Most HHS students ride the bus to and from school with one-way distances reaching 40 miles. As such after school transportation is very limited for our student body. The AmeriCorps program will benefit the HHS community by providing tutoring and mentoring support for our students at school during the school day, thus allowing our students to take advantage of additional support regardless of their financial/transportation constraints. The AmeriCorps Member would utilize the provided classroom as a tutoring and support space that is welcoming and inviting for students. The AmeriCorps Member will also engage students in positive skill building activities, in school, after school and out of school.
Service Activities
Direct Services in support of school wide initiatives.
Community Need Addressed
Out-of-School suspensions do not work for our students. Studies show that there is a direct correlation between long-term suspensions and the drop-out rate. Furthermore, this drop-out rate correlates directly with billions of dollars lost. “According to [the UCLA Center for Civil Rights Remedies], 10th grade student suspensions cost over $35 billion, and the cost of each high school drop-out ‘amounts to $163,000 in fiscal losses and $364,000 in social losses over a lifetime. When added together, the number of dropouts caused by suspensions – which totaled 67,000 – cost the nation $35 billion’” (Huffington Post, June 2, 2016). First, our AmeriCorps member will run a program called SERVE. SERVE is our restorative justice program that provides accountability without the punitive actions of an in-school suspension system. It will be a block of time where students are taught a character education (SEL) lesson on correct and successful behaviors. The second part for students will be a community service component where students actively participate in a school campus or community beautification project.
Position Outcomes
Increased resilience of at-risk students.
Benefits
Childcare assistance if eligible, Education award upon successful completion of service, Health coverage, Living allowance, Relocation allowance (if applicable), Stipend, Student loan forbearance, Training
Education Benefits
College Degree
Skills you will gain
Project Management, Tutoring, Student Interaction, Positive Youth Development
Competencies You Will Develop
Communication
Demonstrate sensitivity and empathy, Lead group discussion, Listen to and consider others' viewpoints, Maintain open lines of communication with others, Speak clearly, in precise language and in a logical, organized and coherent manner, Turn taking, Write cleary and effectively
Creativity & Problem Solving
Able to identify and define the problem, Capable of generating possible solutions, Communicate the problem to appropriate personnel, Improvise, Provide relevant expertise, Select and implement well-considered solution
Teamwork
Derive consensus, Develop constructive working relationships and maintain them over time, Establish a high degree of trust and credibility with others, Interact professionally and respectfully with supervisors and co-workers, Stay positive and outcome oriented, Use appropriate strategies and solutions for dealing with conflicts and differences to maintain a smooth workflow
Decisions
Accepts responsibility, Anticipate the consequences of decisions, Identify and prioritize the key issues involved to facilitate the decision making process, Involve people appropriately in decisions that may impact them, Quickly respond with a back-up plan if a decision goes amiss
Tools
Carefully consider which tools or technological solutions are appropriate for a given job, Consistently choose the best tool or technological solution for the problem at hand, Seek opportunities to improve knowledge of tools and technologies that may assist in streamlining work and improving productivity
Planning
Able to prioritize various competing tasks, Create environment of contribution, Create plan of action, schedule tasks so that work is completed on time, Demonstrate the effective allocation of time and resources efficiently, Effectively delegate tasks, Facilitate group planning, Set goals
Service
Be pleasant, courteous, professional and respectful when dealing with internal and external customers or clients, Evaluate customer or client satisfaction, Honor the privilege of being able to work with and for those being served, Provide personalized, prompt, and efficient service to meet the requirements, requests and needs of customers, Recognize the importance of maintaining privacy and confidentiality of those being served, Understand and anticipate the needs of others, Understand the importance of one's role in the functioning of the organization, Understand the significance of maintaining a healthful and safe environment