Ms. Snyder-Renfro is a teacher at a combined Middle-High School in Oklahoma. "I believe that volunteering through service and philanthropy develops entrepreneurial skills that empower students to be better members of their community, careers, and college," she said.  

 

Just under 30 students participated in the Learning to Give mini-grant supported service-learning project The Green Team Herd.

 

After incorporating the lesson No Boundaries, where students learned how to appreciate and respect others for their differences and abilities, they started a recycling program.  

 

Ms. Snyder-Renfro let the students take the lead. "The students had complete ownership of the program and leadership opportunities," she said. 

 

One student explained, "I wanted to be part of the green team so that I could make the world a better place." Another said, "I wanted to help document the project with photography."  

 

Throughout the project the students learned how to research, budget, market, organize, be responsible and manage resources, set schedules, work as a team and be part of a group, all while making a positive impact on the environment.   

 

The grant money helped students believe in the potential of what they could do alone and together to change the world. They were able to purchase recycling bins, as well as team wristbands for promotion. "The grant support gave them more power to make a difference," said Snyder-Renfro.