Passion, Potential, Power

At CalSERVES, our Vision is

To provide opportunities to

discover passions,

realize potential,

and express power

We serve thousands of students each year, with this vision in mind. We have hundreds of AmeriCorps volunteers who are trained and supported through this vision.

Why do we do what we do? Because we know we are

making a difference!

Lisseth, Sesen and Jacara - 2nd/3rd Grade

Amador, 6th grade

Photos taken by Emily Nagel

Roseland Literacy Tutoring Party!

Leah Everett, AmeriCorps Team Leader at Roseland Elementary School

Roseland’s tutoring party was a great success! As a reward system for excellent tutoring behavior, hard work with reading, spelling, and phonetics, we have a sticker chart on our classroom door. With 1200 spaces, it only took students until mid-November to fill it up after reading passages with their mentors! We decided on a party, which was held the Monday before Thanksgiving Break. Our mentors came together to decide on literacy based activities with certain stories the kids would love. We had two separate parties, one for lower grades and one for upper.


It was important to us that our party had a literary focus.Younger grades listened to a dramatic reading of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by our very own Mr. Ruda, while eating some kettle corn and popcorn. Next, the students made spaghetti and meatball hats with yarn, paper scraps, and paper plates. They glued an amazing display of multi colored “noodles and meatballs” onto their plates, and had a blast with the concept. It was a really fun beginning to the afternoon.




Next, the upper grade students came into our room for their party. They were able to choose between Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and a book entitled Giving Thanks, a Native American tale. Students could either make a collage of their desired food weather, or they could make a thank you card for someone they care about that has helped make a difference in their life. The students were very excited about the activities, rummaging through magazines to find the perfect dish they wished would rain down from the sky. Those who chose to write a card were very detailed with their personal descriptions of why they appreciated loved ones.


We are so proud of our tutoring students and their tremendous improvement as readers and writers, and although their current sticker chart has 1800 spaces, we are sure it will take them no time at all to earn another party!

A Satire: A Pumpkin-Day Massacre

Jamie Farries, AmeriCorps Mentor at Kawana Elementary


The chill of fall settled upon us as the wind blew the brittle leaves down from the boughs of trees lining the plastic covered picnic tables. The third graders squirmed eagerly as their wicked plot unfurled onto their unsuspecting pumpkins. Unknowingly, their dreary fates were laid in the hands of these callous carvers. The defenseless pumpkins didn't stand a chance.

Oh the gore! Pumpkin guts were spewed across the tabletops like the stomach contents of a child who gorged himself on too much Halloween candy. The pumpkins silently screamed in horror as the devilish children carved them up like Christmas hams, only leaving hollow shells and traced out faces to commemorate their destruction.

The third graders giggled in delight over their reign of terror. After the carnage was finally over, they took their lifeless pumpkins home as souvenirs of what is infamously known today as the Pumpkin-Day Massacre.

Kawana Club Craziness!

Riis Larsen, Mentor at Kawana Elementary School

Kawana Student with his Story Stick

This Friday I led my first ever club. I chose to do an art project called “Make Your Story Stick”. We sat in a circle and chose an idea for our story; then the leader started it off. Each person would add a piece to the story and it turned into an hilarious tale. We discussed the idea that the story was unique because each person added his or her own idea. I explained that the concept of the Story Stick was to create a piece of art that was representative of your individual self, and that each person’s Stick would be different, just like the story.

A Story Stick is essentially a piece of bamboo wrapped in some colorful material (we used yarn), and then topped with large feathers. The yarn is simply tied and then wrapped, and then tied again at the end. The feathers are glued into place with a hot glue gun. We also used strings of beads to adorn the Sticks, and craft sand and glitter to cover the glue.

The club went well; all the students were able to make a stick. It was a little chaotic, but we were able to manage! It was very important to me to explain to the students about the artistic value of what we were doing, Very fun, a little crazy, but the students absolutely loved it, and of course, so did I.

Michelle Hernandez- Featured Student!

