Central Lakes College on Wed., April 20 celebrated its service learning and civic engagement mission by acknowledging a number of projects and partnerships with community collaborators. A lunch-hour ceremony was held in the Brainerd campus cafeteria during Earth Day. Rebecca Best, dean of workforce, economic and regional development, thanked students and staff who volunteer to make a difference in the lives of their friends and neighbors. Civic Engagement and Service Learning are strategic priorities at Central Lakes College. Activities that provide students with hands-on learning can make a significant contribution to our region by producing good citizens and future leaders. In 2010 alone hundreds of CLC students, faculty, and staff amassed nearly 40,000 hours in service projects, earning Central Lakes College national recognition on the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll along with colleges such as Carleton, Hamline, and St. Olaf.