Summit Park Leadership Community 2010-2011

The Summit Park Leadership Community engages Drury University students in an experiential learning environment that focuses on the principles of leadership while incorporating the value of community service. Teams of students focus an entire year of residency to design, organize and implement a project based on the idea that leadership is a purposive process that is ultimately concerned with fostering change. Each year students propose to live within this community. It is a competitive process which in this past year, 88 students applied with only 40 students selected. The students will each spend 30 hours per year with the listed agency providing a total of 1,200 hours given back to the Springfield region.

Planned Parenthood - BLOG

Austin Seaborn, Kevin Rogan, Brady Nelson, Sean Banasik, Amanda Combs, Elyse Coulter, Stephanie Hayes, Laura Harmon

Faculty/Staff Advisor: Dr. Erin Kenny

Goal: This is the first time any Summit Group has partnered with an organization like Planned Parenthood. The overall goal is to promote a better understanding of the role that Planned Parenthood plays in the Springfield community. The Summit group will represent Drury and Planned Parenthood in the Springfield community at various events that will be hosted throughout the year. Planned Parenthood provides services to the Springfield area such as: pre-natal care, birth control methods, emergency contraception, the promotion and education of safe sex practices, and testing for sexually transmitted diseases.

Think Green at Boyd Elementary School - BLOG

Amy Scherrer, Anna Regan, Desiree Dixon, John Smith, Jared Kleekamp, Ethan Graham, Jim Proszek, Monica Rivera

Faculty/Staff Advisor: Dr. Wendy Anderson

Goal: This group will be partnering with the Think Green group at Boyd Elementary for the duration of the 2010-2011 academic year. The overall goal is to educate the next generation of students at Boyd Elementary about the importance of “green” living and thinking “green” in all aspects of their lives.

The Kitchen Clinic Inc. - BLOG

Benjamin Rogers, Jonathan George, Paul Hays, Jon Hays

Faculty/Staff Advisor: Dr. Don Deeds

Goal: The medical division of the Kitchen Inc. was started in 1985, since then the clinic has been offering medical services to the less fortunate in the Springfield community. This Summit group plans to aid in the services that the Kitchen Clinic provides. The time that they volunteer will increase the efficiency of the clinic, allowing more individuals to visit the doctors who volunteer.

McGregor Elementary - BLOG

Morgan Atwood, Emily Johnson, Megan Taylor, Rebecca Vogt

Faculty/Staff Advisor: Dr. Charles Taylor

Goal: This group will volunteer with the McGregor Elementary School’s English Language Learners (ELL). The ELL program provides English educate to students whose first language isn’t English, or those individuals who have not mastered the language yet. The group plans to give the ELL students one-on-one attention, providing them an engaging method for building their vocabulary.

C.A.R.E. – Castaway Animal Rescue Effort - BLOG

Anna Yendes, Sarah Nemeth, Josie Yost, Katrina Kim

Faculty/Staff Advisor: Dr. Scott Petrich

Goal: The group will volunteer for the local non-kill animal shelter Castaway Animal Rescue Effort (CARE). The group hopes to benefit the shelter by advertising the shelter and its non-kill philosophy, volunteering at the shelter, and facilitating fundraisers on and off Drury University’s campus.

The Beacon Project – Lighthouse Child Development - BLOG

Molly Brown, Jessica Cross, Deanna Sorenson, Tiffany van Dongen

Faculty/Staff Advisor: Dr. Allin Sorenson

Goal: The Beacon is a Christian-based program that provides free childcare to families dealing with economic struggles. The group intends to volunteer their time in any areas that the program needs attention.

Panthers for Paws – Southwest Humane Society - BLOG

Auturo Castro, Taylor Westby, Ryan Arabejo, Matt Maurer

Faculty/Staff Advisor: Dr. Richard Schur

Goal: This group will be volunteering at the Southwest Missouri Humane Society for a minimum of 8 hours per month. The group will be participating in activities for the Humane Society such as grooming and bathing the animals, walking the dogs, cleaning kennels, helping answer telephones, and setting up appointments. The group hopes that their time spent volunteering will lead to more animals being adopted.

Isabel’s House - BLOG

Amanda Jackson, Em Johnson, Emily Kessler, Hanna Slinker

Faculty/Staff Advisor: Dr. John Taylor

Goal: The members of this group have had extensive previous experience working with children in: leading vacation bible schools, babysitting, being camp counselors, and tutoring. Isabel’s House is an organization which provides children under the age of 12 who are experiencing family crises a safe place to live. The members of the Summit group hope to use their experience with children to affect the children at Isabel’s in a positive way.