Happy Holidays from the CalSERVES AmeriCorps Leaders!

CalSERVES Leaders

(Adapted from Clement Clark Moore’s “Twas the Night before Christmas.”)

Twas the night before Winter Break, when all through CalSERVES,
Not a creature was stirring, not even a nerve.
The schools were all picked up and cleaned with care,
In hopes that after break was over, they would still be there.

The tutors were all nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of lesson plans danced in their heads.
The leaders put on their sweet hats,
And settled near the fire for a few little chats.

Then once the clock turned the hour of midnight,
They all sprang from where they were to get a better look at the sight.
Away to the windows, they flew like a flash,
Tore open the curtains and almost knocked over the trash.

There stood a little old driver, so lively and quick,
They knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
Then all of a sudden, his coursers came
And he whistled, shouted, and called them all by name!

“Now, Taylor Mountain! Now, Wright, Now Bellevue!
On, Kawana! On, RL! On, On Meadow View!
To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all covered with ashes and soot.
Smiling widely from cheek to cheek, while doing a quick happy dance,
All those who were staring at him, were in a joyful trance.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And spread a sprinkling of joy, then he turned with a sly smirk.
And wiggling his finger and touching his nose,
He gave a quick nod, and up, up to the sky he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
As soon as he was no where in sight,
Everyone heard: “Happy Holidays to all, and to all a good-night!"

CalSERVES Leaders - Goofy Picture

We hope everyone has a safe and fun winter break!

By Sandra Hwang, After School Regional Leader

CalSERVES VIP Doing Great Things!

The CalSERVES Volunteer Infrastructure Project (VIP) is doing amazing things throughout the state of California.

To read more about this project and how they are impacting the State of California, visit the CalSERVES website, www.calserves.org and read more about CalSERVES VIP!

The Golden Bell Visits Meadow View

CalSERVES recently received the Golden Bell Award, a national recognition of exemplary programs in 22 major categories, which are essential to support teaching and learning. Our award is for our efforts in nutrition promotion and physical activity.

The Golden Bell went on tour to our local programs, during a fitness week where students participate in a variety of sports and games, nutrition art activities, a mile run, wear pedometers, and engage in various nutritional discussions. Perfect timing!

On December 6th, the Golden Bell came to Meadow View Elementary. Students learned about our award, posed for a picture, and each got a chance to ring the large, golden, trophy bell. Students commented, “Wow, it’s heavy!” “Do we get to keep it?” “That is a loud award.” One fourth grade boy told me, “Congratulations on the award, Ms. Kim. That is really special.” What a fitting end to our fitness week!

 By Kimberly Copperberg, Site Supervisor at Meadow View Elementary

Meet the Team Leaders: Sara Craige

Sara Craige, CalSERVES Team Leader at Bellevue

Hailing from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Sara Craige is the Team Leader at Bellevue Elementary School and this is her second year working in the CalSERVES program. She graduated in 2011 from Penn State University with a degree in Elementary Education and applied to CalSERVES in order to make a difference in children’s lives.

This year, Sara hopes to gain new relationships with her team members and pass down her experience as a veteran AmeriCorps member to the rest of her team at Bellevue. Sara is also striving to grow professionally in the education field and gain experience working with kids for her future career goals.

As for her new position as a Team Leader, Sara states that she loves everything about her job, especially getting to bounce from grade to grade and work with kids of all ages. Sara likes both the creativity and the challenges that come up in her position - she loves coming up with new ideas, activities, and different ways to present information to the classroom leaders and the AmeriCorps Scholars.

Additionally, Sara immensely enjoys working with the entire Bellevue team. She appreciates how different each AmeriCorps member and classroom leader is and how much they have to offer the students at Bellevue. She states that every team member is always looking out for each other and always supporting each other which makes for a coherent and friendly team dynamic. Sara is also grateful that she gets to work with such an inspirational, dedicated, hilarious, creative, and determined supervising teacher. She says that they have a great partnership that is always keeping the team and students’ best interest at heart.

During her time in CalSERVES, Sara hopes to inspire the students she works with to become the best possible version of themselves. She wants to show her kids that there are so many opportunities out there for them and that high school isn't the end, that there is a whole world out there filled with possibilities and opportunities. She wants to show her students that they can achieve any goal or dream that they have with hard work, dedication, and confidence in themselves.

As for advice for future Team Leaders or Service Scholars, Sara says:

• Wear sneakers on Wednesdays because you will be running the mile
• Dance whenever there is music playing because kids will join you and it will always put a smile on your face
• You will encounter "garbage juice" from the trash cans at snack so just remember to wash your hands
• Color coordinate with your team (it’s fun and shows unity)
• Pick a Starbucks near you and learn to love it cause you will stop by every morning
• If you go home with marker on you, chalk or remnants of snack it means you had a good day
• Appreciate your team members every day, cause you'll need things from them and the more you show them love the easier it is to work with them!

By: Jacquelene Bennett, AmeriCorps Content Leader and Sara Craige, AmeriCorps Team Leader, Bellevue Elementary

Meet the Team Leaders: Allison Hunter

Allison Hunter, CalSERVES Team Leader at RL Stevens

My name is Allison Hunter and I’m 23 years old. I was raised in Petaluma by my mother and father and have always loved the country life. I speak four languages and have a deep passion for travel, culture, and of course, teaching! I attended UC Santa Cruz where I received my bachelors in American History with a focus on Latin America. While in Santa Cruz I was also the lead teacher at Little Legends Preschool. After finishing school I moved back up to Sonoma County and started looking for a new job. After some failed searching my sister told me that some people from a place called CalSERVES came to her school at Sonoma State to talk about what the program and she thought, “Hey, my sister would love that!” After a bit of my own research I had to agree with her and I applied right away! I signed up as a literacy tutor but in the interview I was asked if I’d be interested in being the team leader and, of course, I was. I’ve always had leadership qualities and the fact that I get to exercise that leader part of me while also helping the kids is something that I’m enjoying thoroughly.

