OURSTORY

USC Penny Harvest2013-2014 Annual Report

PREPARED BY USC Civic Engagement – HSC Community PartnershipsJune 2014

The Penny Harvest is a yearlong, student-led philanthropy and service-learning proj-ect that engages youth as leaders in developing solutions to community issues. By “harvesting” and granting pennies in their neighborhoods, students learn to value the power of bringing together many small pieces to create a larger impact. This inno-vative and multi-disciplinary program serves as a vehicle for schools to grow their students’ leadership, civic engagement, and critical thinking, while also building and strengthening their school’s community partnerships.

About USC Penny Harvest

The Innovation

The Penny Harvest allows youth to make use of the $2 billion of un-used pennies in the United States while developing leadership, networking and communication skills and instilling values of civic engagement and service.

The Penny Harvest provides tools and resources for schools to engage students in philanthropy and service-learning, resulting in:

• Civically-engaged, philanthropically-minded youth• Service-minded schools involved with the community• Communities in mutually beneficial relationships with schools and youth

USC Penny Harvest is a collaborative effort between the University of Southern California, local schools, and the educational nonprofit Common Cents.

How it Works

Weekly Penny Harvest lessons and activities follow the academic calendar and serve as a service-learning supplement to standard curriculum.

In the fall, students discuss the meaning of community, reflect on their communities’ particular needs and assets and “harvest” pennies in their neighborhoods. Throughout the year, student leadership teams lead their schools in researching community issues and identifying non-profit organizations addressing those issues in their communities. After months of research, deliberation, and planning, students make monetary and service grants to non-profit organizations addressing the issues they care about.

Every penny harvested is donated to the community, and all decision-making is led by students.

4 Phases

The Penny Harvest curriculum follows the academic calendar and engages schools in a sequential process of visioning, research, and change-making:

PHASE 1 Gather Pennies Students search for pennies with their parents, friends and neighbors.

PHASE 2 Make GrantsStudents study community issues and organizations and decide how to spend harvest funds to meet community needs.

PHASE 3 Take ActionStudents plan their own neighborhood service projects and volunteer their time.

PHASE 4 Build Legacy & CelebrateStudents present grant checks and reflect on their school’s collective Penny Harvest accomplishments.

Legacy Service Model

The Penny Harvest is designed to be a long-term, self-sustaining program driven by a legacy of engagement and partnership in schools. The program promotes four pillars of program sustainability:

Student Leadership Peer leaders motivate and model the way.Whole School Citizenship The school community is united in action toward a common purpose.Community Partnership Program leaders establish reciprocal relationships between students, schools, and community-based organizations.Curriculum Integration Curricular activities align the program to meet school and classroom learning goals.

In 1991, the Penny Harvest began with the desire of the founder’s four-year-old daughter to help a homeless man. Now, the program has expanded to almost ev-ery New York City public school, as well as five other states.

In 2012, USC Political Science professor Ann Crigler brought the Penny Harvest to Los Angeles with the goal of growing it in local elementary schools in collabora-tion with USC undergraduate curriculum on civic engagement and leadership. The USC Penny Harvest builds upon the foun-dation of Common Cents’ Penny Harvest

curriculum by engaging the support of university students and faculty to de-velop a strong and replicable program for Los Angeles schools.

In building civic networks among area students, families, and community or-ganizations, the USC Penny Harvest aims to strengthen the institutional infra-structure that serves Los Angeles com-munities, increasing its collective social impact. The program also catalyzes the development of leadership, civic engage-ment, and other 21st century skills among Los Angeles area youth, growing future

Common Cents is an educational nonprofit specializing in service learning programs for youth. Their most popular program, the Penny Harvest, is the largest youth philan-thropy program in the United States. Nationally, since 1991, Penny Harvest students have donated over $9.5 million in grants to causes they care about.

From New York… To Los Angeles

leaders with the potential to address the city’s pressing social, economic and edu-cational inequities. Through connecting youth with organizations already making change in their communities, the Penny Harvest constructs meaningful and lasting partnerships between communities’ exist-ing assets and future leaders, increasing the potential for both current and future impact.

By teaching young leaders to identify and analyze community issues and establish networks and partnerships with organi-zations making change in those areas, the program helps communities across Los Angeles leverage underused resourc-es (children and pennies) to creatively meet community needs.

Since 2012, USC Penny Harvest schools have granted over $7,000 to local organizations.

Measuring Civic Engagement

The USC Penny Harvest combines theory and practice with an inter-departmental research project, Youth Civic Engagement in Los Angeles: Building Civic Networks through Philanthropy. This research is designed to measure the civic and academic results of the Penny Harvest program, demonstrating the impact of philanthropy on students’ overall civic engagement and academic achievement, as well as broader impacts in their communities.

USC Penny Harvest is a program of USC Civic Engagement, with collaboration from faculty and students in USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism, Price School of Public Policy, and Viterbi School of Engineering.

