Participation in a Bible study with Eastown Ministries, coaching a basketball team, and working with the Eastown Community Association are also various service activities the students in Project Neighborhood have been associated with. Boman said he was drawn to the program because he plans on working with at-risk youth. He plans on staying in the Project Neighborhood house until his graduation in 2001 at this point, which is currently allowed by the program. There is no limit to the duration that students reside at the home, although the program coordinators encourage residents to continue their stay for at least one academic year. The Osterinks recently notified Calvin that they are planning on taking the summer off, and then continuing mentoring for one more year.
People matter more than programs.
In addition to the required minimum of 5-10 service hours, residents participate in a seminar each semester through the Sociology department worth one credit hour. Rhonda Berg, director of the Service Learning Center and member of the Executive Committee, will conduct this semester's seminar around the topic of service learning and increasing the depth of understanding students have of the people and diversity in their community. Previous seminars were taught by Cooper and Mary Zwaanstra. The Student Learning Center is also sponsoring the group's spring break trip to Jackson, Miss., where they will help work on a youth center there through the Christian Community Development Association. The group also holds weekly meetings that last about three hours in which they discuss concerns and ideas, as well as meal plans and who will buy groceries for the week, said Osterink.