Diana Bridges, Literacy Team Leader at Kawana Elementary

Diana and Michelle

On the first day of tutoring last year, I was as nervous as any other mentor. My first student was a tiny fifth grader, Michelle, who loved the color purple and hated taking tests. As we sat down to do our first assessments, Michelle was quiet, rung her hands, and asked to get a drink from the water fountain. It seemed I was not the only one who was terrified on the first session! After realizing this about one another, we both laughed, and from that day forward were able to have successful tutoring sessions. I learned more from Michelle than she knows, and as her tutor again this year, I am excited to be learning from her again.

Michelle is now a sixth grader, and though she is small, she is tough, and that initial silence has been replaced by confidence and an sense of humor that can make any bad day turn around. Michelle now loves to read and has begun reading with her sister outside of school, and sharing her thoughts about these books with me. She loves playing "News Cast" while we do our STARS curricula and asks with suspense in her voice, "Will Michelle answer all 4 questions right? Let's head over to Ms. Bridges to see!" She makes the best out of her education and has been an inspiration to me in my returning a second year in AmeriCorps, and in furthering my education to become a teacher.

A New Year for Tutoring

Brandi Johnson, 2nd Year Full Time Mentor at Wright Elementary

Last month, we began the tutoring training component of our program. I have to say that I am extremely happy about it, even though it has been an information overflow. After an intense few days of training, tutoring began. I understand what the first year mentors are going through, being that was me last year.

As a first year mentor, you're trying to figure out how to write lesson plans, how to figure out what curriculum you use, and how to communicate with their students. But after everyone sits down with their students for the first time, a big weight is lifted off of their shoulders. That's an exciting moment- meeting my students for the first time! I can't wait until the school year really gets going and we start seeing the progress that our students are making.

Meadow View Health and Wellness Fair!

Diana Bridges, Literacy Team Leader at Kawana Elementary



The Health and Wellness Fair, put on this year by Meadow View Elementary School, had all the features of a good fair. Parents, mentors, and students alike attended the event and enjoyed the activities and attractions. Many booths offered information about health care and safety for families, and other offered food like watermelon, which was popular on such a hot day! Aztec and Chinese dancing was also featured as entertainment, adding a multicultural aspect to the fair.

The favorite attraction of the day for kids seemed to be the bike rodeo, where students were given the chance to ride awesome courses chalked onto the hot pavement of the blacktop. At the Bike Rodeo, students had their pictures taken and were awarded their bicycle licences before riding the four trail course. Students were most excited to dodge boulders, ride the figure eight trail, and use the hand signals they had learned in the mini-safety course. Just as it has been in the past, the Health and Wellness fair was successful in bringing many families together for food, fun, and education!

Trip to the Farm

By Jeremy King, Program Assistant

Last Friday students at Roseland Elementary went on a field trip to Bayer Farm to hear from story teller Kenneth Foster. After the stories, the students were able to ask him some questions about storytelling in order to be more effective student buddies. The students had a great conversation and on the way back we got treated to a rafter of turkeys.

Here Come the Mentors!

Ally Gibely, Full-time Mentor at Wright Elementary

Walking into my site, Wright Elementary, for the first time I felt almost as nervous as I did on my first day of junior high school! I drove with a fellow mentor and the whole ride we were talking about what we expected and the anxiety we felt. As we parked and crossed the playground to find our classroom, our fear immediately subsided. Before we even had a chance to enter the playground, students were already coming up to us or yelling to their friends, “Here come the mentors! When’s Cool School starting?” They had never met either of us, but just by looking at our shirts they knew who we were.

It was at that moment I realized how much of a difference we could make in the lives of these children. It was then I realized how influential we would be and how we would someday be the teachers they talk about who shaped their lives and help made them who they were. I am so excited to be the mentor in their life, with whom they form a solid relationship and enjoy learning.

These students made me realize the choice I have in life. I can either roll out of bed each morning and drag myself to a job where I go through a monotonous workday with no real purpose; or I could wake up with a smile, put on my CalSERVES t-shirt, and make a difference. It has only been a week and I already know I made the right decision when I decided to commit to this year of service. Even more exciting than forming relationships and watching these children learn and grow is knowing how much I will be learning and growing from them in return. There is so much for me to look forward to in this next year and for that I am grateful.

