Describes the MAGIC ME program in which urban middle school students visit and form relationships with the elderly in nursing homes. The importance of meaningful long-term service is demonstrated through anecdotes of the interaction between students and older adults. MAGIC ME has a history of success in many communities. (SLD)

Explores issues related to expanding the roles of rural schools and youth in community development; summarizes literature related to community development and social capital; reports on how three rural Midwest communities built linkages between the school and community; reports on data from a symposium on community-based learning; and addresses…

Reviews studies that defined and measured the effects of quality in early child care and education, and analyzes successful programs to determine common traits. Common characteristics include small class sizes; teacher support for greater teaching effectiveness; long-lasting intervention; ongoing, child-focused communication between home and…

Community-researcher partnerships can be powerful mechanisms to understand and effectively address health and social problems such as HIV/AIDS prevention. When the partnership is a positive, productive one, the combined expertise and energy of both parties result in a more effective program and a better evaluation of its effects. This article…

In too many communities, child care, health care, and other family supports and services are rarely coordinated and are too frequently determined by where families live, their level of income, and their community connections. Policy initiatives at the local, state, and federal level influence how communities are able to develop more…

Statements of several national and state leaders concerning the importance of outdoor recreation begin this report. Methods of financing outdoor recreation by State and Federal agencies, private foundations, and regional and intergovernmental departments are given and briefly discussed. The section on organization and administration is divided…

For several years, physical educators in Marion County, Florida, have been actively illustrating their programs to the community they serve. These demonstrations reflect the variety and diversity of the county's physical education programs. The main objectives for these presentations are: (1) to inform the public; (2) to give exposure to the…

A survey of 30 major U.S. cities indicates a decline in the share of tax dollars for leisure services in the period 1964-74 in nineteen cities and a rise in priority status in eight. Alternate sources of potential funds are investigated. (MJB)

Discusses seven factors that impact upon the establishment/support of recreation/leisure services in rural environments: scale, recreation economics, community customs/traditions, work cycle, program delivery, focus on family, attitudinal variances. Examines how each factor has been used to justify limiting recreational opportunities and provides…

This article describes the youth and culture centers all over France that serve as educational recreation centers for youth and adults. (Text is in French.) (CLK)

With cooperation between a state-supported agency and local merchants, the downtown shopping area of the village of Oak Park was converted into a car-free mall featuring cultural activities. (JD)

This paper explores the implications of an effort to promote service learning in two middle schools in the Palo Alto (California) Unified School District. The schools are grades six through eight with about 1,000 students in each. The paper describes seven service efforts and then analyzes the costs and benefits of these projects. The study…

This book presents a rationale for developing new approaches to conceptualizing the costs associated with the implementation and operation of models supporting comprehensive, community-based support systems (CCBSS) for children. CCBSS are broad-based approaches that have no single model or specification for reform; the configuration of the model…

This volume presents a comprehensive review of current research on the implementation of quality arts programs in U.S. schools, and an indicator of areas that need to be explored, with emphasis on community priorities and initiatives. The 49 quantitative and qualitative reports, articles, and dissertations are divided into five sections: (1) six…