Griffin Avenue Elementary School Raised $1,424Granted to: Los Angeles Animal Services North Central, USC Norris Cancer Center – Adolescent and Young Adult Program, LA Family Housing (Shelter), LA Family Housing (Food Bank)Principal: Ricardo RomeroCoaches: Ruth Estevez, Martha Galvez

Lou Dantzler Preparatory Charter Elementary School Raised $699.39Granted to: Homeboy Industries, JFS Care Principal: Glenetta PopeCoaches: Reginald Irving, Christine Johnson

School Snap Shots

The USC Penny Harvest program empowers our elementary students to

realize what a difference they can make.

USC’s Penny Harvest fosters scholars’ sense of long-term responsibility

to their communities.

Murchison Street Elementary SchoolRaised $1,546.41Granted to: Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Pasadena Humane Society & SPCAPrincipal: Margarita GutierrezCoach: Patricia Tanita

Resurrection Catholic Elementary SchoolRaised $1,327.41Granted to: Homeboy IndustriesPrincipal: Angelica FigueroaCoaches: Maria Negrete, Rocio Flores

Sheridan Street Elementary SchoolRaised $1,506.63Granted to: Concept 7 Foster Family Agency, Unification of Disabled Latin AmericansPrincipal: Roberto SalazarCoach: Olga Flores

We are developing students of today to be

the leaders of tomorrow.

USC Penny Harvest cultivates lifelong learners and a devoted community of leaders.

Academic involvement

Each semester, undergraduate students from affiliate courses support the USC Penny Harvest by participating in weekly student leader meetings at Penny Harvest elemen-tary schools, engaging in research projects on related civic topics, and planning and developing special events and activities for the Penny Harvest students and schools. The USC students gain hands-on experience in leadership and youth civic engage-ment while also serving as role models for younger Penny Harvest students.

2013-2014 Participating Courses:

Fall 2013Political Science Civic Engagement and Leadership | Professor Ann CriglerPolicy, Planning, and Development | Citizenship and Public Ethics | Professor Melissa Gaeke

Spring 2014Political Science Practicum on Participation and Youth Civic Engagement | Professor Ann CriglerCommunication Civic Engagement | Professor Gerald Tom Goodnight

Common SCents

In Fall 2013, USC undergraduate students founded Common SCents, a USC student or-ganization serving as a supplement to the USC courses involved in the Penny Harvest. Through organizing events and a campus penny drive, Common SCents offers oppor-tunities for USC students to be involved in supporting the Penny Harvest program.

USC Student Involvement

Summer Intensive Training

In July 2013, the USC Penny Harvest team planned and facilitated the first annual Summer Intensive Penny Harvest Coach & Principal Training. Coaches and prin-cipals from our five participating schools engaged in a three-day intensive training and visioning session covering topics of curriculum integration, student leader-ship, community partnerships develop-ment, and whole-school motivation and engagement.

Leadership Academies

USC undergraduate students in affiliate courses planned and hosted two Lead-ership Academies for student leaders of the USC Penny Harvest program, inviting the young leaders onto USC’s campus for fun and educational events to celebrate leadership and service.

The Fall Leadership Academy empha-sized exploring and developing a range of leadership skills, including organizing, teamwork, communication, and persua-sion.

The Spring Leadership Academy led stu-dents through processes of deliberation and decision-making, with the objective of consensus building.

End of Year Picnic

The USC Penny Harvest team proudly hosted an End of Year Picnic to show ap-preciation for all Penny Harvest student leaders, coaches, principals, and their families. The catered picnic, held in Lin-coln Park adjacent to the USC Health Sci-ences Campus, included games, prizes, and a fun reflection of the successful year.

2013-2014 Highlights

The USC Penny Harvest offers an opportunity for schools to incorporate philanthropy and service learning into academic curriculum and youth development initiatives. Through growing the Penny Harvest program in Los Angeles area schools, we hope to establish a legacy of community engagement that strengthens partnerships and innovation in our communities.

2013-2014 USC PENNY HARVEST SCHOOLS

Griffin Avenue Elementary SchoolMurchison Street Elementary School

Lou Dantzler Preparatory Elementary SchoolResurrection Catholic School

Sheridan Street Elementary School

2012-2013 PENNY HARVEST SCHOOLS

Lou Dantzler Preparatory Elementary SchoolSacred Heart Elementary School

TEAM 2013-2014

USC Civic EngagementMelissa Gaeke | Executive Director, Academic Partnerships

Zul Surani | Executive Director, Health Sciences Campus Community PartnershipsAlan Sanchez | Program Specialist, Health Sciences Campus Community Partnerships

Melissa Stephenson | Program Associate, Health Sciences Campus Community PartnershipsAna Arce | Program Associate, Health Sciences Campus Community Partnerships

USC FacultyAnn Crigler | Professor, Department of Political Science

Tom Goodnight | Professor & Director of Doctoral Studies, Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism

Gigi Ragusa | Associate Professor, Viterbi School of Engineering

Looking Ahead

THANKYOU