"I write because  I don't know what I think until I read what I say."
Flannery O'Connor 1925 - 1964

       Students in Ethics have the opportunity to participate in a service learning project.
  
     Each semester I invite Dr. Wayne Silver,  President of the Board of American Friends of Kenya (AFK) to introduce students to AFK.  We recommend that service learning students dedicate 10- 15 hours of time  and then write a reflective paper on the learning experience. 

     Service learning is distinct from  "service" in that learning related to the classroom topic is garnered and  then documented via written work.  ===================================================================================
Reflective Paper:

Mandatory Components:

• First of all, your project must be approved by Dr. Wayne Silver wasilver@snet.net . He will see to it that you receive the necessary learning component.

• Your paper must specify what service  you have done and how many hours you have volunteered.

• Relate your service learning project to ethical theories we have studied.  Prove to me that you understand how individuals holding differing ethical beliefs would look upon your work and the work of the organization: Kantians, Egoists, Divine Command followers, Utilitarians, Feminist Ethics; Social Justice, and  Virtue Ethicists.

• Read and reflect upon the organization's mission statement  & relate how it is practiced & carried out in relation to ethical theories we have studied.

• Reflect on how the organization makes its ethical decisions  (utilitarian, greatest good for greatest number; Kantian, utmost respect for each; Egoism, what's in it for me...)

Other items that can be included at your discretion

•  Reflect upon the (transformative) effect working on this project has had for you personally.

• Look at the mission statement and comment as to how it divides the limited resources amongst great financial need.  For example, the AFK mission statement is " We are partners with the people of Kenya in building a better tomorrow."

• Observe the ethics that drive the organization's decisions and comment on this.

• Comment upon the view of the TRCC administration that along with receiving an education comes the responsibility to give back to the community. A significant part of your fees is paid for by taxpayers and college benefactors.

• Comment on the ethical effect this  experience has had on you. According to Virtue Ethics, what we do contributes to making us the type of person we are.  Has this project contributed toward making you the type of person you want to be? Was this a positive experience for you? Why?

•  If an egoist approached you and said you did all this work for self-glory, would you be able to explain to refute his claim. Review my egoism lecture.

• Comment on how the organization responds to individuals that do not support their cause or who question their cause, or who do not at all agree with their cause, or with the distribution of goods in the organization.

• Do you believe involving yourself in service learning has been a more meaningful activity than writing a traditional research project & why? 

• Will you continue with this organization? Why or why not?

• Do you believe you have learned a lot from your experience, more than you would have learned from a traditional research paper?

• Any recommendations for next semester?

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Regarding Project:

Being a part of this project and being a student at TRCC, I am reminded that I am part of a community. It is called the human community, and we are all members. Nicole F.

I am proud to be a part of this project and for me will be more meaningful than writing a research paper. Sue C.

It's giving me a chance to work with some very talented and caring students and teachers Sue C.

Even having to write this paper, I feel very lucky to be involved with AFK. And for next semester, I wouldn't change a thing.  Sue C.

Everybody wants to do something good, but how often do we follow through?  Sue C.

After doing this project I feel better about myself and my assistance with making the world a better place. Heather D.

As to why I have chosen to do this is to be honest is that I really liked the opportunity to give something back to others who have not had the luck of being born in a prosperous country. Earl T.

 I have had a great time so far in working with American Friends of Kenya and I am looking forward in spending a lot more of my time with them in helping build a better tomorrow for the people of Kenya. John L.

In the beginning I was sold on the idea that working on a volunteering project would teach me something that I could not learn from opening a book or reading a webpage in order to write a paper....This project has provided a totally unique challenge, one that I was not expecting to enjoy so much. Nicole F.

When I first decided to do volunteering work instead of a traditional paper, I was very  worried that there was little that I personally could contribute to help. But Earl's idea to throw a benefit concert really jumped right into where my skills are. Nicole F.

I know all this work that I am doing not only benefits  the children of Kenya but my family can enjoy my hard work also. Nicole F.

I realized why this project was going to teach me more than any research project ever could. This project humanized my subject; I was not writing a paper about a theory or an event that happened a thousand years ago. I was working to produce a benefit that would affect the lives of a number of people tomorrow. Nicole F.

By  taking part in this benefit I have been given the chance to show others that we should show compassion to all no matter who they are. Nicole F.

I am proud to be a part of this project and for me will be more meaningful than writing a research people. It's giving me a chance to work with some very talented and carding students and teachers.   I've seen firsthand how much time and devotion it takes for these organizations and it astounds me the length these people go to for others.   Sue C.

    This project gave me insight I could never have gained from doing a formal research paper. It also fostered relationships that I hope to continue in the future. If an egoist proclaimed all this was for self-glory, they would probably be right. I did gain from this, but that was not my primary motive.   Heather D.

Working with American Friends of Kenya helped me feel good about myself and the work I was doing. John L

  Working with American Friends of Kenya has truly been a great learning experience. Also, this experience has been much more meaningful to me then writing a traditional research paper. This reason I believe this to be true is that this has been a totally hands on learning experience. The fault I find in writing a traditional research paper is that you do not really gain anything from that experience except a grade. In working with American Friends of Kenya I have gained a lot of information but more then that I’ve seen how my efforts and the efforts of the organization can and have really impacted the lives of others. It’s a truly gratifying experience to know that the work you have done was for a just cause and not just to pass a college course.  John L.

