Community Project – Putting Skowhegan on the Map!!

“In every community there is work to be done,
In every nation there is wounds to heal,
In every heart there is the power to do it.”
                                                        Marianne Williamson

Learning with a public purpose has allowed students to do authentic learning with the community in which they live. The intent of the video and brochure was to make Skowhegan a first choice destination for community members and visitors alike.

This course allowed students to develop leadership and academic skills through the process of creating a community brochure and video. Students were divided into advertising teams in which they had to come up with an advertising team name and slogan. After coming up with a team name and slogan, teams created business cards to use when out in the community meeting and talking with business owners and community members. Each team decided as to whether they wanted to do a project on the Run of the River or Skowhegan Downtown Revitalization. This project involved students in work that was challenging, complex, and filled with student choice and decision-making, and promoted collaborative working partnerships between youth and adults. The students really learned a lot about their community, the importance of encouraging people to use their downtown. Students could actually see the value in completing the project, knowing that their work will be used in their community.

This project culminated with public presentations revealing the students completed brochures and videos which in hand demonstrates their true mastery of marketing skills and knowledge and value in their community.
I would like to thank the following people that have helped make this project possible:

As a teacher it is not easy to take on a project like this because you don’t always feel like you have control, or all the answers, and you don’t necessarily know what the outcome will be. With that said, the last group of people I would like to thank are my students for being cooperative and understanding as we learned and worked trough this project together. You are wonderful people.