I hope that during my time here at Robert L. Stevens Elementary I can learn to be someone who has the ability to help both the tutors and tutees become everything they want to be. That may seem like a vague statement, but what I mean is that I want to be able to help my tutors not only hone their teaching skills but gain a life enriching experience while helping the children at my school gain the tools they need to be academically successful as well. For myself, I know this experience will give me the building blocks I need to shape a purposeful life for myself both professionally and personally. I’ve been very fortunate to have been teamed up with a fantastic group of AmeriCorps members and classroom leaders.

Everyone I’ve been working with is so driven and just as motivated as I am about helping children succeed in their scholastic endeavors. A lot of the people I’m working with are returners who worked for this program before and they have helped me feel right at home. Their prior knowledge of the students and the way things work here has been helpful in more ways than I could say. My site supervisor is a gem; she has been on site for years and knows all the ins and outs of this place. I also have come to build very pleasant relationships with the teachers on campus here. All in all, I’ve come to love this school – the kids, the teachers, my coworkers – everyone has contributed to make this a great experience.

After my service in CalSERVES I plan to leave the country to teach English abroad. I’m not sure where yet, but I know that I will be applying the skills I’ve learned at CalSERVES when teaching abroad next year (and for the rest of my life). I cannot sign off without giving some advice to anyone who is interested in being a team leader: there is never a dull moment and sometimes there’s more to do than one person can handle, but this experience is something that I would never want to take back. I’ve already learned so much about myself and how to interact with other people, and children. Every day is different and new, and the kids make your day never devoid of excitement. I wouldn’t change a thing!

By: Allison Hunter, AmeriCorps Team Leader, Robert L. Stevens Elementary

Meet the Team Leaders: Lauren Loeffler

Lauren Loeffler, CalSERVES Team Leader at Wright Charter School

Having first joined the CalSERVES family last year as a V.I.P, Lauren Loeffler is now the Team Leader at Wright Charter School. Her belief that that every person, whether they are tall, small, young, or old, deserves a chance to learn and have access to the proper tools that will enable that learning, is what first led Lauren to apply at CalSERVES and is what keeps her involved in the program.

After graduating from University of Minnesota, Duluth and suffering from what she calls an early quarter-life crisis, Lauren went to live in Florence, Italy where she worked as a travel guide for a travel company. While she enjoyed the job and loved traveling and experiencing the world, she knew something was missing in her life; she wanted to fill her time and put her energy into something more substantial and worthwhile. This desire and her interest in the education field led her to the CalSERVES program.

Lauren initially joined CalSERVES because the field of education not only interested her but concerned her as well. That is, she was, and still is, worried that due to budget cuts and other reasons, the United States has seen a decline in the quality of its education. Dedicated teachers are working hard to bridge the gaps and give children the education they deserve and need. However, there needs to be more resources and people willing to commit themselves to improving schools and learning for kids to thrive. Lauren, during her time at CalSERVES, wants to gain further experience so that she may continue working with those striving to improve the academic lives of America's students.

As a Team Leader, Lauren hopes to encourage independence by giving her students the tools they need to succeed. Despite how much she cares for the kids, Lauren doesn't want them to need the scholars or classroom leaders; she would rather see them do able to do everything on their own and help others in a similar situation. Additionally, Lauren loves how the entire team (AmeriCorps members, classroom leaders, and the school staff and administration as well) at Wright is so supportive and eager to help the students succeed. Lauren says she is proud of them and the work they are doing and absolutely loves working with them everyday.

As for advice for future Team Leaders or Service Scholars, Lauren says to get ready for an elaborate juggling act. The job requires you to do, and be, so much more than what is stated on the job description, but it is worth all the stress and tiredness you feel when you know you are helping students learn more and live better lives.

By: Jacquelene Bennett, AmeriCorps Content Leader and Lauren Loeffler, AmeriCorps Team Leader, Wright Charter School

Gratitude, CalTURKEY Style.

In the spirit of the Thanksgiving holidays, the CalSERVES staff wanted to show their appreciation for each school site by acknowledging the hard work and dedication that each site and their team makes for their students and schools on a daily basis.

When you think of the month of November, the first words that might come into mind are: Thanksgiving or maybe even turkey.

Now imagine this: You are sitting around the table on Thanksgiving and it’s that time when each person says what they are thankful for. Got that picture in your mind? Well, now imagine all of the people who work in the CalSERVES office sitting around the table and each one is saying how grateful they are for each school site. It’s almost like a little CalSERVES Thanksgiving!

Due to scheduling conflicts, there wasn’t enough time to actually have a CalSERVES Thanksgiving, but a few office members came up with the next best thing! The staff wanted to show how much they appreciated the school sites by creating a turkey-like figure using the CalSERVES logo and on each of the feathers, the members of the office wrote an appreciation for each of the schools.

Afterwards, a couple of members from the office delivered those CalTURKEYS. As stated on each turkey, we are TRULY thankful to all of the site supervisors, classroom leaders, AmeriCorps members, and volunteers!

