Volunteers will assist schools on M.L. King Day of Service

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. -- As a service to the community and to observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 21, Northeastern State University students, faculty and staff will volunteer for duties at Tahlequah Public Schools.

Volunteers from Northeastern will visit Sequoyah, Greenwood, Cherokee and Heritage elementary schools, Tahlequah Middle School and Tahlequah High School.

"The Martin Luther King Day of Service presents a unique opportunity for the NSU community to celebrate and show tribute to an incredible leader and man of service," said Chris Adney, director of student activities. It will be a rewarding experience for the volunteers involved and an extremely beneficial event for all schools receiving assistance."

The volunteer effort is a collaboration between the American Democracy Project at NSU and the Division of Student Affairs. It is also part of Be the Change Week at Northeastern, which will honor Gloria Steinem on Tuesday, the Greensboro Four on Wednesday and Wilma Mankiller on Thursday.

Barbara Fuller, instructor of educational foundations and leadership and chair of the American Democracy Project, is a coordinator of the event and solicited work requests from teachers and administrators.

"As always, we are receiving a lot of job requests from the teachers," she said. "Volunteers can expect tasks such as laminating, leveling classroom books, cleaning classrooms and creating about 500 starter baskets for the Native American culture classes."

During previous Days of Service, NSU has provided many of the supplies to complete the projects. Fuller said most materials will be provided by Tahlequah Public Schools in anticipation of this year's event.

"The schools' assistance is very helpful to us and we will get the projects done," she said. "We always do."

More than 500 NSU volunteers took part in the 2012 Day of Service, and Fuller said she expects a similar turnout this year.

"The first couple of years I stressed over whether we would have the numbers," she said. "Not this year. We get the most applicants the Friday before the Day of Service, probably because they are more certain of their schedules. That is fine with us we just want everyone to volunteer."

NSU-Broken Arrow will also participate with students, faculty and participating in the annual Martin Luther King Commemorative Parade and Rally in Tulsa at 11 a.m. The parade will begin at Oklahoma State University-Tulsa, travel through the Greenwood District and end at ONEOK Field.

The on-site day of service for NSUBA will focus on Leisure Park Elementary, a Broken Arrow Public School. Participants will assist the school in painting walls, organizing books and supplies for the faculty and conducting light grounds work if needed.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service is part of United We Serve, President Obama's national call-to-service initiative. NSU will join organizations and groups across the U.S. to serve their communities.

Classes are closed on Martin Luther King Day and NSU is encouraging volunteerism among students, faculty and staff.

Participants meet at 9 a.m. in the University Center Herb Rozell Ballroom. Service shifts are 9:30 a.m. 3 p.m. and all participants receive a free T-shirt.

Applications are available and must be returned to the Office of Student Activities in the UC basement. For more information call 918-444-2120.