Finding Myself through Service

The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.
-Mahatma Gandhi 

I graduated from Indiana University in 2004 with degrees in Political Science and Anthropology, a new boyfriend whom I believed I just might marry someday, and nary a clue as to what I wanted to do with my life. So essentially I was a lot like everyone else.

I guess I had a general sense of wanting to do something creative; maybe work in a museum, maybe not. I liked kids a whole lot, but I’d spent some time student teaching in elementary schools and knew that wasn’t for me. Maybe I’d become a museum educator, but what if I disliked that, too? I couldn’t tell you what I wanted to do with my life, but I’d gotten pretty good at sorting out the things I could never do. Banking. Lawyering. Accounting. No no and no.

I have no recollection of making the decision to join AmeriCorps, but once the idea came I held it tightly. Summoning a fearlessness that wasn’t like me at all, I applied for programs far away from my home – Habitat for Humanity in Colorado, trail-building in Louisiana, and after-school literacy in California. I could visualize myself pounding nails, meeting new friends, and being on my own, really and truly, for the first time in my life. I thought the time away would give me some clarity and point me toward a career doing…something.

I interviewed with all three AmeriCorps programs but ultimately chose one in Santa Rosa, California, where I’d serve as Team Leader for an after-school program, called CalSERVES, in an at-risk school. I didn’t have an apartment or a car, nor did I know anyone. Assured by the team there that it would all work itself out, I said goodbye to my dad, my sister, my boyfriend, and my home, and flew into San Francisco. I’d never been to San Francisco.

I boarded the bus to Santa Rosa and, once there, was picked up by a fellow volunteer. I spent the next three weeks training by day and couch-surfing by night. The worst was when I woke up in the middle of the night one time to find my co-worker’s weird roommate staring at me in the dark. The best was when I got to house-sit for an out-of-town teacher and had the place to myself. I subsisted on hummus and phone calls from friends and family. I was homesick and wondering why I hadn’t just taken a job at the mall until I figured the rest of it out.

Eventually the training ended, I found a place to stay, and I bought a little red Ford Aspire without power steering. I wound up loving my classroom and the students in it. I have amazing memories of playing Paul Simon for the kids while they did art projects, being thanked with hand-picked flowers by the parents of a challenging student, and labeling and creating a database of books in the classroom’s library.

I also participated in five National Days of Service, doing things like cleaning the school’s garden in the rain, picking up trash along a road in town, walking in the Human Race, and pulling out an old fence in a new city park. The work was hard and by the end of the day I was bone-tired, but those memories make me smile.

More than that, I learned to be resourceful and independent. I learned how to connect with people who had little in common with me, and how to work around difficult personalities. I also learned to live on what barely passes as an income. Bars and restaurants and other outings were out of the question, so I made do with nights in playing board games. It was during this time that I learned to cook.

By the time my year in AmeriCorps was over, I’d applied to and earned acceptance into a Museum Studies program in England. I figured that if I could move across the country sight unseen I could move across the pond. I sometimes think that California was a bigger adjustment for this small-town girl than Europe was.

I now hold a position in Development at UCLA, which I love. It’s often struck me that during every interview I’ve ever had I’m asked to talk about something I’m most proud of. Of all the things I’ve done, of all the things I could talk about, I inevitably go back to my time with CalSERVES.

Oh, and I did marry that boy.

by Loni Rocchio, CalSERVES AmeriCorps Alumnus

15 Years of CalSERVES Programs

CalSERVES is gearing up to celebrate our 15th Anniversary. That's a lot of AmeriCorps members who have served in our programs. We would love to hear your stories of service! The first 10 people who share their stories through completing an online survey will recieve a FREE ticket to our 15th Anniversary Event. Share your story here.

For more details about the event and to register, visit our website: www.calserves.org. Information is on the home page.

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

Making Sure Our Students Voices are Heard!

Coming in as a second year Team Leader at Wright Charter, I had thought a lot about how to make the 2011-2012 school year even better than the previous academic year. I knew that my best brainstorming came through collaboration. If I could find out students needs, wants and grand ideas, then I could help make things happen! I wanted students to be more involved and be a community in our after school and for them to know that their voices are crucial to our program. I realized that a great way for this to occur was through the creation of student council.

After School Student Council consists of 2-3 student representatives from our 5th, 6th, 7th and 7th/8th classrooms! We meet once a week for 30 minutes and discuss the items on our agenda. Opinions are always requested on every topic. Representatives have the responsibility of taking information back to their classroom. They are in charge of announcing upcoming events, collecting feedback about past activities and taking class votes in order to represent a larger class opinion on a particular topic. Every meeting, we go over the class responses and discuss how smoothly the transfer of information went. Providing information and conducting a voting session are not the easiest things to do with a classroom full of your peers!

The representatives have gained a lot of experience through their new position. They have done a spectacular job and have helped create and run successful events and activities. We have come up with class mascots, activities and awards to include in our upper grade assemblies, how to improve our fitness centers, and more. Our first big event was an after school dance for grades 5th through 8th. Representatives helped brainstorm themes, decorations, and music recommendations, as well as help things run smoothly during the dance and help clean up afterwards. Students and mentors alike had a wonderful time and many requested to have more dances!

Student Council Members at the dance they helped to create.

I am thrilled to be a part of After School Student Council at Wright Charter. I cannot wait to see what else we will improve and create during this second half of the year! I believe that the council’s success comes from our students’ drive to help make after school the best it can be and from the support that our fantastic mentors give to their students and staff on a daily basis.

By Jenna Rafalow, AmeriCorps Team Leader at Wright Charter School