AmeriCorps Service helps Students

 CalSERVES has After School programs all across California. Programs in Los Angeles have been seeing a lot of progress with students.

Students participate in STEM projects.

An AmeriCorps members serving in LA, Didier Mejia, shared this observation about AmeriCorps  service and the students in the program:

“One of the many students that I had a chance to work with caught my attention with his progress throughout the program. A 6th grader, he is bright kid who was eager to learn new stuff. I believe mathematics is an essential subject one must learn in order to succeed in any career, therefore I emphasized this with my students. He is now able to easily calculate large numbers in his head and works on Math a grade ahead of his classmates.”

A student engaged in learning about Science.

Time to Say Goodbye

It’s the end of the service year for the 2012-13 CalSERVES AmeriCorps Service Scholars. Our members are leaving the program with many fond memories, and have a few tips to share with next year’s Scholars.

 Flexibility is key, say our graduating members, and they encourage our new staff to best serve their students by being able to go with the flow, embrace change, be adaptable and open to fresh ideas while making every possible moment a learning opportunity.

The members also expressed some motivational advice for the future CalSERVES tutors:

“Don’t be afraid to expose your failures to the kids – let them know that you’re human too and that it’s okay to make mistakes.”

“Don’t sell your self short with any excuses – there is always room for more patience, positivity, and productivity. See the power of your own effectiveness.”

“Believe in yourself and know that even when times are hard or stressful, that you are still making a difference in the lives of the kids.”

“Don’t get bogged down. Change won’t happen immediately. You might not even see it during your service term. Instead consider that that you are a piece of the greater puzzle. Sooner or later, we’ll see a prettier picture.”

This school year would not have been as fun or successful without the hard work from each and every one of our AmeriCorps members! Thank you for all that you did this year; you truly made a difference in the lives of so many students!

by Jacky Bennett, CalSERVES AmeriCorps Literacy Content Leader

Wright Students Get Nutritious!

 Every year, students within the CalSERVES program participate in what we call Nutrition Olympics. They spend the afternoon playing games designed to help them learn new facts about fruits, veggies and healthy lifestyle choices.

This year, the students at Wright Charter got even more involved in the fun. During “Pepper Push Relay” students had to find creative ways to roll a pepper to the finish line. “Celery Javelin” found our students seeing how far they could throw the celery “stalk.” Even the Middle Schoolers had fun “Citrus Relay” where they raced to see which team could fill up their baskets the fastest.

Overall, Nutrition Olympics was another successful event for Wright Charter!

It is in Giving that We Receive

 I came to the CalSERVES program as an AmeriCorps scholar with the intent to serve my community. Because I moved to Sonoma County straight out of high school, I wanted to be part of a localized movement and see what this place was really all about. Little did I know that this job would soon change my entire outlook on life.

I wake up each morning with send of purpose, pride and belonging. It has been my time spent serving others, particularly the youth in my community, which has brought deeper meaning and fulfillment to my life. Being able to support kids in their academic and emotional needs has helped me to better define my own personal values and goals in life.

 After the short year I have spent working within this community, I am sure that my direction in life has completely changed---and for the better too! Through this experience, I have realized that being of service to others and my community will always play a huge role in my life. I wouldn’t trade the last year of my life for the world and I am grateful to know that working for CalSERVES AmeriCorps has completely transformed my life.

by Samantha Bereman, AmeriCorps Literacy Scholar at Wright Charter

All Are Welcome at Wright "The Farm"

An AmeriCorps member reads to a child as part of the CalSERVES program.

If I’ve learned anything at CalSERVES, it’s how to be “inclusive.” Deriving, undoubtedly from the Tribes curriculum, it’s one of our favorite buzzwords. The word encourages not only students but also adults to make one another feel comfortable in a group setting. For new comers, it’s always awkward to insert themselves into an established group. “Inclusion” efforts take the stress and anxiety out of this equation. Why in the world does this matter? Is this even relevant to our year at CalSERVES? I would like to take a minute to thank each and every member of Wright's CalSERVES (#thefarm’s) team for putting this into practice.

 A few months ago, we were lucky enough to gain two new members. Prior to that, in October we adopted another new member. During both of these occasions, I was so gratified to see the rest of the team rally around our new members. They introduced themselves, participated in their training, allowed the new girls to shadow them, anything! At a point where it seemed that one extra thing would break us, these new additions made us stronger. The girls added energy. They kept everyone on their toes.

Thank you, Wright team. You’ve all impressed me to no end. It’s incredible to see, even though you’re stretched to your limits, you all still extend a hand. Wherever you all end up, never forget the power of kindness.

by Lauren Loeffler, AmeriCorps Team Leader at Wright Charter School

Plenty of Reasons to Celebrate

We’re getting excited for our 15th Anniversary Celebration – just one week away!

With a decade and a half under the CalSERVES belt, we’ve gone through a handful of name changes, have seen programs grow, change, and develop, and have watched our dedicated AmeriCorps and staff alumni move on to be game-changers in the social, public, and education sectors.

As we as a staff look back on our history, we’re filled with a deep sense of all that we have to celebrate. Jacqueline Rocha, a former AmeriCorps team member recently shared a heart-warming story story with us that demonstrates the many aspects of our program that we’re celebrating this year. Take a look:

“I began as a part-time mentor at Taylor Mountain in 2010. I was assigned the fourth grade cool school class and a partner named Kim. My first year I made amazing friends and got to know some incredible kids. I fell in love with those fourth graders. They were so hard to handle but absolutely worth it. Kim and I became friends too. We shared our frustrations and our successes. I followed my students into fifth grade the following year and got to work one-on-one with many of them as a tutor. It never got easy, but the rewards keep on coming. I still visit Taylor Mountain as often as I can. My students still get excited to see me, tell me about the books they are reading and ask if I am coming back for good. I will be volunteering with those once-fourth-graders at their sixth grade camp in just a few weeks. Next month I will attending Kim's wedding with many other past mentors. I could not have predicted how rich my experience with CalSERVES would be and I am so grateful for it.”

We’re proud of the impact and connections we make in our programs. Thank you, Jacqueline, for sharing your great story – we’re excited to celebrate the achievements of program alumni like you Arlene Francis Center next Friday!

If you haven’t yet purchased tickets to our event, it’s not too late! We have just a couple of tickets left. You can register online at www.calserves.org.