The Three Piggy Opera!

Yesenia Salas-Chavira, Supervising Teacher at Bellevue Elementary

You are all invited to join in the fun of our very own Opera!

The Three Piggy Opera
Presented by the CalSERVES AmeriCorps Program
and the Bellevue Elementary COOL Summer Program
Friday, June 26th, 7pm
Bellevue Elementary School

Do not miss this once in a life time event where you will enjoy singing and dancing by our talented youth! There will be lighting, costumes, make-up, props, scenery, and programs. It's almost as if you were going to a Broadway show, except (and this is the best part), it is FREE!

After all the hard work, the students want to see you there!

Program design and flier/poster team churning out colored fliers


Background and scenery team


Making brick- and straw-sellers carts

The Human Race

Jeremy King, Program Assistant, CalSERVES


Excitement filled the air as we crowded together at the start line. Looking to my right and left I saw white CalSERVES shirts surrounding me. The day was already warm at 8:00 in the morning, making me glad we would be done before noon. The race started and we were off! A wave of humanity rushed through past the start line and into the empty street. Onlookers cheered from the sideline as men, women, children, and even dogs made their way through the race.


I was walking with the knowledge that we at CalSERVES raised more than $15,000 to buy books for our kids this summer. It had begun a month before with emailing and asking friends and family to help support our students by donating money to our cause. By the race I had only raised $55.00, which is a small amount compared to some of our members and staff who raised more that $500 by themselves.


It was an amazing day!

Roseland Nutrition Olympics

Kristen Mowers, Nutrition Coordinator - CalSERVES



CalSERVES Roseland Elementary Program hosted Nutrition Olympics at their site. The mentors and students had loads of fun participating in a variety of nutritional booths. Some of the students’ favorites were Pepper Toss,



Citrus Tic Tac Toe,



and the “Food For Thought” ticket booth. Students answered trivia and riddles to earn tickets that they could take to other booths and play games.

*** As a note to concerned readers, no fruits or vegetables were harmed in these games... those that were tossed were made of Styrofoam, and those that were real were eaten by the children after the games. ***

Nutrition Olympics at Wright

Katie O'Looney, Supervising Teacher at Wright Elementary

STAR testing week is the perfect time to get the kids out of the classroom and outside having fun. Luckily, testing week also happens to be TV Turn-Off Week and the week we celebrate the Nutrition Olympics. With help from the Network for a Healthy California, we were able to participate in activities such as raisin picking, the pepper toss, supermarket shopping relay, coconut bowling, the carrot hop, cucumber javelin and the lettuce dribble. The students and mentors had a wonderful time, evident by lots of smiles and laughs. I would have never imagined that you could keep primary students entertained by throwing raisins and sunflower seeds onto the grass and tell them to find as many as they can. Overall it was a fantastic event and our students learned to eat more fruits and vegetables and to stay away from high sugar drinks!!

Enjoy the pictures!

The Imagine Bus Project

Jane Lang, Imagine Bus Project North

Students show their art created on the Imagine Bus.

For two hours every Tuesday after school at Sheppard Elementary, The Imagine Bus Project North parks its mobile arts studio out in front and gets ready to welcome kids who are in the CalSERVES after school program. With yellow "bus passes" in hand, the kids board the Bus to create whatever project is happening for that week. It might be making rainsticks or clay bird nests or even monoprints with our very own printing press. Or maybe we will learn about a school of art and do a project in that school's style.

The kids get to learn about the larger world beyond Sonoma County: be it folk arts from other countries, art influences from times gone by, or even principles of art making, while creating a project that they can take home and proudly share with their family. We, on the Bus, know how important art exposure and experiences are for these kids as they build self esteem and self mastery. And art can even improve academic grades! But most importantly, it teaches a child how to dream and imagine beyond his current scope of vision, creating a more hopeful future with broader options to explore as they mature.

To learn more about the Imagine Bus Project, visit their website: imaginebusproject.org

Gearing up for the Human Race!

