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One
of the first students that I began mentoring for AmeriCorps
was a girl
named Liz. She had struggled just to advance to 6th grade. I
was asked to
be her mentor to help her stay on task, organized and
hopefully to succeed
in school. At the beginning of the year, the failing pattern
continued
with her not passing several tests and quizzes in Math.
Finally, Liz and I
sat down and came up with some goals to help her progress in
her studies.
Liz started getting help with her math and trying hard to
get a good grade
on her daily assignments so she would then do better on
quizzes and tests.
A couple weeks later Liz ran into the After Hours tutoring
program with
her face beaming! She gave me a big hug and told me how she
aced her math
quiz. Her face was filled with amazement at what she was
able to
accomplish! While it may have been a small success, it
sparked Liz's
desire to do better (well) in school. Liz benefited from our
mentoring/tutoriing experience by understanding that success
is possible
and she can accomplish the goals she sets. While she
continues to struggle
at times, Liz continues to work hard and put forth the
effort. As the
AmeriCorps member it is exciting to see her begin to
understand that
success is reachable and attainable!
-Laurie, 2008-2009 Superior
AmeriCorps member
It was almost Christmas break and I was at the afterschool
tutoring
program. Two fun, bright, and friendly elementary girls who
I've tutored
and mentored throughout the quarter were in the room today.
Since they
were done with their homework, they were given time to draw,
write and be
creative. When it came time to leave for the day, the two
girls came up to
me with big smiles and handed me a hand-crafted box they had
made out of
paper in the room. It was so cutely decorated with the words
"Merry
Christmas" on the outside, however it was what was on the
inside that
grabbed me. In the box was a poem that read: "Roses are red,
violets are
blue, nothing beats our time working with you!"
-Ashley, 2008-2009 Superior
AmeriCorps member
Sir Winston Churchill once said, "We make a living by what
we get, we make
a life by what we give." i gave time and in return my life
has been
changed by the students in the high school. The
relationships that have
been built there will always be carried within me. My
character has been
molded and changed because of students dedication to their
work even when
they didn't feel like doing it, students who give a smile
back when a
smile is given, students who press on even though their
heart is breaking,
students who say thank you when you help them bring a task
to
completion... it is not what we get back though, it is the
giving from the
heart that makes it all worthwhile.
-Beth, 2008-2009 Superior
AmeriCorps member
One of the seniors that I mentor, Ann, needed to go to MTU
on a campus
visit in order to register for her classes in the fall. Ann
has been a
mentor student of mine since last year. She is considered
not only a
disadvantaged youth, but she also has a parent currently
incarcerated. Her
home life has been far from perfect, and I have always taken
a little
extra care of Ann.
After our AmeriCorps meeting let out for lunch, I ran and
picked up Ann
and took her to campus. We expected to be there about an
hour getting her
things organized, but it wound up being an incredible
adventure. I took
her to meet her advisor who surprised her and presented her
with a
scholarship that she has been awarded. It truly started off
the visit with
a bang! She was just ecstatic. After we laid out her courses
and things,
we headed to the Registar's Office to get Ann registered for
classes.
When we got there, we found out that she would have to pay
the $100
enrollment fee in order to schedule. Even though she had
been approved for
all kinds of financial aid, won this scholarship, etc. there
was no way to
waive this fee. And Ann, who works to support her brother
and her
household while her primary parent (the only one in the
home) is "out"
did not have the fee.
We
went to very department I could think of to come up with
this money. We
called every social service we could think of. Nothing. It
was clear Ann
was sure that college was not in her cards - it was
something she had
been fighting to do as long as I can remember. Going to
college for ANN
would be her ticket to a better life for her and her
brother. This would
make a serious change. It would not only benefit her, but
set a great
example for her little brother.
Being an AmeriCorps member, I
don't make much money at all. But this was
important. I wrote the check for her $100 enrollment
deposit. We scheduled
the classes. Ann was really quiet and acting really strange.
After almost
two hours of craziness in getting Ann registered for
college, when we hit
the doors to head to the car, she burst into tears.
She
thanked me three hundred times for paying the deposit. She
said how
grateful she was that I always took time out for her
whenever she needed
it and that I cared about her, when she felt like no one
else did. She
said how much it meant that someone believed in her. She
said no one
believed in her these days, it was nice to know that someone
did.
It warmed my heart, pretty much brought me to tears and made
me feel like
in that moment, the work I do, the connection I make with my
students -
it matters to someone. And I am so thankful that I get to be
in the
schools where I feel at home, where I can make a difference
and I can do
what I LOVE. I know because of my service, this individual
WILL go to
college in the fall.
-Heather, 2008-2009 Superior
AmeriCorps member
***Note: names of students may
have been changed*** |