Michigan's AmeriCorps Member Council - Posting #10

Hi! My name is Christy Fieber and I represent Volunteer Muskegon AmeriCorps. Our members are placed at several sites in Muskegon, Oceana, and Newaygo Counties. The 15 full-time members and five minimum time members engage K-12 youth in service-learning projects. Members develop strong skills in youth development, grass roots community problem solving, and leadership skills. The Volunteer Muskegon AmeriCorps team is dedicated to building awareness of national service and facilitating large-scale projects on days of national service. Members serve in school systems, health organizations, and various non-profit agencies.

I serve in a local high school, where I facilitate the after-school program dedicated to building social skills among the attendees, improving individual grades, as well as one-to-one mentoring. In addition to the after-school program, I work with three students in the special-education program. We work to improve their math, reading, and writing skills through various computer programs and books dedicated to such a population.

My service thus far has caused me to think about hope and how its concepts affect our youth on a daily basis. When I first began working with the three special-education students, I was told by a teacher my efforts would be wasted because these students were unable to change. When did we lose faith in our youth? When did our education system, the pillar of possibility, begin to think the future of our nation held no promise? I refused to believe this; I refused to be swayed by those who have become jaded by the few who, by some standards, have been unsuccessful. Margaret Meade said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” I hold these students to this standard and I challenge them to revert back to childlike behaviors when everything was possible. This may seem naïve, but I have seen the change. More importantly, I have witnessed students experiencing change, being empowered by newly discovered abilities.

In his inaugural address, Barack Obama said, “Today, I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this America; they will be met. On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.”

I believe education is one of the challenges of which he speaks. In the same breath, we face such challenges with hope. After all, where would our country be without it? This is the time for people such as AmeriCorps members to take a personal responsibility to instill this level of optimism in our future leaders. During a time when hopeless situations are far from scarce, it has been increasingly difficult to find hopeless individuals. We are not hopeless. We simply refuse to be. We as AmeriCorps members have a duty to show them they have a voice; we’re ready to listen. We are ready to see how they can change our destination, how they too, are able to be a valuable part of their community.

You will fail. This is merely a fact of life. The question is: do you have the integrity, the spirit, the strength to try again, in spite of yesterday’s outcome? This is hope. It is not to be confused with merely wishing. I can tell you, I have been moved by the students I work with who are consumed and devoted to this concept.

Zach, a student who continually participates in the after-school program, was recently unable to play with his basketball teammates due to poor grades. He had only eleven school days until the first game of the season, and was failing three classes. For two weeks, we worked on all three subjects, both during and after program hours. He began to get frustrated by the extra work after an already extended school day. On Tuesday, which would have been our 12th day working together, I noticed he was late to our study-sessions. Ten minutes passed when he walked through my door wearing a basketball jersey. I jokingly asked if he was going to be able to make it to our study-time that day, when he said, “Nope, I have a game I have to play in.” I was so proud; I was nearly brought to tears. I would like to tell you that they won that game because of him, but they lost. In fact, they have won only three games this season. He told me how easy it would have been to not even try to improve his grades, especially in such a short amount of time. He knew his team’s chances of doing well this season. He knows how easy it would be to fall back into old habits in school. But, everyday, without fail, he still comes to me for extra schoolwork help, and he still practices and plays in his games. Both he and I were discouraged on a daily basis. We were constantly reminded that our efforts had a small chance of making a difference. Neither of us believed. We chose to believe this time, things would end up differently.

I have seen the power of hope in three students where hope was considered an extremely foreign concept; in the three special-education students. I have an hour and half everyday where I am considerably unoccupied. The frustrated special-education teacher approached me and asked if, during that downtime, I would be willing to work with those three students. I was a little confused by his request as I have a degree in family studies not education, nor am I highly educated on this population. He basically told me to keep them occupied. He said they retain very little information you give them, and his only expectation is for them to have basic survival skills. I was nearly enraged by his lack of hope in these three individuals. He is a person who has dedicated his life to this population. But then, I thought, they now have the opportunity to vastly improve their quality of life. During our first meeting, it was my goal to get to know them better, allowing me to better understand their individual needs. I was surprised to see how much they do in fact retain. They told me stories in great detail about their childhoods. They remembered who they sat by when they were riding the school bus in kindergarten. I realized that when you are told on a daily basis you are unable to do something, trying seems like a lost cause. I began by telling them my name. One student, Jessie, asked, “How do you spell that?” I replied, “F-i-e-b-e-r.” He wrote it down as quickly as I told him. He carries it with him, and uses it whenever he can’t recall on his own. He has only returned to the piece of paper once.

We began on a computer program that tests them on their math abilities. It starts with addition of ones and zeroes. If it is too easy, a two-minute test will allow an individual to go up a level. Within two days, all three students had surpassed addition and were on to basic multiplication. We are now into higher multiplication and division. Since beginning this part of the program, they go at least four days before passing another 40-question test. Yet, they come in every single day excited and eager to see what today’s challenge has in store. We read through economic and history books in order to work on comprehension, then recalling ideas through summary questions. I cannot put into words how impressed I have been with their abilities to reiterate a whole chapter with such ease. I am not most impressed by their abilities, but rather their enthusiasm and willingness. After years of being given very little chances to impress, they are not taking this time for granted. They clap, cheer, and give verbal congratulations anytime one of their peers gives a correct answer. It is not common for me to see that much pride among the general student body.

During my service, I have been able to find hope in the most unexpected people and places. I have found it where it had been lost. I have seen it restored in stymied students. I have found it in myself through connections with these students. If I were not given anything else, I am rich in its abundance. It has rescued me during my worst times of doubt. It has taught me newfound valuable lessons, while at the same time, has given me more understanding about the history of my own life as well as our country’s. Have any of you experienced such awakenings during your year of service?