TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Some 50 freshmen in The University of Alabama Honors College, along with 17 student leaders, will be starting school a week early to participate in a community service project at Crestmont Elementary School in Northport Aug. 15-19.

The program is the fifth annual “Alabama Action” project organized and carried out by UA honors students to benefit the West Alabama community.

Students will spend the week doing a variety of projects at the school, including painting a mural in the main hallway; building an amphitheater in one of the school’s courtyards; helping set up a community library for adults; painting the outdoor basketball courts; crafting a mosaic basin for the school’s goldfish pond; cleaning and sprucing up the computer lab; and constructing a toy box for the kindergarten playground. The UA students will also mentor 3rd-5th grade students at the school, focusing on morale-building lessons.

“Alabama Action not only fosters academic growth, but it introduces the incoming freshmen to their new community while creating strong bonds with the other freshmen and the student leaders. Alabama Action leaves the students with a positive outlook on service and incredible relationships that will carry over into their next four years at the Capstone,” said UA honors student Allie Esslinger of Huntsville, who is director of this year’s project and a senior majoring in international relations.

The UA students will be at the school to eat lunch with the Crestmont students at 11:30 a.m. each day, followed by classroom mentoring time, with the work projects beginning at 1:30 p.m.

The UA freshmen will also begin their college academic careers by earning one hour of honors class credit by attending a series of lectures, keeping journals and doing assigned readings during the week. The coursework will focus on the importance of volunteering and understanding issues related to poverty.

Speakers will include several counselors from the Tuscaloosa Family Resource Center; Shelley Hancock, instructor in UA’s department of human nutrition and hospitality management; Jacqueline Morgan, assistant director of admissions for alumni and volunteer recruitment at UA; Star Bloom, a local activist and philanthropist; and Stephen Black, founder and president of IMPACT-an Alabama student service initiative.

Freshmen in this year’s program come from Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia.

“Alabama Action” began in 2001 as the idea of UA honors student Kana Ellis of Northport. Ellis, who was later named Honors Student of the Year by the National Collegiate Honors Council and a member of USA Today’s 2003 All-USA College Academic Team, led 15 freshmen in renovating the Eutaw Boys & Girls Club. The student service project has focused on Holt Elementary, Matthews Elementary, and Northington Elementary Schools in Tuscaloosa in subsequent years.