While some slept in on MLK Day, more than 1,000 college students in Portland, Oregon answered Martin Luther King, Jr.’s (MLK) call to serve. Through Oregon Campus Compact, nine universities and colleges along with community partners engaged in the largest mobilization of college students in the country. For these students, MLK Day was “a day on, not a day off.”

The day focused on education as a civil right with service projects at Roosevelt High School, a North Portland school on the rise.

In 2009, Roosevelt’s graduation rate was just 39%. However, in 2011, the graduation rate increased to 88% (Portland Tribune). By embracing dynamic leadership, rallying the community, providing wrap-around services to students, and increasing support for teachers, Roosevelt has gained double-digit achievements in reading and math, decreased disciplinary referrals by 28%, and become one of the best public schools in Portland (Working in the Nation’s Lowest-Performing Schools: A Progress Report).

To celebrate these accomplishments and to continue building momentum, college students served to inspire further academic success as well as to participate in deep personal reflection around service.

“The vision for the day is to join our institutions together to reflect on and learn about the life of King, as well as show the Portland metro area that college students really care about our community by serving its people,” said Warner Pacific College President Andrea Cook. “All of our colleges and universities have great service initiatives and service days. However, this is an exciting opportunity to unite as institutions of higher education and be a part of something bigger than each individual campus.”

The power of bringing campuses together is significant. The economic impact of students’ service was over $70,000 for the North Portland community. Additionally, students enjoyed the opportunity to meet students from other schools and over one third said their experience on MLK Day would increase their service throughout the year.

Service projects included:

Facilities Work Inside the school students completed painting projects, cleaned hallways and classrooms, and repainted fireboxes. Outside the school students raked leaves and spruced up landscaping.

Oral Histories To raise awareness of social injustices in the Portland area, Roosevelt has been documenting the work of those who have fought to correct inequities. To continue this work college students documented the stories of local community members, which will be compiled into a book that Roosevelt will use as an archive of leadership stories and fundraiser for their student’s tour of historically black universities and colleges in the south.

Sign Making Students created colorful signs of encouragement and support to celebrate Roosevelt’s graduation momentum and to acknowledge the school’s incredible progress over the past year. Over 900 signs were placed on individual lockers.

2012 MLK Day partners: Concordia University, Corporation for National and Community Service, George Fox University, Hands On Greater Portland, Lewis and Clark College, Mt. Hood Community College, Portland Community College, Portland State University, Reed College, Roosevelt High School, United Way of the Columbia-Willamette, University of Portland, and Warner Pacific College