Calvin Gibson SSS

SSS Volunteer Blog Post

In winter of 2016, I was presented with an exciting opportunity to participate in a community service experience with Miami University Hamilton’s Sustained Service Scholars program. I, along with several other students, was placed at the Booker T. Washington Community Center with the Boys and Girls Club program. For roughly six weeks, I went to the center and helped young students with their language arts and math homework. I mainly worked with students in kindergarten through grade four. I found it refreshing to work with these students because many of them were enthusiastic about doing their work and learning new techniques. One of the techniques I showed many of the students was how to use manipulatives to solve math problems. The students, especially the younger ones, enjoyed this approach immensely because it combined learning with ‘playing.’ Besides helping with homework, I also did literacy building activities with some of the students. The activities included sight words, alphabet flash cards, and listening to students read. I enjoyed listening to the students read. It was interesting to see which books they would pick, and watch them work to figure out words they did not know. Volunteering to help these students strengthen their math and reading skills was a rewarding experience for me.

Volunteering at the center was a rewarding experience because of the students I had the opportunity to work with. The students that attended the center reminded me a lot of the students in my own community and former elementary school. Similar to my community, many of the students attended disadvantaged schools- elementaries with low scores on school report cards. While many of these schools were working to improve themselves, the students still required supplementary academic support to stay on track and improve their skills. I believe assisting these students with their homework is an important step toward helping them develop and refine skills that may be neglected by their academic programs. Developing these skills ultimately allows  students to reach their full potential, and accomplish their goals and dreams. Seeing students that are circumstantially disadvantaged receive the opportunities they deserve was deeply rewarding for me because I believe that all children deserve an opportunity to reach their highest potential. I believe that programs like the one at the Booker T. Washington Community Center are invaluable because they offer students the opportunity to develop needed skills that may be lacking because of gaps in their academic programs

Liz Rezac Sustained Service Scholars

In search of something to keep me busy through the exaggerated winter break, I began looking into some volunteer experiences.  I woke up one day with an email for the Service Scholars: Winter Term Service Opportunity and felt that this was my in. I had known little to nothing about the program, but the spontaneity in me wanted to try something different and new. I did not realize how much I would be getting out of this experience prior to showing up at Booker T. Washington on day one.

Naturally, I was a bit nervous. I did not know anyone in my surroundings, nor was I familiar with the program itself. I had volunteered with The Boys and Girls Club in South Georgia many years ago and assumed I would be getting a similar experience. This assumption, however, was all wrong. Although my volunteerism previously was nonetheless amazing, I did not find myself wanting to go back each week in the same way I have with this program.

Back to day one, not knowing what to expect. I knew that I would be working with kids, and helping them with their homework. I knew where the classroom was located and where the accelerated reading books were stored. What I didn’t know was that I would not only be doing the teaching, but being taught as well. The program has taught me about patience, and about being humble.  The kids at Booker T. Washington are a very diverse group. Some of them come in wanting to get work done, some of them struggle to focus, but they all seemed to have a few things in common. I found that throughout the homework sessions, the kids were really just looking for someone to talk to.

I had some great conversations with some of the kids at the center, learning about them and their interests. I found that connecting with them on this level allowed me to help maintain their focus when it came to getting the homework done. I also reminded myself that I was in a sense coming into their home, their territory, and their safe place. I wanted to make sure that I did whatever I could to preserve this kind on environment to help promote education and opportunity in the kids lives.

I have gotten to a point in the program where I want to continue on past the winter term. My schedule allows me to continue to volunteer, and I want to take advantage of that opportunity.  I get a really good feeling from helping these kids with their homework. It is extremely rewarding to see progress and to feel like I am a part of that growth. Just this past week, I was welcomed to the center with hugs and hellos from some of the kids that I have worked with throughout the weeks. Knowing that I can make a difference in their lives, and in return in the community is the best reward I have received from the program thus far.

Cheyenne Shepherd: Sustained Service Scholars

This winter, I helped children at Booker T. Washington with their homework through the Boys and Girls Club. It was a program that I greatly enjoyed and I wish to continue throughout my college career. Through this experience I learned that how much I really love kids, but also how aggravating they can be when they can’t focus at the task at hand. It was relatively easy though to get the kids in for homework because Sarah, from the Boys and Girls Club, gave them incentives. Whenever they finish their homework, they get a piece of candy and when they come to do their homework for 20 days then they get a pizza party. I also helped with their reading program and that was fun because I helped them become more interested in reading. I helped them sound out words and discover new ones.