The communities served are fortunate because of the time and passion that is put in by every member of each school site. Keep up the great work and keep being the change and positive difference that our communities need to help our students reach their full potential!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

By Sandra Hwang, CalSERVES Regional Leader

Meet the Team Leaders: Rebecca Dunckley

Rebecca Dunckley, CalSERVES Team Leader at Kawana Elementary

A local to the North Bay area and with first-hand experience on how after school programs can change a child’s life, Rebecca Dunckley is the Team Leader at Kawana Elementary School. This is Rebecca’s third year working for the CalSERVES program and her love for the program and how it positively impacts children’s lives is what has kept her involved with CalSERVES for so long.

As a team leader, Rebecca hopes to become an active and strong support system for her AmeriCorps members and wants to help them be great tutors/mentors for the students. She loves watching people work together and come up with creative ideas that can help the students grow and learn. As for working with the students, Rebecca wants to be a source of confidence for the kids; she wants to establish one-on-one relationships with her students and make them feel comfortable enough to go to her for help of any kind. Additionally, Rebecca is extremely excited and appreciative about the team at Kawana. She says that they have been tremendously patient with her as she learns and adjusts to the job as team leader. Classroom leaders and AmeriCorps members alike are amazing with their students and are always coming up with amazing lessons for the kids. Rebecca also is grateful for the support from her site supervisor, Katherine Brooks, whom Rebecca says has been helpful, supportive, sweet, and fabulous at her job and Rebecca is honored to be a part of her team.

Overall, as a team leader, Rebecca hopes to be a role model that the students can look to for advice or guidance and help be a positive force in a really important time and area of these kids’ lives. Rebecca states that she gets to leave work every day knowing that she is making a difference in these students’ lives and that is something that she loves.

As for advice for future Team Leaders or Service Scholars, Rebecca says to wear really good and comfortable shoes; "you are all over this place and you won’t be able to sit down a whole lot!"

By: Jacquelene Bennett, AmeriCorps Content Leader
 and Rebecca Dunckley, AmeriCorps Team Leader, Kawana Elementary

Meet the After School Regional Leader: Sandra Hwang

Sandra Hwang, AmeriCorps After School Regional Leader

As the After School Regional Leader, Sandra Hwang is based in the CalSERVES NCOE – West Office and oversees all the school sites located in the Sonoma County division of the CalSERVES program; her job is to provide support, training, and guidance for each and every AmeriCorps member that is currently serving.

After graduating from the University of Colorado, Boulder with a degree in Spanish Literature & Language and Elementary Education and deciding to defer becoming a full time teacher, Sandra applied to be a part of the CalSERVES program to not only help kids in their educational development but as a way to give back to the greater community before deciding on what to do as a career.

As the Regional Leader, Sandra hopes to gain meaningful experience during her time in the program. She wants to learn something new about herself through this experience and wants to learn all that she can from the people she works with every day. More importantly, Sandra hopes to inspire kids, parents, teachers, AmeriCorps members, staff, and the rest of the community through her optimism and enthusiasm. Through her position, Sandra wants to be able to shed light onto, and provide solutions for, any difficult situation that might arise at any of the school sites. She also wants to  encourage and support everyone with whom she interacts and works.

So far, Sandra has enjoyed going to the different school sites and getting to know everyone there. She states that every school site is so very different and that she loves watching how well everyone interacts with the students at each site. Sandra believes that there are a lot of wonderful and passionate people that are a part of CalSERVES that will positively contribute to the organization as a whole. Sandra says that she sees a lot of service scholars and team leaders at the various school sites who are willing to go the extra mile to make sure that their students feel well supported, which she believes will make a great team that supports one another and helps build each other up.

Sandra’s future goals include going to graduate school and traveling the world. Her biggest goal in life would be to start her own non-profit organization and to utilize her Spanish speaking abilities to either teach or help in situations where it is needed. Once her time at CalSERVES is up, Sandra is hoping to teach abroad for a short time before settling down to attend grad school. But Sandra’s main goal in life is to change someone's life in a way that is positive and meaningful.

As for advice for future Team Leaders or Service Scholars, Sandra wants them to know that, “You are a special person that brings something unique to this world and who has the ability to change the course of a child's life and help them to be the best that they can be. Keep an open mind and try to realize your full potential and how you can use that to better your experience with CalSERVES. Take every situation with great stride, don't regret your decisions, and stay optimistic!”

By: Jacquelene Bennett, AmeriCorps Content Leader
and Sandra Hwang, AmeriCorps After School Regional Leader

Make a Difference Day Part 3: RL Stevens and Wright Schools

Make a Difference Day, October 27th, 2012, saw some amazing projects around the CalSERVES school sites as AmeriCorps members joined together to provide a day of service. What follows is the third post in series of 3 outlining the projects competed by CalSERVES AmeriCorps members. Each post is written by a Team Leader who worked on that specific project.

In my twenty-four years, I have been lucky enough to travel. I've seen the world. Indeed only a tiny fraction, but I've toured Europe, hitting the highlights: Italy, France, Switzerland, Ireland, etc... And let's not forget that for the past two years, I have been hiding from my frosty Minnesota home in Sunny California, which is where this story takes place.

As I mentioned, I've seen the world. Most importantly for this blog, I have become cultured in those countries: Donatello, Rafael, and Leonardo are more than just Ninja Turtles. They are brilliant artists. And I have seen work from each of them. After Make a Difference Day though, the Renaissance has nothing on Wright Charter or RL Stevens.

The Wright District Dream Team was together at Wright Charter School to work on a beautification project. We had the lofty goal of repainting benches, weeding out the garden, adding a map of the USA onto the blacktop, and oh yeah, painting a mural of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in our main hall.

AmeriCorps member David Ortiz puts on the finishing touches of the newly painted benches in front of the school.

