Journal of Adventist Education

Issue:     Summer of 1999

Title:       Profiles of Excellence: Extraordinary Practices

              Upper Columbia Academy’s Outreach Program

              (HOPE Task Force: Helping Other People Everywhere)

Author:   Cheri Corder

History

As was true for many academies in the late 80’s and early 90’s, Upper Columbia Academy’s morale was low, enrollment was continuing to decline and finances were bleak. The conference and academy administrations committed themselves to a serious study of the Spirit of Prophecy guidelines for education and made several major changes.

One of them took place in the spring of 1993 when the UCA faculty took a bold step of faith and voted unanimously to make a meaningful community service program a part of the UCA curriculum. They were taking to heart the Spirit of Prophecy council that "Whenever possible, students should...do missionary work in the surrounding towns and villages... If a missionary spirit is encouraged, even if it takes some hours from the program of regular study, much of Heaven’s blessing will be given." Christian Service, page 65.

The plan was to devote six full school days each year to community service. All classes and activities would be suspended so that every student and faculty member could be involved with a project. The school would provide whatever supplies and equipment would be needed for each project and would rent vans when necessary to provide adequate transportation.

But to line up enough projects to keep 350-plus people productive with clearly defined job descriptions, equipment and supplies, transportation and supervision would take more time than anybody on campus even dreamed of having.

To clean homes and yards and cemeteries, to paint an inner city church’s mothers’ room and to provide craft activities for the mentally ill would require more than enthusiasm. It would all cost money.

Faith first came into action when the board committed to the expenditures of a half time salary and the necessary budget for purchasing supplies and renting vans. Linnea Torkelsen, the program’s pioneering director, started calling everyone she could dream of and lined up eighteen projects for the first HOPE Task Force service day.

Nature of the Projects

The nature of the four-hour projects is as varied as life itself. On any given service day, one group may be in their grubbies, mucking out a sheep barn while another is in banquet dresses or tuxes and serving hors d’erves at an elegant charity fund raiser. Some students may be helping take inventory at the local food bank while others are taking Humane Society animals through a nursing home for the elderly to enjoy.

Sometimes the people we help are very close to us, such as a neighbor or even a member of the campus family, but not usually. Sometimes we help people directly and sometimes we work with other organizations who help people. Sometimes they share our faith and sometimes they don’t. We are careful about including school and faculty unless they can clearly be tied to a specific need that would not normally be met through the campus maintenance program.

Occasionally, the projects involve overt witnessing, such as when students go door to door inviting people to attend evangelistic meetings or when they randomly pass out Happiness Digest (Steps to Christ) on street corners.

How it Works

With community service being considered central to the school mission statement and is a vital part of the curriculum, attendance is required. Requests to be absent are processed by Ad Council and students who miss the regularly scheduled service day make it up.

Several days ahead of time, the students are invited to sign up for a project that interests them. Currently, there are generally between 25 to 35 to choose from. Students who do not sign up (only about five percent) are assigned to a project.

Faculty Response

Five years have gone by now since HOPE Task Force was initiated. A well established program can sometimes lose its purity of purpose and the passion can wane, especially when the pioneering director has turned the reins over to someone new and when some of the faculty who voted to initiate the program are no longer on campus. Nevertheless, HOPE Task Force continues to thrive. Why?

The faculty believe in this program.

"It changes the students and it changes our relationships with them," says Gayle Haeger, who teaches Biology. "So much of school is books and campus directed, but when they get out in the community, they see that they really can make a difference in the world. And when we go out to do that together, I’m less of an authority figure and we’re more of a team. It gives my relationships with them a whole new dimension."

"Most of the kids don’t have a clue what the world is really like," adds Gary Thayer, Chemistry teacher. "This gives them a chance to see the kind of struggles people go through. When they put together ten thousand Thanksgiving food baskets at the Salvation Army, they are astonished at how many people need that kind of help. When they help build houses for Habitat for Humanity, they say, ‘Wow. This is just a tiny little house yet someone will be really happy to live here.’ It’s good for them."

"It’s been good for our school," says Principal Larry Marsh. "It’s been a key factor in turning our school into the strong, dynamic academy it is today. Morale is high, enrollment continues at record highs and finances are stable.

"We want to do more than give our students information. We want to shape their lifestyle into one of service. As we have sought to follow the Lord’s council on this, He has blessed us."

Community Feedback

Predictably, the community reaction is extremely positive.

"I wish the public schools would do something like this!" said the cemetery historian after a HOPE crew had cleared an overgrown cemetery and won her heart. "This program is wonderful!"

In many cases, a witnessing opportunity does develop. "I don’t care much for the different religions," says the owner/director of Cat Tales Zoological Center for Endangered cats. "I’m pretty impressed with the Adventists, though. I used to have a lot of volunteer groups coming through here, but these students are the only ones I’ll let come anymore. I know they’ll do what they say they’ll do and they’ll work hard."

An elderly woman who was frequently visited by HOPE Task Force teams were also very impressed with the students. She told them, "If I weren’t so old, I’d join your church."

Student Reactions

Just as there are students who don’t like algebra and don’t think it should be included in the required curriculum, there are those who fuss about required community service. Most of them, however, respond very positively.

"It helped me feel better about myself and my future."

"It made me appreciate what I have."

"I would be more willing now to go out to people and help them."

"I never knew there were so many organizations out there that really care about people and are so willing to be involved."

"Doing community service has given me a chance to actually see the kinds of things that need to be done in the world. It’s helped me want to make a difference in other people’s lives and show them there are people who really do care."

"I want to do something like this at home... to get something started there."

Conclusion

Along with the HOPE Task Force program, there are other opportunities for students to be involved in witnessing and service:

A group that goes into Spokane to feed the hungry every Tuesday night.

Numerous weekly small group Bible studies meet in faculty homes, in the dorms and in the community, many with student leaders.

The ASB Christmas party traditionally hosts as many as eighty disadvantaged children who are paired with students who provide gifts and companionship for the evening.

"Preaching groups" go out to area churches where several students each take a portion of the sermon.

Mission trips are strongly encouraged and this last year, one third of the student body participated in one.

Even next year’s Junior/Senior Bible class options include a very practical one called "Sharing Your Faith".

With all of these programs combined, UCA students and staff donate over 12,000 hours every year to community service.

Christian education is more than adding a Bible class to a student’s schedule. HOPE Task Force is the strongest reflection of UCA’s philosophy that effective, complete Christian education provides students with the witnessing opportunities and service experiences that will make sharing their faith and helping others a natural, permanent lifestyle.

If you’re interested in learning more about HOPE Task Force or doing some service yourself, try reading Linnea Torkelsen’s book Who Cares? Written by the original director of HOPE Task Force and based on UCA’s community service experiences, it’s full of creative service ideas for individuals or groups. To order, call Advent Source at 1-800-328-0525