Over academic year 2012-2013, Lone Star College-Tomball service-learning students logged more than 21,000 hours of service to the community, a value of more than $491,000 according to Independent Sector (a national coalition of nonprofits, foundations and corporate giving programs).

Service-learning is a teaching method that combines classroom learning with meaningful community service, and emphasizes critical thinking and personal reflection while engendering a heightened sense of community, civic engagement, and personal responsibility.

LSC-Tomball students from a variety of majors (including communication, education, biology and computer information technology) undertook a variety of service-learning assignments, from mentoring at Tomball Elementary School, to maintaining and developing the wetland area adjacent to the campus, to helping patrons of the Harris County Public Library make use of e-reader technology.

"The greater Tomball area and surrounding communities continue to benefit from our student ideas, energy and enthusiasm.  Our faculty understand the need for practical experience as a part of the learning process, and they impart that to their students using service-learning assignments.  We emphasize connection and involvement here at LSC-Tomball, and the proof is our continued practice of service-learning," said Clark Friesen, LSC-Tomball professor of speech communication, and faculty service-learning coordinator.

For more information on LSC-Tomball service-learning, contact Clark Friesen at 281.401.1807 or clark.w.friesen@lonestar.edu.