When the ideas were conceived I knew how necessary it was to spruce up our old school, but I didn't know how realistic the goal was. Were a handful of AmeriCorps members going to have the capacity or, not to mention the resources to pull this off?

What we didn't consider is that we work with some of the most thoughtful, caring, engaged, and responsible kids, teachers, parents, and staff in the world. That is, several students, a handful of teachers, and representatives from Wright's PTC all showed up to shine up our old classrooms. Last, with a generous donation from Kelly Moore Paint, we made our goals a reality.

Students at Wright came out to help with projects at their school.

 No cartographer could have stenciled the United States like the RL Stevens team did. Our newly weeded garden is practically Zen-like now that our middle schoolers tore into it. 15 hours later, a cadre of CalSERVians, 2 Wright Mentor Teachers, and of course a dozen of our finest 7th and 8th grade artists immortalized Ellen Nanni's rendering of MLK.

AmeriCorps members were working hard on tracing out the 50 states and painting them in.

Like I said, in my short twenty-four years, I've seen a few things. I've been around. But it wasn't until this Saturday that I've witnessed a community come together more seamlessly than this one did. The school, especially the mural, is, thanks to hard work, and most importantly, extra hands a masterpiece. I'll even go out on a limb and say that Wright is on its way to becoming the new Sistine Chapel. Eat your heart out, Michelangelo!

Classroom Leader at Wright, Ellen Nanni, puts the finishing touches on the MLK Jr. mural.

-By: Lauren Loeffler, Team Leader at Wright Charter

Make a Difference Day Part 2: Kawana, Taylor Mountain, and Meadow View Schools

Make a Difference Day, October 27th, 2012, saw some amazing projects around the CalSERVES school sites as AmeriCorps members joined together to provide a day of service. What follows is the second post in series of 3 outlining the projects competed by CalSERVES AmeriCorps members. Each post is written by a Team Leader who worked on that specific project.

There were three different projects that were completed at Kawana Elementary School. AmeriCorps members and volunteers broke up into different groups to complete a given task. Based on the different project, one could immediately see the various talents of the group.

The first project was to turn the boring, grey-colored “Wall Ball” courts into something more dynamic and visually stimulating. Unfortunately, Kawana has been plagued with graffiti and “tagging”, so emphasis was placed on painting images that could be easily fixed, if such an event were to occur. This project attracted the more creative, artistically gifted.

Classroom Leader at Taylor Mountain, Crystal Ruiz, shows off her artistic skills by painting abstract art
on the wallball walls at Kawana.

The second project was the construction of a tire obstacle course, such as might be seen on a football field. This project involved laying mulch for a solid foundation, drilling holes into each tire, bolting them together and painting the tires. This project was an attraction for those more skilled at construction, and also unafraid of manual labor. Shoveling mulch in the sun is no easy task!

AmeriCorps members from Kawana and MeadowView Elementary take some time from painting the
obstacle course to flash the camera a pretty smile!

 The last project was perhaps the least savory: removing invasive, prickly, Himalayan Blackberry bushes from the Kawana garden. For the task, we were given heavy-duty gloves, loppers, trimmers and shovels, in an effort to eradicate the thorny nuisance. This project was an attraction for all of the gardeners, and similar to the construction crew, individuals not afraid of a little manual labor.

AmeriCorps members stand with pride behind the immense amount of blackberry bushes they tackled.

Although the weather was perhaps a little warm, it was nevertheless a wonderful day to be outside and serve the community. Nearly everyone agreed that the time flew by rather quickly. One of the supervisors of the project, Kristen Mowers, noted how “This is a project where everyone worked the entire time!” The work was very rewarding and the results were stunning. This project is yet another testament to the positive and beneficial works undertaken by CalSERVES and AmeriCorps members in the Santa Rosa and Sonoma County community.

By: NightSnow Vogt, Team Leader at Meadow View Elementary

Make a Difference Day Part 1: Bellevue School

Make a Difference Day, October 27th, 2012, saw some amazing projects around the CalSERVES school sites as AmeriCorps members joined together to provide a day of service. What follows is the first post in series of 3 outlining the projects competed by CalSERVES AmeriCorps members. Each post is written by a Team Leader who worked on that specific project.

I consider Bellevue to be my home away from home and getting the opportunity to add some color and zest to it definitely sparked my interest. This being my second Make a Difference Day, my first being last year, I had high expectations for yet another exciting, fun, energetic, and rewarding service day, and let me tell you something... I was not disappointed!

 I had such an amazing day at Bellevue and was lucky to be able to work with such a diverse group of people. We had the honor of having Community Action Partnership (CAP) AmeriCorps members come to Bellevue to experience what it's like to be a BV Bulldog and we were to excited to have had both our Literacy content leader, Jacky, and our STEM content leader, Katie here as support! It was amazing to look around our school site to see all the members elbow deep in paint, tape stuck everywhere from their backs, sneakers, elbows, etc, and every person had a huge smile on their face.

Caption: Ms. C, the 1st grade Classroom Leader at Bellevue, focuses as she paints the boundaries for recess lines.

With the faint sound of 90's pop in the background, each member was divided into four projects: painting a map of the United States, creating new lines as boundaries for recess, creating and painting a mural for the wall ball courts, and adding classroom numbers on the blacktop for fire drills. Everyone took the projects head on and went right to work! I checked in with each project and there was nothing but the exchanging of smiles and boisterous laughs heard through out the Bellevue Elementary campus.

Laura Sanchez, AmeriCorps member at South Park Community Center, works hard in the sun to help beautify Bellevue.

