Journal of Agricultural Education - Vol. 37, No. 3, 1996

This article presents a strategy for integrating community service learning with community development. It builds upon two methods in rural development: needs assessment and incorporating public schools in the development process. The strategy provides a way to have a valid needs assessment using survey research and at the same time keep costs low and involvement of local people high. It also provides students an opportunity to have classroom and experiential learning on community development and needs assessment. This strategy has been pilot tested in Florida. Opportunities abound for agricultural education programs and their respective FFA chapter if they choose to lead in such an endeavor. Few communities build a foundation from which Building Our American Communities (BOAC) their young people can develop into involved Awards program. This program received federal citizens. They neglect to foster important leadership attention when it received the National Volunteer skills and relationships between people, young and Action Award in 1982, 1983, and 1984. In 1995, old. But, making the effort to involve young people BOAC was incorporated into the community in community affairs can forge new bonds between development component of the National FFA students, teachers, and citizens, while helping to Chapter Award which has five categories of chapter solve community problems. Through community involvement. They are: involvement, youth can increase their understanding of and commitment to their community, and can Economic activities conducted to improve become empowered to work toward solving local the economic welfare of the community; problems. Youth can be an important part of Environmental activities conducted to community efforts to respond to longstanding preserve natural resources and develop more problems and emerging needs. environmentally responsible individuals; Community involvement and support are also the members and citizens of the community; cornerstones of a successful agricultural education Citizenship activities conducted to program. Through interaction with advisory encourage members to become involved in councils, school administrators, parents and local their school, community and county; and government agencies, agricultural education Agricultural awareness activities conducted programs and FFA Chapters have the opportunity to to help the public become better informed become involved in community service projects. about the food system and related In 1971, the National FFA Organization Organization, 1995, p.4). officially recognized this important component of agricultural education programs by sponsoring the Human resource activities conducted to improve the welfare and well-being of agricultural issues (National FFA