Go and Tutor!

Jerry Noviello, CalSERVES Program Coordinator

Tutoring has begun! This is my favorite time of the year!! I can feel the energy from the excitement and curiousness and nervousness that’s mixing in the air at all of our school sites. It is a wonderful time when AmeriCorps Mentors are introduced to the student who they will tutor for the entire school year. Pretty soon all of the initial assessments will be complete and the sound of students reading from books or curriculum will fill the classrooms.

Students selected for our literacy-tutoring program all need some additional help to learn must-needed reading skills. AmeriCorps members use our thorough assessments to develop in depth lessons that target the specific needs for each of their students. It is a personalized instruction program that every year proves to yield stellar results.

As I am writing this blog posting, our AmeriCorps members are finding the instruction reading levels for each of their tutees. We then are able to choose books that students read. These books are at a difficulty level which is appropriate for each student to read along with the support of caring adult. Students who previously may not have been confident readers discover that they can be successful readers and that reading is fun!

To all of our AmeriCorps Mentors; I wish you high hopes for a great year ahead. Your dedication to service and to helping the community is an inspiration to us all.

Thoughts from Meadow View as Programs Start

August 31, 2011
We have just finished organizing the bookshelves for the hundredth time, or so it feels. The room is starting to come together and look like a usable place. The energy level is rising as we come closer to getting students with us. It’s exciting and we are all eager to put these long hours of training to good use. We are also coming together as a group and as team members. 

There is a sense of helping and caring. I genuinely love the feel of us all working together. I am enjoying my experience and the people here at Meadow View work very well together. Our group here does not get bogged down with drama. We have fun and we enjoy our time together. But we work hard when we need to, and we keep each other grounded.
-Olivia Jessen, Full Time Mentor, 2nd year

September 8, 2011
My team here at Meadow View has an inspiring amount of energy and enthusiasm for the programs and students. I am already impressed with each mentor and their unique contributions to the team. We have returners who were once quiet and reserved speaking out and being a mentor to their newer peers. We have first year mentors contributing creative new ideas, specifically with our kindergarten students, new to the After School Program this year. 

The mentors planned and hosted a successful teacher meet-and-greet lunchtime event, which included a delicious potluck, mentor photo and stats board, and conversation starting fun facts about our mentors and team. I am also grateful for my Leadership Team that takes charge in supporting me and our efforts. They make my job just a little bit easier but a whole lot more enjoyable. 

Cheers to a strong beginning to another great year of youth services at Meadow View Elementary!
-Kimberly Copperberg, Site Supervisor

Leadership Students are Monkeying Around

Kristen Mowers, Supervising Teacher, Taylor Mountain Elementary

The students who were selected to join the CalSERVES leadership program at Taylor Mountain were rewarded with a field trip to Expedition Island for their work. Students had to attend everyday, bring a great attitude, and help make plans for the year. They helped train their mentors (teaching them new games and providing opportunities to practice the youth development skills they were learning).

Students got to Zipline,

Trek across a suspension bridge,

Climb rick walls,

and be active the entire time we were there. The afternoon was full of smiles and laughter. Students helped each other and took on challenges that seemed overwhelming.

“I think a grew some muscles in there!” – Ruben, 6th grade

AmeriCorps Recruitment Update

Jerry Noviello, Program Coordinator, CalSERVES

CalSERVES Recruitment is complete!! It has been quite the process to hire all of our new part-time AmeriCorps members, but we are finally at capacity, with 51 Full-time AmeriCorps members and 66 Half-time Members!

Our AmeriCorps Team Leaders did an excellent job last spring to help us recruit most of our team from Sonoma State University and Santa Rosa Junior College. Throughout the summer, CalSERVES staff have been hard at work to recruit the remaining positions. Many thanks to everyone who was involved in the recruitment process. We couldn’t have done it without you!

If you are interested in serving with our programs next year, please contact us! We are currently recruiting volunteers for our six schools in Santa Rosa. Volunteering is a great way to gain valuable experience in afterschool programs as well as build a relationship with our organization. I highly recommend volunteering if you are thinking about applying for an AmeriCorps position next year! You can reach us at 1-888-560-7378, or americorps@calserves.org.

Meet the Bellevue Full-Time Mentors!

2011-2012 Bellevue Team

The early start-up program has been very productive. Our 2nd grade students like our program, especially students who attended our After School Program last year. My favorite part of our schedule is helping kids with their homework because everyone gets to complete their assignment.

–Full-Time AmeriCorps mentor, Hector Morales

My name is Megan Cockrum and I am a full-time AmeriCorps mentor at Bellevue. I am originally from Modesto, Ca., but have been living in Rohnert Park for the past five years. So far, things have been going great! I have been getting to know the other mentor at my site and I am excited to get to know the kids!

-Full-Time AmeriCorps mentor, Megan Cockrum

Hey everyone! My name is Amy McConnell and I am so excited to be in sunny California. It is very different from Kentucky where I am from. The first few weeks have been so much fun. It has been great getting to know everyone and making new friends. I can’t wait to meet the children and starting working with them.

-Full-time AmeriCorps mentor, Amy McConnell

My name is Sarah Forzley and I biked out to California from the high desert of South East Utah. Besides loving the ocean, the mild temperatures, and all the beautiful food that grows hear, I’ve been getting to know the 4th graders I’ll be working with this year. I’ve also been cleaning up the school garden, sowing seeds from fall crops and scheming up fun ways to let our students get their hands dirty while learning about nutrition. Finally, our CalSERVES team leaders have been training us to be the best tutors and mentors we can be.

-Full-Time AmeriCorps mentor, Sarah Forzely

My name is Juan Pablo Carrillo, I go by "JP". This is my 3rd year at Bellevue; normally I'd have 5th or 6th grade, but this year I started off with Kindergarten and it's such a TRIP! In the past seven days I've dealt with slips, spills, cries, and a fair amount of both stress and laughter. I'm super excited to work with my 6th graders again, once we start regular COOL School. I can't wait for another great year... Wow! It feels good to be a Bulldog!

-Full-Time AmeriCorps mentor, Juan Pablo Carrillo

And... We're Off!

Melissa Moore, Supervising Teacher at R.L. Stevens Elementary

Mentors line up in fine style at RL Stevens

It’s the start of a brand new school year at R.L. Stevens Elementary, and after weeks of anticipation, the mentors are excited to meet their students. Armed with a storehouse of recently acquired knowledge in academic curricula and healthy behaviors, the “Cool School” Team is prepared for an excellent year. The first few weeks will be spent building an inclusive class community and structured, positive learning environments. With that foundation in place, and the enthusiasm and dedication of the CalSERVES team, there can be no doubt that all are in store for a year of learning, excitement and personal growth.

Programs get Started at Bellevue

Yesenia Salas-Chavira, Supervising Teacher at Bellevue Elementary

The Full-time AmeriCorps Leaders at Bellevue. From L-R, Julianna Whittaker, Katie Berg, and Sara Craige

Program Start-Up this year has been filled with excitement and anxiety! The majority of my team are new to CalSERVES and they have brought so much sunshine to our new room already. They’ve been working hard in learning their new roles, getting to know our Bellevue staff, and supporting one another in completing all their trainings. It has been a pleasure to see them grow so much in the past several weeks and especially see their excitement when they help out students in need. I look forward to this year and all the wonderful learning moments that are yet to come, especially from both out students and members.