I guess there are two tactics--one is trying to help the community-at-large and the other is affecting the one you live in. We established a gifted organization several years ago and get guest speakers (about 4/yr), write newsletters (3/yr), send out emails about legislation or programs/events in town, helped sponsor & organize poetry contest & spelling bee, and coordinate city-wide science festival annually. The festival is a huge undertaking. Sadly, we've never gotten a website together, even though it's been one of my goals forever.
It may sound all good, but I'm getting tired of it because it's so much work and very few people help. I always tell DH, "I'm not doing it again next year"...but I always do because I fear no one else will do it and I still have a couple younger kids.
Anyway, I prefer effecting change that directly affects my kids (a little selfish, but then I don't resent people for not helping). The Math Club at the middle school has been terrific. Science Olympiad competition, too. I'm getting the high school to participate in the National Financial Knowledge Challenge and AMC10/12. I asked DS7's teacher if his class could go on a big field trip--and then helped organize it, and they're already planning another one in the spring. I'll help organize field trips and service learning for the middle school too, because the teachers don't have enough time to do it and it'll never happen otherwise. There are so many organizations, businesses and individuals out there who are willing to do outreach for schools/classes (for Free!) that sometimes all it takes is someone to arrange it. The zoo will come and teach taxonomy, Game & Fish will do dissections, state parks will talk wildlife/water quality, some state-funded museums will do free education classes/crafts, department of health, BLM, power/electric company, or professionals (we had oil/gas guys talk geology) or retired persons (teach crochet, holocaust survivor talks, ballroom dancing). It's overwhelming how much is out there and could be tapped into.
I know I got off topic, JBDad. Sorry. If you are great with computers and you lived here, I'd see if you could teach a technology workshop (and I maybe I'd find a grant to pay you) like video game design, computer animation, digital photo editing, newsletters, websites. I try to find a summer institute for the middle school kids for 1 or 2 weeks that gives them a fun learning opportunity. This year we'll try robotics (I hope--it's still in the planning) but last yr we did technology.
