A SERVANT’S HEART - 2016-17 NDCL Service Reflection

“…We are all confirmed in the faith; each one is helped in his or her belief, because we see the faith visibly expressed in practical acts of charity. We see how faith brings light and hope in situations of grave hardship; we observe how faith is rekindled in hearts touched by the Spirit of Jesus who said, ‘Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me’ (Mark9:37). This faith, working through charity, dislodges the mountains of indifference, of disbelief and of apathy, and opens hands and hearts to work for what is good...”–Pope Francis

Essential Question: How can I inspire others through my service?

As faithful members of the Church, we are called to service. As members of the NDCL community, we are called to bring “light and hope” not only to our world, but to our school. This project asks you to do just that.

In this task, you will create a visual that helps others reflect on your experience of service this year so that they may be inspired. You will share the visual, and the narrative that goes with it, with classmates in your Theology class. They are your audience.

What can I create to meet this challenge? Here are just a few of types of ORIGINAL visuals you may want to create:

  • A collage or word cloud
  • An drawing or painting
  • A visual presentation, such as a Powerpoint, Prezi, or Sway
  • A short video
  • A performance, such as a song or a poem reading

Please note: Larger files will be difficult to share, so it may be necessary to upload some projects to YouTube and provide a link.

You need to explain your visual, either by using written reflections or by including a narrative voiceover that addresses these questions:

  • What service did I perform?
  • What was a moment of inspiration that touched my heart?
  • What do I want others to know about that experience so that they can be inspired to action?

These visuals must be accessible via Blackboard, so you will need to consider how to share them electronically (perhaps taking a picture of a painting, for instance).There will bean example on the NDCL website soon (Catholic Identity/Campus Ministry/Service/Reflection Sampleto view).

Your creation will be scored by your Theology teacher and will be an achievement grade, but like everything to do with service this year, you are partners with Campus Ministry. Miss Reed and Mrs. Davis will be happy to help you – visit them in the Campus Ministry Center. [There is a Rubric for the assessment. Your teacher will distribute.]

Frequently Asked Questions

I want to create a Powerpointor Prezi,but I’d rather do the narrative piece as a voiceover. What should I do?

Several programs, called screencasters, allow you to make a digital recording of computer screen output. Many include the features of allowing you to record your voice as you do so. Generally, the recording can then be converted to a program that can be uploaded to YouTube. Some popular programs for NDCL students include:

  • QuickTime (for Macs only)
  • Screen-cast-o-matic
  • Google Hangout

I would like to create an original piece of art for this project. How can I share it?

You may work on an original piece of work. Then, take a picture of that artwork. What you will share will be the picture of the piece. Then, you have the option of using screen casting software or writing a narrative to explain how your piece captures the inspiration of the experience. Again, uploading to YouTube and linking to that video will make it easy to share your project.

Does a visual include a recording of my performing a song, poem or other creation?

Absolutely, but please make sure that you explain how this creation/performance connects to your experience serving others and addresses the essential question: How can I inspire others through my service? This can be done through a written explanation that accompanies the video of the performance, or a voiceover that is included in the recording. Again, uploading to YouTube and linking to that video will make it easy to share your project.

Do I have to include a voice-over or other audio in my project?

No, you do not have to include audio with your project, but remember that inspiring others is important. You could write your narrative out as part of the presentation. Some interesting, student-friendly apps creating dynamic presentations that won’t need voice overs include:

  • Powtoons (easy animation)
  • Animoto (easy animation)
  • Haiku Deck(dynamic slides)
  • Emaze (dynamic slides)
  • Piktochart (infographics)
  • Easel.ly(infographics)