 I found myself grinning from ear to ear while looking around at everyone giving back to Bellevue and realizing that each and every single member really is making a difference, whether they realize it or not. I am so excited that our Make A Difference Day went off without a hitch and the most rewarding part of the day was coming into school Monday morning and seeing the kids playing games on the newly painted United States and practicing with their classmates lining up at their classroom number painted on the blacktop. I think I can speak for all of the people that were here at Bellevue that we really made a difference at Bellevue on Saturday!

Team Leader at Bellevue, Sara Craige, does her best to paint in the east coast states.

By: Sara Craige, Team Leader at Bellevue Elementary

Meet the Team Leaders: Lauren Allison

Lauren Allison, AmeriCorps Team Leader and a Taylor Mountain student

My name is Lauren Allison and I am the Team Leader at Taylor Mountain Elementary. I moved to Santa Rosa from the East Bay to attend Sonoma State University where I recently graduated with a BA in Liberal Studies. I enjoy photography and playing with my new dog Rufus.

My Taylor Mountain team is amazing! We work well as a group by sharing ideas and offering needed support in and out of the classroom setting. Our site supervisor is supportive and encouraging and is willing to meet any of our needs. I love my placement and am excited to see what this year will hold for all of the Taylor Mountain staff.
 
I have worked with children for a very long time, and am excited to be a part of AmeriCorps and CalSERVES. Children inspire me and their smiles make me smile. I hope to bring my students excitement and determination as well as a boost in their self-confidence. I am looking forward to the future months and watching the development of my students.

By Lauren Allison, AmeriCorps Team Leader, Taylor Mountain Elementary

Ms. Y's Secret Blog: A Tribute from the Bellevue Team

^{The Bellevue Elementary CalSERVES Team}

The Bellevue Elementary CalSERVES Team wanted to take a minute to appreciate Yesenia Salas-Chavira, their Site Supervisor. What follows are quotes from team members expressing appreciation for her leadership. Ms. Y, as she is known at Bellevue School, has been serving with the CalSERVES programs for many years, first as an AmeriCorps member and now in her 5th year as a site supervisor.

Yesenia Salas-Chavira, you are one AMAZING person. In a little over a year you have taught me so much about myself and how to be a leader, I wouldn’t know where to begin to thank you. Your zest for life, and your attitude coming into ‘work’ everyday giving it 110% is inspiring. You have built yet another amazing team this year at Bellevue and we all want to say thanks in our own special way! Enjoy your secret blog, and thank you for everything you do for us. Go Bulldogs! – Sara Craige, AmeriCorps Team Leader

I appreciate Ms Y for her positive abundance of energy. She can really motivate people and get things going. – Lavonne Toso, Literacy Scholar- 2nd  Grade

Almost a year ago, Ms. Y was frantically running around with a camera at my grandparents' 50th anniversary celebration, trying to take the pictures of all the sons, daughters, nieces, and nephews. I was among them. I hid. But as we all know, Ms. Y is very persistent, hard-working, and she perseveres even through the most challenging circumstances, which has allowed her to become an excellent, probably one of the bests, Site Supervisors in CalSERVES. And of course, she eventually found me at the anniversary celebration. – Alejandro Tinajero, Literacy Scholar- Kindergarten

This is my first year working for CalSERVES and without Ms. Y I would be completely lost. She welcomed me with open arms and has guided me through everything. She is always at 110% and nothing less with her positive and outgoing attitude. Ms. Y puts the COOL in Cool School everyday and her staff and students love her! – Nikki Goeppert, 4th Grade Classroom Leader

Ms Y has been very patient with helping me write effective lesson plans for the kids. She has given me specific ideas on how to make them better. She has also helped my class run more smoothly with the idea of a chore's list so the kids aren't constantly asking to help with different tasks. – Jesse Bevan, 5th/ 6th Grade Classroom Leader

To Ms. Y.: I would like to let you know why I truly appreciate you. I love the way that each and everyday when I walk into room C-3 I know that you will be there always with a smile and a "Hi" and asking, "how are you doing Ms. Candelaria?" When I have difficult days, as well as crying days, you are there with a hug and kind words of encouragement. You are not afraid to be a "friend" and for that it makes me feel like I have been placed well with an amazing supervisor! Much love and thank yous for always being great to me! - Teresa Candelaria, Literacy Scholar- 1st Grade

Ms. Y is a highly energetic person that really knows how to get the crowd roaring. In the first assembly she had the kids screaming with excitement to see how happy they were to meet the new service scholars. It was a wonderful feeling and I automatically felt accepted from Ms. Y's introduction. It made me feel welcome to Bellevue Elementary. And it's very nice how she always brags that I was in the After School program in my younger days. – Endy Valdovinos, STEM Scholar

Ms. Y (soon to be MRS. Y): I honestly don't think there are any words that can describe how amazing she is! As one of my six graders said, "She's the mama lion and we're her little cubs!" We're the best but it wouldn't be this way without Ms. Y! Thank you for everything so far... because we still have a long way to go. –Vicente Sosa, Healthy Behaviors Scholar

Ms Y is always ready to listen and has an open mind. She has such an imagination that always keeps us on our toes. We never know what to expect but it always something great. I love my job because of her; she makes it a pleasure to come to work everyday. – Carmen Hernandez, 2nd Grade Classroom Leader

Ms. Y's energy and personality makes this job so much easier and fun to do. I love her positivity; its contagious. I can't help but to want to be around her hoping that some of that positive energy will rub off on me. I know if I need anything, have an issue, or I just plain want to talk to someone, I can go to her. – Gabbi Diaz, Kindergarten Classroom Leader

