Cultural competence encompasses academic, interpersonal, clinical, and pedagogical skills that empower individuals to increase their understanding and appreciation of cultural differences within, among, and between varied cultures (Orlandi, 1992). Specific skills related to one’s cultural competence include communication style, language, behavior, beliefs, and attitudes towards multicultural sensitivity. Research within the field of health education has demonstrated the benefits of including educational programs focusing on cultural competence within health education curricula (Doyle, Liu, & Ancona, 1996; Flannery & Ward, 1999). To date however, little, if any, research has examined cultural competence within the physical education teacher education environment. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the impact of a service learning program on pre-service educators’ cultural competence. Participants (N=56) were undergraduate elementary education majors enrolled in two sections of an undergraduate Health and Physical Education for Children course. The service learning component of the course afforded the pre-service educators the opportunity to instruct daily physical education to minority children from extremely low socio-economic backgrounds. The children were enrolled in the local school district’s summer school program (kindergarten through second grade) and physical education instruction occurred in the gymnasium at the children’s school. Data sources from the pre-service educators consisted of the following: 1) questionnaire administered during the first day of class, 2) daily journal entries, 3) weekly reflections, and 4) focus group interviews. The questionnaire, journal entries and weekly reflections were content analyzed. The focus group interviews were audio taped, transcribed and content analyzed. Trustworthiness was established through member checks, confirmability audits, and triangulation. Results, determined through analyses of journal entries, weekly reflections, and focus group interviews, indicated the most salient aspect of the service learning program was the daily interaction with the children. Interacting with the children on a daily basis provided a forum for the pre-service educators to broaden their understanding of minority children living in poverty. Specifically, the pre-service educators reported that the service learning experience changed many of their pre-conceived stereotypes of minority children, the children’s home environment, and the children’s motivation to learn. The pre-service educators reported increasing their own language and communication skills specifically related to the children’s cultural background. Additionally, the pre-service educators reported gaining a broader understanding of the similarities between and among children of diverse backgrounds. In summary, the results of this investigation suggest that service learning programs may create innovative venues for enhancing pre-service educators’ cultural competence for teaching.Keyword(s): curriculum development, multiculturalism/cultural diversity, professional preparation