Everybody wans to do something good, but how often do we follow through?   Sue C.

Even having to write this paper, I feel very lucky to be involved with AFK. And for next semester, I wouldn't change a thing. Sue C.

My interest in the work of the AFK started the evening Mr. Wayne Silver spoke to our Ethics class.  Until then, I had never heard of the AFK.  Lori F.

Since getting involved with the benefit concert, I have decided there is much more I would like to do with the AFK. I have adopted the work of the AFK as my own cause and I look forward to continue working with Mr. & Mrs. Silver..  Lori F.

I agree with our TRCC's stance on giving back. Lori F.

My life is overall quite pleasant. For this liberty, I feel an obligation to help others that, through no fault of their own, may not have been as fortunate as I. Lori F.

After my experience with the shelter, I now feel we have successfully “rescued” some of society’s unvalued members. I witnessed animals that had been tied to a tree for most of their life and completely neglected by their owners, who somehow still had love for humans without bearing a grudge.  Heather D.

Luckily for  me, i was given the opportunity to work with a group of individuals to help make a difference i  the world. Together with a few of my Klll Ethics classmates, and a couple of wonderful individuals, I am working to make a difference in people's lives.   Nicole F.

Holding true to the AFK's mission statement, "We are partners with the people of Kenya in building a better tomorrow," I have set about trying to achieve this goal.

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Regarding Ethical Theories

A goal of utilitarianism is to guide people's actions to produce a better world. For a small donation, people can be entertained by music, clowns, and puppeteers which can create pleasure and happiness, and in turn bring great joy to thousands of people in Kenya. Sue C.

It is easy to see a bit of the utilitarian principle...they really must choose the areas where they can help and do the most they can there, to benefit the most people they can with the resources they have. To do this, their goal is to help the Kenyan people end the devastating cycle of poverty through literacy and education. They work to get them the resources to educate themselves on their health, job skills, literacy, and building a better community for their people. Lori F.

I agree with Kant in that "each person is of worth simply because he exists."  Lori.

My own Virtue Ethics wold have me act accordingly because helping the most I can does help me to be the person I wish to be.  Lori F.

  While many people disagree on the extent to which animals have rights, it is very clear humans have a dependency on animals. Animals provide humans with pleasure, comfort, security, work, food, clothing, as well as many others. While some animals have instrumental value, such as an ox assisting with a farm, a cat has intrinsic value in and of itself.  Heather D

Regarding Honesty: The volunteers need to be completely honest in regard to behaviors the animal may have, even though this may delay or possibly prevent adoption. A volunteer may think they are “helping” the animal by not divulging such information such as nipping or jumping, but they are actually doing harm to the animal and potential owner.  Heather D

Jeremy Bentham believed to know the ethical status of animals, we need not ask if they speak, but only whether or not they can suffer. There is a 10-day waiting period in which the owner has a chance to reclaim their pet before it is eligible to be adopted. If an animal is found injured and needs surgery, Tom needs to make a quick decision. One such instance happened when a weimeramer was found hit and needed $3000 worth of surgery, the allotted amount for the entire year in the shelter’s budget. The vet attempted to keep the dog comfortable, hoping the owner would come forward. After 3 days the bones began to set, and the dog was going to need the surgery to maintain quality of life. Through Stand up for Animals and private donations, the dog was able to get the needed surgery. Unfortunately, the owner never came forth to claim the dog but he was adopted by someone in the community.   Heather D

            Working with American Friends of Kenya has also made me look at myself and my virtues. Virtue ethics looks at how we ought to be instead of looking at what we ought to do. Virtue ethics is more concerned with the traits of character that make a person good or bad. Virtue ethics looks at what a person wants to be and what matters to them, how they live everyday, how they treat others, and how honest they are. Working with AFK has shown me some of the virtues I hold. It has helped me to understand that I carry along some really good values and morals. More importantly though than just carrying those ideas and beliefs along with me through doing this work I have done something about them and acted on them. It has also helped me in many ways be the person I want to be. I realize now just how important it is to me to help others even if they are people living in another country on another continent. It has also shown me how much learning and investing in what I have learned is important to me and hopefully to the people around me. Also, I learned that just living a moral life and determining what my ideals are is something I hold to be valuable and how important it is to embody those ideals.John

Kant:  If a Kantian was to look at the work I’ve done and the work of the organization American Friends of Kenya as a whole they would probably be overjoyed. They would be grateful that the target audience of the organization AFK are people in need and even though they are from a foreign nation they are still an interest to people because they are in desperate need of help. Also, a Kantian would be happy with the fact that even though these people are from a third world nation we as members of the AFK organization still treat them with the utmost fairness, dignity, and respect. We do not look down on them or their situation, instead we look at them as equals who have fallen on hard times and wish to do our best to treat them and help them in any possible way that we can. A Kantian would also be pleased with the fact that in doing this type of work we are not breaking any rules or laws.