Yesenia in one of the most positive and energetic people I have ever come into contact with. Since first meeting her over 4 years ago, she has done nothing but encourage me to do what I love and pushed me to become a better mentor and person. -Megan Cockrum, 1st Grade Classroom Leader

Ms. Y is a wonderful Supervisor. She always gives everyone the benefit of the doubt. She is willing to take on any challenge,. Working under her leadership has been and always is very rewarding. She has a great personality. I admire her love for her job and the kids she works with. She recently said something that inspired me-- she said "This doesn't feel like work. I love to be here... if it ever starts to feel like work then I'll know it's time for me to go somewhere else". I found that I feel the same way. CalSERVES is a community, not a job. Ms Y plays a HUGE role in making is as COOL as it is!” – Alejandra Franco, 3rd Grade Classroom Leader

Ms. Y having fun with students.

Meet the Team Leaders: NightSnow Vogt

NightSnow Vogt, AmeriCorps Team Leader at Meadow View Elementary

Originating from the horse capital of the world, Lexington, Kentucky native NightSnow Vogt is the Team Leader at Meadow View Elementary School. With a degree in International Studies from Humboldt State University, a long history of volunteering, and a passion for working with kids, this is NightSnow’s first year in the CalSERVES program.


During his time at CalSERVES, NightSnow hopes to learn how to be an effective leader and mentor to both his students and team members and wants to use his own story to inspire the children he works with. He also wants to bring more creativity and fun to the learning process and help his students cultivate a passion for learning and school.

 As a team leader, NightSnow enjoys the multi-faceted nature of his position; he gets to manage the AmeriCorps Service Scholars, tutor students himself, and has a first-hand look and a helping hand into how the entire CalSERVES program is ran and operated. But he says that the best thing about his position as a team leader is witnessing that moment when the “light bulb turns on” in a child’s mind when they are learning something new or when they suddenly understand a lesson with which they were struggling.

Another aspect of AmeriCorps service that NightSnow appreciates is the team and school administration staff that he works with at Meadow View Elementary. Parents, the school administration, classroom leaders, AmeriCorps members, and the Site Supervisor are all putting in hard work and trying to make this year fantastic for the students in the program. NightSnow says he is looking forward to seeing how the chemistry and dynamics of the entire team evolve and strengthen as the year progresses.

Having just very recently passed the CBEST (California Basic Educational Skills Test), after his time is up at CalSERVES, NightSnow wants to continue onto a career in classroom education. He will first start out as substitute teacher and then eventually, after completing a Teaching Credential program, a full time teacher. As for advice for future Team Leaders or Service Scholars, NightSnow says that you should be ready to take initiative and lead by example. The best leaders are the ones who can both identify the strengths of a group and find areas for improvement; and as a leader, your function is to be the vehicle for the collective improvement and growth of your group.

By Jacquelene Bennett, AmeriCorps Content Leader
and NightSnow Vogt, AmeriCorps Team Leader, Meadow View Elementary

Getting Geared up for Make a Difference Day

 After a successful day Bellevue team takes a moment to document and capture the day.

 With the help of CalSERVES's Classroom Leaders, AmeriCorps Service Scholars and staff, students and families at Bellevue Elementary are getting ready to make a difference on October, 27th. For the past several days, CalSERVES Classroom Leaders and AmeriCorps Service Scholars have been working together to promote this important day and make a positive impact at our school site! Last Friday, all the students in our After School Program got together outside of our school black-top to create and decorate more than 30 colorful posters!

 These are the supplies that were set-up for all the students to get creative!

Bellevue 3rd grade students work together as a team as they follow the four Tribe agreements.

Our 5th and 6th grade students are adding finishing touches.  As  part of their "COOL School Student Council" commitment, they've been working hard to promote this day during regular school hours.

From kindergarten to 6th grade, all of the students in our After School Program at Bellevue have worked together to make this year's "Make A Difference Day", on October 27th, the best service day that students and families from Bellevue have ever seen and attended! Our AmeriCorps volunteers, alumni, Classroom Leaders, staff, students and parents will be working on beautifying Bellevue's playground structure, re-painting recess border lines, and painting four mini murals on wall-balls. There is no doubt that the students and CalSERVES staff from Bellevue Elementary are dedicated to making a positive difference in several weeks!!!

 Our Kinder class takes a pose for the camera.

Ms. G. our 4th grade Classroom Leaders engages with her students as they finish up their
Make A Difference Day posters.

Classroom Leader Takes Off with First Grade!

Megan Cockrum, CalSERVES Classroom Leader

The school year began with a new set of kids and a new program for CalSERVES. Although the past month has been challenging, it was one for which I was ready. Not only was I starting the school year moving from mentoring fifth to first grade, I would be in the class without a partner.

I came into the classroom thinking I knew what first grade would be like and automatically threw those expectations out the window. It was refreshing being able to be more silly with the kids, but I found out straight away that I still had to keep my game face on. There have been some trips along the way, but more than a month in I think I’m getting the hang of things. My class is eager to learn and quick to please.

Living by the TRIBES agreements (Mutual Respect, Attentive Listening, No Put Downs, and the Right to Pass) has become the norm in and out of the class, along with the school motto: be safe, be respectful, and be responsible. Homework time is probably my biggest struggle, with 20 first graders to help, but it's been a learning experience too. I’m ready for the rest of the year and what will come.

