Switch to Distance Learning

This Spring, we welcomed fourteen youth to participate in our service-learning (Urban Fellows) program. In response to the coronavirus pandemic and stay-at-home orders from the state of Connecticut, the program had to be switched to an online format. Our program lead, Tanner Burgdorf, built content (google slides, google forms, videos) that adapted to  the switch to an online platform. Youth participant, Esmeralda Aca, appreciated our approach and liked “how it didn't even feel like an obstacle. I felt as if the program had done this before because everything was set up nicely and it didn't affect our learning. I liked how separating into groups inside the call was possible.”

Despite some challenges, we were still able to offer a program that the students enjoyed and appreciated. Youth participant, Alicia Wilson, described the experience as “Great! It gave me something to do as well as something to look forward to throughout the week.” Many youth participants revealed  that they felt  a little lonely during quarantine and missed their friends from school. We were surprised to learn that for many youth participants, like Jessica Sikes, the service-learning program helped fulfill the  need to “have social interaction during Covid”.  

The program concluded with youth working in 3 teams (Team Aztecs, Team Helping Hands, Team Lions) to develop youth-led projects at  sites throughout Bridgeport. Each team took inspiration from the current situation and created projects that would address the very real need for people to stay positive and connected even during these difficult times. Team Lions tapped into the digital space and proposed a virtual game night that would be offered once a month to challenge students with trivia, pictionary, and a digital scavenger hunt. Team Helping Hands proposed “Poster Positivity” in which community members could make a poster that would include words of encouragement or a positive message. The posters would then be put up in certain places in Bridgeport to spread the message of positivity to the community at large. Team Aztecs proposed an event for later in the year that would feature an outdoor movie screening of ‘Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story’ as well as an arts and crafts station for kids to paint their own terracotta flower pots.

This spring session provided an opportunity to stretch our approach to teaching and facilitated a  great environment despite being entirely virtual. Due to continued concerns with the coronavirus, our summer program, which starts next week, will follow a similar model. If you have any questions about our approach to distance learning reach out at hello@groundworkbridgeport.org.