The American Way to Change: How National Service and Volunteers Are Transforming America
Praise for The American Way to Change\ "The stories of everyday people changing the nation through service come to life in this book. Shirley Sagawa has been at the center of service policy for two decades, and if we follow the blueprint she offers, together we can solve the pressing problems of our day."\ —Alan Khazei, founder, Be the Change, Inc., and co-founder, City Year\ "We are at a critical moment when real change is needed. Service can play a central role in that transformation, and...
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What if our nation were able to capitalize on the energy of Americans willing to serve and volunteer for a year or more? The American Way to Change offers a compelling vision of national service that clearly illustrates what this means for our country. Throughout the book, Shirley Sagawa (a leading expert on the topic) profiles real people who have performed national service, examines the organizations they have worked with, and reveals the often profound impact these local heroes have made through their efforts. Using powerful stories of transformation, the book shows how anyone can change their community through service. The book highlights dedicated people such as Washington D.C. public school chancellor Michelle Rhee who began her career as a Teach For America corpsmember, teaching in an inner city school in Baltimore. She went on to found the New Teacher Project, which has placed thousands of teachers in difficult-to-fill jobs and sparked important reforms in teacher hiring. She is a nationally recognized school system leader, pursuing reforms once thought impossible in a large city district. America could be transformed if programs like the New Teacher Project operated at scale—not just in one or two neighborhoods, but wherever they are needed. Filled with illustrative examples and key lessons, the book describes how to achieve change through action at the community and organizational level and shows how service programs can tackle a variety of issues. The American Way to Change speaks to ordinary citizens who want to make a difference and offers a clear road map for achieving extraordinary results.
Foreword. Prologue. Preface. Acknowledgments. About the Author. 1. Introduction. About This Book. Part I: Changing Lives: Impacts on Those Who Serve. 2. Powering Life Transitions. Transition to the Teen Years. Transition to Productive Adulthood. Transition from College to Career. Transition from Career to Retirement. Transition from Crisis to Coping. Potential for Transformation. 3. Strengthening Civic Engagement. Service and Civic Engagement. How Service Helps. Political Activism. Potential for Transformation. Part II: Tackling Tough Problems: Impacts on Others. 4. Advancing Education. Early Childhood Development. Elementary and Secondary Education. Potential for Transformation. 5. Improving Health and Well-Being. Health. Aging. Potential for Transformation. 6. Helping People and Communities in Distress. Poverty. Disaster. Potential for Transformation. 7. Protecting the Environment. Conserving Energy. Protecting the Environment. Potential for Transformation. 8. Inspiring and Sustaining Innovative Solutions. Service and Social Innovation. Today's Innovators. Service Alumni Entrepreneurs. Potential for Transformation. 9. What You Can Do. Individuals. Groups. Nonprofit Organizations. Educators. Business. Media and Entertainment. Philanthropy. Locally Elected Officials. State Policymakers. Federal Policymakers. Potential for Transformation. 10. Conclusion. Appendix: High-Impact Service Programs. Notes. Index.