GO BULLDOGS!!!

by Megan Cockrum, CalSERVES Classroom Leader, Bellevue Elementary

"Do you want to work with kids?" A story of joining CalSERVES

Alejandro Tinajaro, CalSERVES AmeriCorps Service Scholar

There have been few moments in my life when I have felt a sense of worthiness and usefulness in myself. Contrasting to that, there are many moments where I have felt pathetic, awkward, and like a misfit. I don't particularly mind these feelings, though. Like a terrible illness or any film by Michael Bay, I know there will be a general build-up of angst and anxiety that will eventually lead to utter chaos. But after all that fades, I know the virus will wither away and the film will come to an end. And all will be well.

There is a point to all this, and I'm getting to it. In order to understand something in its entirety, it is crucial to realize how you got there. The reason you're reading this sentence is because you were born, I was born, we learned to read and write, and you have read (and thus I have written) the previous words and sentences. See? It makes sense.

This particular story begins outside of Stevenson Hall at Sonoma State University. The beginning of the school year started off wonderfully and my high expectations were being met. Most of them. However, on this day, as I walked out of my sociological research methods class, I was rather distraught. I had been trying to add this class and it didn't look like I was going to get it. So I walked on, head hung low, with a generally angsty look about me, the kind that is usually found among the preteens and teenagers. And that's when a cheerful looking girl asked me if I wanted to work with kids.

For the past few months, I had been trying to find a job that involved working with kids. I like kids. For one, they aren't as judgmental as most people my age are. And when they do judge you, they do it in a positive way. Such examples of praise and judgments include, "Those shoes that are covered in milk are really cool," and "I like how huge and messy your hair is." These are awesome. Also, kids basically always have fun. It seems that the older we get, the less interested we are in the tiny things in life. Kids embrace all of them and it makes for interesting times. They're just fun in general.

So of course I said yes. Next thing I knew I was on my way to an interview, training, meeting my brothers and sisters in arms, and going to my school site to prepare for the months that lay ahead.

And let me tell you, dear reader, it has been a blast.

Along the way, tears have been shed, and blood has been spilled. Metaphorically and literally. I am very proud to be part of the staff here at Bellevue. I won't deny that we are awesome. But as much as I love all the AmeriCorps and CalSERVES members, it is important to also note how great the kids are here. As corny and cliche as it may sound, they are one of the main reasons I want to keep coming back.

Our first month is coming to an end. September has come and gone, the green leaves of summer are giving way to the warm tones of autumn, and as the year comes to a swift end, I can't help but think about how I got here. As I type this, I am sitting in the local bookstore to which I give my free time every weekend, working for a person who probably doesn't respect me and maybe even looks down on me for being young and inexperienced. Maybe the reason I was so willing and ready to join the CalSERVES team was simply to show the world that I can make a difference and what I do during my short time in this life actually will matter. I guess in the larger scope of things any change will be miniscule. But a change is still a change. Kicking a stone from the sidewalk changes that sidewalk just a little. And the changed sidewalk changes the town, which changes the county, which changes the state, the country, the continent, the Earth, the galaxy, the universe, and, well, just about everything. Everything is just a matter of perspective I suppose. But I digress.

I'm not really sure what's next. I can only assume it will be awesome and I will have a total blast. But a wise friend once told me that happiness doesn't last forever. This is true. I mean, without sorrow or misery, happiness and joy can't exist. So I know that the rest of my time with CalSERVES at Bellevue will be filled with momentous occasions of utter joy and excitement, and I also know that there will be tougher times. It's just expected.

But why focus on any of that? Why over think things as soon as they get started? I know where I am, I know how I got here, and I know why I want to stay. That's all that matters now. All that should be done is really go with the motions, ride the undulating waves. We're off to a great start.

And so we raise our anchor, and sail off. And, dear reader, the sea looks promising and beautiful from here.

by Alejandro Tinajero, AmeriCorps Service Scholar, Bellevue Elementary

Off to a Great Start at Bellevue!

AmeriCorps Service Scholars make their formal introduction to all of the students in the After School Program.

The CalSERVES After School Program is up and running. Classroom leaders have been doing a fantastic job taking attendance, running physical activity centers, leading literacy and math lessons and supporting their students with their daily homework. After School students have also been working hard on maintaining good attendance, practicing and following our school wide Tribes agreements and school rules, and making sure they’re ready to learn everyday!

As a way to acknowledge the hard work that both Classroom Leaders and After School students have been displaying for the past several weeks, the Bellevue CalSERVES After School program has been having fun during their bi-weekly assemblies! During assemblies, students have the opportunity to participate in various re-lay races against other grades to earn extra physical activity time!

The students from third and fourth grade work together to be the first class to get their hula-hoop through every student and win the “Student Relay”. Their Classroom Leader, Ms. Goeppert, helps her students by cheering them on and helping them out when they get stuck!

And AmeriCorops Service Scholar, Mr. Valdovinos, helps third grade by being the first one to start off the race!

In addition, all Classroom Leaders and AmeriCorps Service Scholars compete against each other in unique and fun relay races to earn their class and grade level weekly physical activity incentives as well! The entire After School Program performs a cheer and towards the end, students (three girls and three boys from grades k-6) get recognized for demonstrating “Outstanding Behavior” during After School. Students who are recognized receive a “Star Student” chair cover that they place in their chair and they are also the first to receive snack everyday throughout an entire week. They also decide what physical activity their class will play and receive a special treat.

These are four of Bellevue’s “Outstanding After School Students” displaying their certificate of recognition.

There is no doubt that the students, Classroom Leaders, AmeriCorps Service Scholars, and Site-Supervisor at Bellevue, have a great time creating After School spirit and enjoy displaying their Bulldog pride.

