June 25, 2007

LIVINGSTON, Ala.--Honors program students from UWA and the University of Alabama collaborated for two weeks in May to learn about the rich history and culture of the Black Belt and to serve in this region rife with economic and social challenges. Through Black Belt Action, an action-oriented service-learning experience, these dedicated college students gained not only a new appreciation for the region, but also made a difference at a local elementary school.

The Livingston-based program gave students from both universities the chance to engage in educational and cultural opportunities during the first week of Black Belt Action. UWA’s Center for the Study of the Black Belt coordinated numerous activities to help them gain a greater appreciation and understanding of Alabama’s Black Belt.  Historians, community activists, educators, musicians, artists and folklorists engaged the students in scholarly dialogue. Field studies included tours of Livingston and Gainesville, a ferry ride to Gee’s Bend in Wilcox County, a glass mosaic class in York and nature hikes along the Sucarnochee River and at Old Bluffport.

“My favorite thing about the first week was the trip to Gee’s Bend,” said Hackleberg sophomore Emily Mills. “It was great to meet the quilters and see their work, which has been featured in books and magazines and even on stamps. They were very excited to see us too.”

During the second week of the project, the UA and UWA students conducted a series of projects at Livingston Junior High School. The college students ate lunch with the schoolchildren in the cafeteria, and, afterwards, they led the children in classroom enrichment activities including goal-setting exercises and citizenship discussions. After learning about the Black Belt from the collegians, the LJHS students made personalized quilt squares featuring interesting facts about their hometown and region.

 “It was really meaningful to hear the difference in the kids’ perception of their county change during the week,” Mills said. “The kids who had negative impressions of the region learned that there is a lot to be proud of around here. After our lessons, they could name indigenous flowers or other fun facts about the Black Belt.”

“It’s an honor to have the opportunity to give back to the community that has been a second home to me,” said Bethany Carollo, a Northport sophomore. “I especially loved working with the kids. It was quite obvious that they were eager to learn about their community, and that made everything worth it.”

After the classroom activities were finished, the Black Belt Action participants spent the rest of the afternoons working on various projects on school grounds. They painted murals featuring the school’s mascot, a tornado, on the playground and on a walkway known as “Tornado Alley.” Fun paintings created by the participants and featuring popular children’s books now hang in the library. The students also used their newly acquired glass art skills to create two mosaic pieces, a bench for LJHS and a table for UWA’s Black Belt Garden.

Carollo says she and the other participants enjoyed learning about the special aspects of the region, while grasping the importance of Black Belt Action as a service project.

“I think projects like this one are important to college students because they give us a chance to learn about a culture first-hand,” she said. “These kinds of projects also teach us that even small amounts of care can go a long way toward fostering sustainable changes.”