Each time a student enters the APPLES Service-Learning Program at UNC, the semester-long experience opens their eyes to the realities of their chosen field. APPLES stands for Assisting People in Planning Learning Experiences in Service.

Tuesday morning, supporters met for an annual breakfast. Teachers from disciplines such as journalism, sociology and Spanish met with representatives of local non-profits who provide learning opportunities for students, who in turn provide greatly needed volunteer hours each week.

Lorraine Taylor, who has taught child psychology at UNC for six years, has seen the difference the APPLES program can make for her students.

"There's another level of understanding when you do this in the community outside of a classroom," Taylor said.

Abigail Hall, who sets up students in programs at Umstead Hospital, echoed the sentiment from a different perspective.

"Volunteering there helps expel myths and show them if this is really what they want to do -- or not," Hall said.

Leslie Perkins, the associate director of APPLES announced that this school year (which begins Aug. 23) marks 15 years of the program at UNC. Last year was the biggest year ever, with 1,073 students participating through 65 courses offered in 22 departments, serving more than 130 community organizations.

Through the APPLES program, students receive three credits for classroom participation and one credit for their service learning experience.

"Students absolutely love it," Taylor said. She mentioned a student she had last year who struggled some with the class work and was discouraged by her grade because of testing issues; but who excelled with service learning at Umstead. "I told her not to be too discouraged by the course grade because she had learned a lot," Taylor said. The most important thing -- she was cut out for the work. "She loved it so much she was ready to sign up for graduate school that day."

At least one teacher at the breakfast had personally traveled the path of service-learning to reach this place.

Matt Ezzell, a sociology graduate student will teach a course in race and ethnicity this year that will provide a service-learning component. It was through volunteering at the Orange County Rape Crisis Center while an undergrad that he found his discipline -- sociology, and his calling -- teaching.

"Everyone in this room has a vision of something bigger than themselves and better than where we are," Ezzell said enthusiastically. "I'm a big believer in giving students the opportunity to see the human cost and celebration that we talk about in the classroom."