We are getting ready for the Human Race! Every year, CalSERVES participates in the Sonoma County Human Race, a fundraiser organized by the Volunteer Center. Thousands of people raise money for non-profits and participate on Race Day. We will be among the crowd!

Please drop by CalSERVES' Human Race Donation Site to make a contribution and see how we are coming on our goal to raise $15,000! The money we raise goes directly to the children we work with - we buy books for our students and support Summer programs.

Our own talented Jeremy King put this video together. Take a look! You can also view other CalSERVES videos on our YouTube Channel.

The Dog House 3rd Grade Built!

Dani Deems, Part Time AmeriCorps Mentor at Kawana Elementary

It was a lot of fun developing a service-learning project with our third grade After School class at Kawana Elementary. The students worked in small groups to come up with at least five different service opportunities they wanted to help with. With a class vote, they decided to help the Humane Society. We facilitated small group discussions to see how they wanted to help. They chose to help stray dogs to have a home. We made sure the students understood that the class couldn’t keep the strays, but that maybe we could build a home for them and then donate it to the humane society. They really liked this idea and were excited to build a dog house.

Our Promise Fellow at Kawana, Jenny Gibson, was able to obtain a donation of wood so our kids could build a dog house. A mentor’s cousin volunteered to cut the wood for us, which was necessary for the safety of our students. The kids were so excited for the first day on the project. The first step was for students to draw markings on the wood so our helper would know where to cut the wood. While some kids were outside, the rest of them were inside following step-by-step directions in creating their own 3-D paper doghouse. This kept them pretty entertained and it was nice to see them working as a team and helping their neighbors when they couldn’t figure out what to do next.

Students painting their dog house.

Once the doghouse was put altogether, the next part was painting it. We did a primer coat first. They all got their chance to paint. While some of the kids were painting, the rest of them enjoyed a game of Frisbee, which they were calling a game of “fetch”. Our next step in the project will be painting the doghouse a shade of blue. That’s the color they had voted on. And finally the last step for our project will be finding a local chapter of the Humane Society that will accept our doghouse. We’d love for the next adopted dog to go home with our fabulous never-been-lived-in doghouse!

A Student's Story

Christopher Farris, Program Assistant with CalSERVES and former AmeriCorps Team Leader

This is a story that a former tutee wrote for me. Rebecca came from Rio DeJaneiro, Brazil my first year in AmeriCorps. She was the only Portuguese-speaking student in the district and I just so happened to be the only Portuguese-speaking person in the district. So it just worked
out fine.

I got the watery eyes when reading this next to her because of how proud I was of her, how good I felt inside. This shows why I am so hopeful and encouraged in the work that we are doing at CalSERVES.

The following story was written by Rebecca, a 4th Grade student in our programs, as she remembered her first experiences with her tutor, Mr. Chris Farris. It was a project she did all on her own. The spelling, grammar, and punctuation are all hers - only minor edits were made for clarity. The illustrations are also done by Rebecca.




Weird Day
Hi. My name is Rebecca and I wil tell you about my srtory. OK, here we go.

When I came from Brazil my dad said I was going to start school the next day. So I did. I went to First Grade, but it was sooooooo easy for me, we were learning the + sign so they jumped me to Second Grade. I went to Second Grade and met a very special peason Ms. Kantor my teacher. She was soooooo nice, incredibal, and funny. She told me I had to go to a reading group to learn more.

When I got there, there was a teacher and she was preety nice, on the second time it was the same. Third time to, but on the forth “nonono Becca no liky”. I saw this man siting on a chair looking at me. Later on he was talking to me in a language I don’t know because I did not hear. On the next day he was saing my name, I got scared.

On the next day he went to pick me up on the class, Now I got so scared. He took me to a messy room first and trust me it was Messy. We sat at a desk and he started talking in my language, I was starting to understand. Then he took me to class.

The next day was OK. He went to pick me up OK. I was already talking a little bit to him. The one thing that it was special, is that he had the bravery to talk to me all the time. Then he took me back to class. Then I asked Mrs. Kantor why do that man need to pick me up everyday, she said he comes here to help me speak in English.

