BOONE, N.C. — As spring semester kicks off at Appalachian State University, more than 200 students gear up for the university’s annual MLK Challenge. Organized by Appalachian and the Community Together (ACT) office, the MLK Challenge is an all-day philanthropy event that takes place throughout the community.
While helping some 20 community organizations, students develop new skills, connect with others and get involved on campus. It’s a chance for students to get outside their comfort zones, Associate Director of Student Programs Kate Johnson has said.
Appalachian students gather at Legends at 8 a.m. for a day of fellowship, service and education. The MLK Challenge begins with an Opening Ceremony. Then, students divide into groups of about 10 people. Each group is assigned a challenge – a task to complete by the end of the day that will benefit an organization or individual in Boone.
The revitalization of downtown Boone’s Appalachian Theatre benefitted from student volunteers during 2015’s MLK Challenge.
No job is too small during Appalachian State University’s MLK Challenge, a day of service and education in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.
Challenges might be cleaning out animal cages at the Blue Ridge Wildlife Institute or painting for a local organization such as the Children’s Playhouse, explained Rachel Ertl, a senior at Appalachian and co-chair of the ACT office.
“Challenges are a way to engage our students with the Boone community. A lot of education takes place just by letting people know about the cool things our community does,” Ertl said.
Make a difference through service
Service is highly valued here at Appalachian, and the MLK Challenge is one of ACT’s and the university’s largest philanthropy events. ACT fuels students’ passion for making a difference by providing opportunities such as the MLK Challenge for community service and service-learning. In the past 10 years, ACT has contributed more than $21.7 million of value to the community, using the $23.07 per hour national standard for volunteer time, according to the ACT office.
Created by Jenny Koehn in 1999, the MLK Challenge has grown exponentially. The ACT office strives to recognize King not only for his work with the civil rights movement, but for his overall message of social justice, Koehn has said.
Students clean furniture at the Hospitality House, the area’s homeless shelter and transition facility. It is among many local non-profits where Appalachian students volunteer their time or participate in service-learning opportunities.
Through community service, students learn about hunger, poverty, at-risk youth and other issues affecting Watauga County. Here, volunteers split wood at Hunger and Health Coalition, which operates the Helping Hands Wood Lot with a local church to provide firewood to local residents in need.
Social justice is a popular and important movement at Appalachian, so the teachings and celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. are relevant on campus. The MLK Challenge is a way to promote social justice while giving back to the community. After completing their challenges, groups return to Legends to participate in a group reflection about social justice issues encountered throughout the day, Ertl said.
“Issues range from animal cruelty to poverty, hunger and at-risk youth,” Ertl said. “Believe it or not, these things are all very prevalent in our community. We honor Dr. King not by having a day off from school, but by having a day of service and education.”
Want to get involved?
Students register for participation in the MLK Challenge through ACT’s webpage. ACT offers plenty of other volunteer opportunities throughout the year, as well. Check them out here.
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About Appalachian State University
As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.
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