10,000 Hour Community Service Challenge 2010-11

As part of our theme, The Butterfly Effect: How What We Do Affects our Community and our World, QEP issued a challenge to the Piedmont family to perform 10,000 hours of community service within the 2010-11 school year. Students, faculty, staff, and alumni all contributed toward this goal. The challenge was a HUGE success!

We set our sights on 10,000 and the Piedmont Community volunteered 12,400!

Continued Service

Because of the success in 2010-11, Piedmont College is encouraging a tradition of community service for students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Research shows gains in critical thinking ability when involved in volunteer work.

Imagining the Future Competition

In an ultimate challenge of critical thinking, students have the opportunity to propose a solution to a problem in the local community. Working in teams, students research the issues and develop a solution based on their analysis and discussion with local contacts. Winning teams receive $350 to implement their solution as well as $200 - $400 in prize money.

2009 Winners:

Freshmen Early Childhood Education Majors (Demorest): Benefit fashion show and dance for American Cancer Society

Jasmin Severino & Nallie Xiong (Athens): Student versus faculty basketball fundraiser to benefit the Athens Area Homeless Shelter

Melissa Gallegos and Phillip Ayers (Demorest): Develop a chemical magic demonstration program to increase student interest and comprehension in science.

2008 Winners:

Sophia Momin & Courtney Brooks (Athens): Mentoring at-risk 8th grade girls at Clarke County Middle School

Joan Sims & Brooke Schermerhorn (Demorest): Work with Mountain Hand Spinners Guild to establish a self-sustaining project that empowers women in rural Kenya