Go Bulldogs!

by Yesenia Salas-Chavira, CalSERVES Site Supervisor at Bellevue

Meadow VIew Summer Gardening

We’ve finally reached the end of the year but the Meadow View garden will still be in action all summer, thanks to the help of several dedicated families who have agreed to continue volunteering over the summer.

Since the beginning of the year, Meadow View has hosted monthly garden workdays where families were invited to come out and help in the garden while we entertained their children with fun gardening projects. Things have gone so well that we decided to see if any parents would be on board to help over the summer and to our surprise, many said “Yes!” Currently, we have about twelve families that are helping in various capacities.

For example, one parent has been instrumental in getting our irrigation system up and running. He’s installed drip systems in our new beds and programmed a brand new irrigation timer that was purchased using grant money. Another parent brings out his weed eater and clears out the masses of weeds Meadow View seems to attract every few months. Some parents have adopted one or more of our six beds, which are all organized according to themes, and they are responsible for planting the seeds and maintaining the space. Any produce is up for grabs for all the families.

We never thought the garden would grow into such a successful project and know that it would not have been possible without the help of several dedicated mentors and families. Although we’re still in the beginning phases and there is still a ton to do, we have a good, solid start to a productive summer.

Holly Cumbie, AmeriCorps VIP Fellow

Join the CalSERVES Team!

Today is the last day of service for our full-time AmeriCorps members at CalSERVES. They have all done a tremendous job in serving our community. Thank you all for your incredible devotion and commitment to helping children!

As we look to next year, we have many opportunities for participation and service. Please consider joining our team for 12-13 - it's going to be another stellar year! Below are positions we have available:

AmeriCorps Service

At CalSERVES’s project sites across California, AmeriCorps members serve either full or part-time for 10-12 months, providing more than 1,700 or 900 hours of service. 

AmeriCorps members work with community organizations to develop their volunteer programs. They are committed to building program capacity by putting in place the building blocks for a sustainable, high quality volunteer program. Leadership opportunities are available for applicants with previous service experience.

Service Scholars
Service Scholars is a service learning and internship program that connects skilled, passionate and dedicated college students with youth in after school programs to provide learning opportunities for all. Selected candidates serve as role models and bring focused, inspiring instruction to youth in one of four areas of specialty: Art, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), PE/Nutrition, or Literacy.

Over the course of two semesters, scholars will lead small groups of students through a series of lesson in their area of focus.  For example, a Literacy Scholar might guide a 6th grade group in the creation of a school newspaper, while a STEM Scholar works with 5th graders in Lego Robotics, and the PE/Nutrition Scholar helps 2nd graders create a cookbook.  Specialists will also support homework, snack/recess time and lead a weekly club in their specialty area.

After School Classroom Leader
After School Classroom Leaders will guide an after school classroom of 20 students through the CalSERVES after school program. Components of the after school day include homework help, snack/recess, literacy instruction, PE/nutrition, and math. Classroom Leaders will prepare hands on and engaging lessons that meet the needs of all students, including those with disabilities. The program will prioritize applicants with previous experience and success in the program. 

If you are interested in any of these positions, visit our website JOIN OUR TEAM page to learn more. You can also contact us for more information at recruitment@calserves.org.

Nominations Open for the 2012 Governor’s Volunteering and Service Awards

The CalSERVES team would like to you participate in nominations for the 2012 Governor's Volunteering and Service Awards!

SACRAMENTO – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. has opened nominations for the 2012 Governor’s Volunteering and Service Awards. This annual CaliforniaVolunteers event inspires Californians as they learn of amazing feats of service taking place statewide.

“Everyday, Californians make the state stronger through countless hours of volunteerism. This spirit of service is especially important during these tough budget and economic times,” said the Secretary of Service and Volunteering Karen Baker. “The Governor’s Volunteering and Service Awards celebrates the trailblazing work of California’s top volunteers, and we encourage Californians to nominate the best and brightest now.”

Nomination categories include:

• California’s Volunteer of the Year -Honors an outstanding Californian whose volunteer service is exemplary and inspirational.
• California’s Nonprofit of the Year - Honors an outstanding California nonprofit that has shown an extraordinary ability to leverage volunteers in service to their organization.
• California’s AmeriCorps Member of the Year - Honors an outstanding California AmeriCorps member who has made a substantial impact to their community.

The deadline to submit a nomination for a Governor’s Volunteering and Service Award is Friday, June 29, 2012. To make your nomination, please visit www.CaliforniaVolunteers.org/gvsa.

The Governor’s Volunteering and Service Awards will be presented at an awards ceremony in Los Angeles on Tuesday, July 31, 2012.

Bellevue Principal honors CalSERVES AmeriCorps Program

I can't imagine my school without the CalSERVESAmeriCorps staff here--it would be too quiet, too boring, almost lifeless! The mentors are all over the school, all day long--we call them all mentors because they are role models for all the students in the myriad of positions they fill: as tutors, as afterschool teachers, as volunteer coordinators, garden project leaders, p.e. champions, marquee sign creators, cheerleaders, promoters of reading, etc.

The mentors are ready to take on any task and do it with zest. We have murals on our school walls thanks to the mentors, murals about eating healthy, and about the resiliency skills taught to all students. Mentors went to the sixth grade outdoor ed program, and we needed them for supervision and kp!

We have the garden looking its best ever because of AmeriCorps. And 40 of our students have made great gains in the tutoring program, reading four times a week with their special tutor to raise their scores to grade level.

That's what I see as a result of the positive energy CalSERVES AmeriCorps brings to Bellevue.

Beth Wilson
Bellevue Elementary Principal