parker is a recipient of the network’s Community Impact Student
Award, which honors one student leader at each member school.
Parker is one of 18 students across the state to receive the 2014 award, joining more than 200
college students honored by the organization since the award was first
presented in 2006.
A pre-service teacher
majoring in Middle Grades Education with a minor in Urban Youth and
Communities, Parker believes deeply in service learning, both as a civic
obligation and as meaningful pedagogy. As a part of her Community Engagement
Capstone, Parker started a girls dance troupe in a high poverty middle school with
a curriculum focused on academic achievement, mentoring, and self-esteem.
Using the fundamentals of participatory action research, she conducted a needs
assessment with students and teachers. The resulting program couples dance,
academic support, and mentoring during a special period in the school day.
Parker recruited fellow UNC Charlotte students to implement the curriculum, which
improved student attitudes and school success. Parker is from Fayetteville, N.C.
Dr. Susan Harden, an assistant professor of Education at UNC Charlotte, nominated Parker for the award.
“Jameka really ‘gets’ service learning,” Harden says. “She will make a
wonderful teacher who knows how to use this pedagogy in her own classroom.”
Parker and other award
winners will be honored at North Carolina Campus Compact’s annual student
conference on November 8 at N.C. State University in Raleigh. Now in its 21st
year, the 2014 conference will convene 180 student leaders from 25 campuses in
5 states, offering participants a slate of workshops focused on leadership best
practices and community issues.
North Carolina Campus Compact
is a collaborative network of colleges and universities with a shared
commitment to educating engaged citizens and strengthening communities. Guided
by an executive board of presidents and chancellors, the Compact supports
member schools through professional development and resources related to civic
and community engagement. The Compact was founded in 2002 and is hosted by Elon
University.
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