iEducate is seeking VISTA members to develop the tools and processes around our operations, PR, partnerships and technology that will help to scale our model within Houston and beyond.
Service Activities
Operations VISTA - Develop tools and processes for iEducate to further improve education equity for students in low-income communities within the Greater Houston area. Work with recruiting team to develop training materials and activities for onboarding sessions for college and high school youth who serve in the classroom. Contribute to the development of trainings for school & district staff on implementing iEducate’s model. Create processes to implement school-year and summer models including the creation of a timeline and checklist of items needed for program success. Work with the school district to streamline progress tracking & data collection by developing a rubric for district teachers and staff to evaluate performance of college students as well as procedures for college to students to track their own daily progress. Lastly, help build a sense of community between the youth participating in our model through social events and feedback sessions.
Marketing/ PR VISTA- Develop tools and processes for iEducate to further improve education equity for students in low-income communities within the Greater Houston area. Develop processes to continuously highlight work done by college & high school students on traditional and social media channels. Create strategies to work with universities and publications to promote college students’ impact. Work with the Operations team to capture best practices of iEducate’s model and create case studies to be used for marketing and training. Help with the redesign of iEducate’s website by improving website content to reflect updated organizational vision & growth plan.
Community Need Addressed
Every school we serve is a Title I school (majority of the population is economically disadvantaged). In Houston ISD alone, almost 80% of students are economically disadvantaged. Students from these low-income households miss educational opportunities that are vital to break the cycle of generational poverty. Currently, over 60% of HISD 5th graders are failing their core subjects at the state-recommended level. If these students are unable to graduate elementary school with a strong academic foundation, they are highly likely to fall through the cracks and lose hope for a fulfilling, prosperous life. iEducate works to reduce poverty by creating a more equitable classroom for students in low-income communities. Those students without the academic support at home need far more personalized instruction and attention within the classroom. Join us in leveraging youth mentors to innovate the elementary classroom model.
Position Outcomes
iEducate is building a system for school districts to engage college and high school youth within the classroom to close achievement gaps at a foundational level. During the school year, we match college students with neighboring elementary schools, placing them alongside teachers to support differentiated instruction. Over the summer, we bring together partner agencies to collaborate on curriculum & training that empower youth to design and lead summer camps at each school.
Benefits
Childcare assistance if eligible, Education award upon successful completion of service, Health coverage, Living allowance, Non-competitive eligibility (federal jobs), Relocation allowance (if applicable), Stipend, Student loan forbearance, Training
Skills you will gain
Teaching/Tutoring , Communications , Leadership , Non-Profit Management , Public Speaking , Youth Development , Community Organization , Recruitment , Education , General Skills , Writing/Editing , Team Work
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, Write cleary and effectively
Creativity & Problem Solving
Able to identify and define the problem, Improvise, Provide relevant expertise
Teamwork
Develop constructive working relationships and maintain them over time, Interact professionally and respectfully with supervisors and co-workers, Stay positive and outcome oriented
Decisions
Accepts responsibility, Anticipate the consequences of decisions, Identify and prioritize the key issues involved to facilitate the decision making process
Tools
Carefully consider which tools or technological solutions are appropriate for a given job, 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 plan of action, schedule tasks so that work is completed on time, Demonstrate the effective allocation of time and resources efficiently, Drive decision making, Effectively delegate tasks, Facilitate group planning, Set goals
Service
Be pleasant, courteous, professional and respectful when dealing with internal and external customers or clients, Provide personalized, prompt, and efficient service to meet the requirements, requests and needs of customers, Understand the importance of one's role in the functioning of the organization