Welcome back everyone! I hope you all had a happy holiday and great start to the New Year.My name is Savanah Zednicek and I’m representing Char-Em ISD AmeriCorps on the Michigan’s AmeriCorps Member Council. Our ten full-time members with the Charlevoix-Emmet Intermediate School District serve in area elementary schools assisting children in grades K-5 by building bonds and being positive role models who demonstrate exactly where hard work, determination, and integrity can take you.
Through academic mentoring, members assist children in improving their performance in core subjects, with a primary emphasis on building fluent reading skills that will assist them for the rest of their lives. Members also provide further training in conflict resolution and social skills where the focus is on how to resolve conflicts in a civil and appropriate manner that will decrease violence and conflict within the schools and the community.
I find myself close to half way through my second year with Char-Em ISD AmeriCorps and I continue to be amazed each day. Through working with a caseload of 21 at-risk students I find myself engaging one-on-one or in small groups with the same children each day. I have been fortunate enough to serve in the same school both years and it’s amazing to see how the children I worked with, and those I continue to work with, have changed over my two terms of service. I know each of us AmeriCorps members has at least one amazing story to share about an accomplishment we have made and I’d like to encourage all of you to share one of those stories in response to this blog. For those of you who may be site supervisors, family, or friends, I’m sure you’ve seen or heard a story from an AmeriCorps member you could share or something that may have inspired you.
So here is one of my most recent proud moments:
While assisting my school's fourth grade students with a service project to benefit the annual “Toys for Tots” holiday drive, I found myself with a group of boys who were ready to hit the stores in search of the perfect toys. Their excitement was high and their thoughts were running crazy, but they were surprised when we reached the store and they were faced with many challenges. Among these challenges were the cost of toys in comparison to their share of the money (approximately $28), compromising over a gift they all approved of, and sharing the opportunity to give to yet another organization.
After some debate and a little help we were walking to the check out with a Trouble game and a truck. After paying and thanking the cashier they found they had one dollar and change left. Wondering what to do with it I suggested they place it in the red kettle for the Salvation Army. The boys liked this idea, but there was one dollar bill and one coin with three boys. After some discussion, they decided the boy who was carrying the toys would be the one who didn’t place money in the kettle.
Just behind the boys was a kind elderly couple who overheard their conversation. The lady asked the boys to stop and handed change to the boy who had none. She thanked all three boys for being so kind and complimented their giving before she asked them to place the money in the kettle. With a smile from the couple and the boys we walked out the door with a Merry Christmas wish.
On the way back to the school the boys and I discussed the gift choices, skills they learned, and why the lady may have given them change to place in the kettle. With ideas and thoughts abound we all decided it was because the gift of giving can be contagious and that our group had inspired others to serve in a time of need.
I believe this story captures the idea of service and the spirit it can bring to all those who are surrounded by volunteers. Please share your stories, thoughts, and opinions about this story and stories of your accomplishments, things you have seen accomplished, or perhaps something you are working to accomplish.
2 comments:
Hi Savanah, Nice Post!
I too am half way through my second term of service. I'm at a new school this year, and it has been a great year so far.
One of the Kindergarten students I am working with came into KDG not knowing any letters of the alphabet--not a single letter, not even the letters in her name. This puts her in the "at-risk" category for literacy.
When I began working with this student, she was understandably frustrated and a bit overwhelmed when we worked on learning letters. She would often say "I don't know, I can't remember," and would ask to do something else.
But after some time, and working though these feelings, things started to "click." It was a proud day when she learned the first letter in her name, and an even prouder one when she came to master all seven letters in her name. And she came to learn the letter "A" in part due to the fact that I wear my AmeriCorps badge everyday. Infact, she is a good helper to me, if I forgot to put my pin on in the morning she asks, "Mrs. Yvonne, where's your A?"
Now she knows about half the alphabet, and more importantly she has an attitude that is open to learning.
I feel honored to be able to have played a role in helping her make such great progress.
frampton231I agree with Yvonne, nice job on the webpage!
I am new to AmeriCorps this year and just finished my first community project, "Dressed For Chill '08" which was a New Coat Drive throughout the elementary school and middle school. I approached the local sorority and together, we were able to outfit 80children with new winter gear. In all, there were 30 volunteers involved in this project. The best part was the looks on the children's faces when they tried their new stuff on! Many of the kids left their new gear on the rest of the day. It was an amazing feeling and left all involved thrilled to be a part of it. The great news is the sorority voted to carry on this drive next year. Who knows how many community members will be involved?!
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