He came back again and we went to the same room, the messy one. We were talking and talking about stuff he got a paper out on no where about um um… “Mart Mart Luth ahh” you get it. It about a guy that changed the world with something about with the color of their skin. He took me back to class like always.

Finally I Understand
I was thinking that he is really helping me and of course my friends too. The stuff he tells me is important to me. On the next day I was a little messy with him.

He told me that when I act like that it is good for me. On recess I was already playing and talking like I new English for a long time. Tat made me feel good actually and I think that’s how you act when you know you are doing something right.

On the next day it was totally weird I was starting to care about him. People thought he was my dad. It made us laugh though we were alike in a strange way but yes he acts like he is my dad, that made me special because I feel like there is a bunch of people that cares about me and I don’t see it but they do.

As I told you he is helping me. He is special man for us and my family. He met my dad and may mom, they liked him, not only he specks in our language or that he helps me, it’s because he is nice, funny, and helpful.

Now he is part of our family. We thank him for everything especially me. Thanks for everything Chris. You’re the best.

Cesar Chavez Health Fair!

Emily Mann, Cesar Chavez Health Fair Organizer

Girls attending the fair try some oranges!

The Cesar Chavez Health Fair is this week! So much is happening as we prepare for this fantastic community event. CalSERVES students are busy with service learning and making flowers for decorations; their mentors are preparing to run tables, do face paintings and make balloon animals, run a bike rodeo and soccer games, and man the bounce house and rock climbing wall. Staff are coordinating a healthy lunch for everyone who attends, pulling over 80 community partners in to participate in the event, rounding up speakers and entertainers, and making sure everything comes together.

Even the weather is cooperating - it's supposed to be SUNNY ALL WEEK!

We are all excited and hopeful that this will be the best Cesar Chavez Health Fair ever! We invite all to come and have a good time. To learn more about this year's event, visit our website: www.calserves.org/events/chavez.html

Event Details:
Saturday, March 14th from 10am-2pm
Roseland Elementary School
950 Sebastopol Rd, Santa Rosa CA
This event is FREE to the community!

The Cesar Chavez Health Fair is generously sponsored by:
Kaiser Permanente, First 5 of Sonoma County, Network for a Healthy California, County of Sonoma Department of Health Services, St. Joseph's Health System of Sonoma County, Redwood Credit Union, Community Action Partnership, Taqueria Santa Rosa, and many more!

CalSERVES CAN!

Kristen Mowers, Nutrition Coordinator for CalSERVES

The CalSERVES Can Creation!

February is Canned Food Month and to honor/celebrate this CalSERVES joined with the Network for a Healthy CA to host a month long event. It started with a field trip to Food Maxx where the 3rd and 4th grade students got to take a tour of the store, do some exercises inspired by fruits and vegetables, and help prepare a healthy snack. CalSERVES also participated in the “Can Creation” project and built a 3D book out of donated canned food. All of the cans used were then donated to the Redwood Empire Food Bank. Our grand finale was a Fun Family night at Sheppard Elementary where families got to come play some games, learn Capowara and Zumba, and receive nutrition information.

School of Rock

Annette Zucconi, Program Coordinator for CalSERVES


They came in mass, 120 strong, on an unseasonably beautiful January morning like a tidal wave of gray AmeriCorps shirts. Instead of sleeping in, our dedicated service members, representing 8 school sites, converged on the Chop’s Teen Center in Santa Rosa to enjoy a morning conference, affectionately titled “School of Rock”. Developed and implemented by a phenomenal group of AmeriCorps Team Leaders and Promise Fellows, the conference served as a mid-year “booster shot” for the CalSERVES ’08-’09 corps.


The day began with an amazing keynote address by Jim Nevill of Go Adventure, http://www.lifeschooladventures.org. Jim laid out the statistics facing youth today, and hammered home the message that this group of members, in this time of challenge and turmoil, is needed like no other time in American history. They were charged with the responsibility of giving youth the message “There is Hope, and you can achieve your Dreams”, and the skills to make it happen. It was evident, as they poured out of the main hall toward their workshops, that they understood the mission they were on.


The CalSERVES vision of Passion, Power and Potential was sprinkled throughout all of the morning’s workshops. Topics included classroom management for lower and upper grades, literacy instructions, communication, and prioritizing & lesson planning. To top it off, the participants enjoyed a delicious lunch catered by the Chop’s staff.


After all was said & done, our amazing Team Leaders and Promise Fellows came together for a Fishbowl reflection, sharing all they had learned about identifying needs, designing & developing training, and yes, just how challenging it is to sync up logistics, with content, with participants! It was a day to remember, a first time event, initiated by the CalSERVES “Larry” Staff Tribe, supported by the entire staff…….and in the words of Larry the Cable Guy we “Gitter Done!”.

Imagine Bus Comes to Sheppard!

Betsy Jones, Supervising Teacher at Sheppard Elementary/RAMS

Sheppard Students, 4-6 grade, create on the Imagine Bus

The Sheppard After School program has a special visitor every week—the Imagine Art Bus. Each week, Jane Lang and her volunteers come to the site to lead exciting and engaging art projects. The bus holds 10 students at a time but we’re able to send 20-25 students each visit. Students work at specially designed workstations, dabbling in a variety of forms, mediums, and styles. From mandalas to wooden sculptures, our students bring home beautiful works of art each Tuesday. We’re looking forward to all the amazing lessons and creations the Imagine Art Bus brings this spring!

Claudia

Rufus

Books, Books, and more Books!

Katie O'Looney, Supervising Teacher at Wright Elementary

This month, CalSERVES was fortunate enough to receive over 1,600 books from BORDERS Bookstore customers.




One of the managers at BORDERS heard about our programs and decided to set up a book drive all throughout the month of December. He had his employees ask each customer if they wanted to donate books to CalSERVES and made an announcement every 30 minutes asking customers to donate books. Since then, we've received so many books, we divided them all up amongst our 6 other school sites in Southwest Santa Rosa.




Our children are extremely fortunate to have so many NEW books to choose from on our bookshelves, rather than having some books held together by masking tape and staples. THANK YOU BORDERS! We're extremely thankful for all of the generous people who donated books during the holiday season!

Life as a Literacy Team Leader

Bethany D'Andrade, AmeriCorps Team Leader at Wright Elementary



Ahhh, the sweet life of a CalSERVES Leadership Team member. Team Leaders have it made. The work is light and the hours few. All things go according to plan. There is just enough time to finish everything on your "to-do" list and then sit back with your hands folded casually behind your head and your feet resting upon your desk to survey all that you have accomplished. All things are in there place. Life is good - nay - grande.

Of course, I'm being sarcastic.

In reality, life as a Literacy Team Leader is...varied. Nothing quite stays the same. The beginning days are hectic and involve rather large amounts of paperwork, but eventually (December) things settle into a routine.

As a Literacy Team Leader, I am a data collector, communicator, listener, scheduler, tutor, and, above all, a helper. I help teachers by accommodating their class schedules. I help mentors by answering questions, recommending literacy resources, and tutoring extra students when I am needed.

My position brings me into contact with a lot of paperwork and a lot of people. The people make this job amazing. The adults (teachers, aides, mentors, staff, supervisors) are supportive, creative, and hard working. The kids are even better. They are the most important people in the world. They bring a smile to my face EVERY, SINGLE day and there is nothing - nothing! - better than seeing a student enjoy tutoring. When I see the relationships that form between mentors and their students, I see how important our program is and I realize that all of the hours I work are worthwhile. We provide a steadiness and consistency to children who experience turmoil in their academic and daily lives. Despite any negative messages they may receive, we are there to tell them they are important. They are important to us; they are important to the world. They can succeed.

So...my life as a Leader is as scattered as this entry. I run around doing paperwork and meeting deadlines, but the kids bring me home, in a sense. They keep me grounded. They remind me why I signed on for a second year. They are absolutely, without a doubt, what this is all about. They are the stars of the show.