The students that came in for homework were a little different than I imagined. Some children had name brands like Uggs and Sperry’s while others didn’t. It reminded me of my high school days when some kids had name brand attire, but others didn’t. I never made the connection that if they didn’t have name brands in high school then they probably didn’t have name brands growing up either. From what I observed, this didn’t affect their academics. Both groups of children had strengths and weaknesses that had no correlation to their social class. Any child in the community can go to the center and be successful.

Volunteering at Booker T. Washington was extremely rewarding and it breaks my heart that my schedule won’t allow me to continue volunteering there regularly this semester. Hopefully if my schedule permits, I will volunteer for the Boys and Girls Club reading program in the summer. This experience has solidified the fact that without these non-profit programs, children would have a more difficult time with their homework and educational experience. Children need programs like homework help and reading to prepare them and help them become more successful in the future.

Sherry Akins: Sustained Service Scholars

I have enjoyed my time spent working with the children at Booker T. Washington Community Center.  There are many moments that have been memorable or enjoyable.  Each child has a very different personality, which has made each visit a unique, and sometimes challenging experience.  Some of the children love reading or being read to, but others are a little less enthusiastic and need some encouragement to get them to participate.  One theme I have noticed among them is a strong need for one on one interaction.  The children often lean on me while they work on their assignments, and want to touch my hands, play with the rings on my fingers, and will physically or verbally bring my attention back to them when I try to divide my attention between two of them.  Some days, they are more interested in learning about me than in working on their homework, but I can ususally draw them back in by reminding them that they can go play games after completing their work.  They really love the community center and staff members!  I am honored to have been a part of the volunteer staff at Booker T. Washington!

Sherry Akins

Akshetha Reddy: Sustained Service Scholars Winter 2016

My experience at Booker T. Washington Community Center this winter has been amazing, I met really great kids who are interested in learning and reading about many things. I think this is a great way to encourage young students into getting in a habit of finishing their school work first and asking for help when they feel the need to. Right after they finish their homework, they get a chance to pick a book they want to read and be rewarded in form of candy for reading. I loved hearing children read stories out loud and asking about what some words mean, this reminded me of a quote by Albert Einstein “The important thing is not to stop questioning” and I felt honored that I could be part of something they learned.

        After meeting some of the kids who are expected to be at a certain level of reading and they were behind the level should have been at their age, I felt that it is our responsibility to teach them and help them get on same level as their peers. Their enthusiasm is what moved me so much and my time volunteering there flies by so fast. Some of the kids who come to center to their homework feel unenthusiastic about the work that was assigned to them at school and struggle finishing it, but having someone next to them to help them understand their homework and motivating them to do their work helps them very much. If this program is continued like this where kids have safe place to study and play after their school, I strongly believe that these children will achieve great education standards.

        I have enjoyed my time at the community center and had great experience. I also learned that privileges are very different, even in schools when the community is different. I love the motive behind this program and had great time sharing my knowledge and being able to make some difference with this opportunity. 

Being a Mentor to the Future Generation: Peter Engelhard

Volunteering at the Booker T Washington Community Center was a great experience for me.  I have loved volunteering at this place because the kids are so fun to be around.  I have made great relationships with some of the kids who come over at the community center.  On the first day volunteering over there, I didn't know what to expected because I have never volunteered over there before.  Volunteering throughout the weeks, I have learned how the process works and what to expect.  There are kids, when they come in and see me, they will remember my name.  This has touched my heart.  I have helped different kids in the subjects of: reading, math, and history.  Helping them brings back memories of when I was a little kid.

Being in this program, I have seen and talked to most of these kids coming from low-income families, which brings back memories of STAYcation of how it was like living in poverty and learning about poverty in Hamilton.  There was a boy who I have a positive relationship with that he told me when grows up, he wants to be a lawyer so he can help his mom.  I told him that he needed to study, read a lot, and to go to law school.  This made me happy for me to hear him say that.  I have learned how I can speak at a kids' level so they an better understand me as I help him/her do their homework.  Helping these kids has shown me that I want to help the future generation to be able to succeed. 

I have worked with great people who helped me succeed throughout the program.  As the program is coming to a close, I have told people I would still volunteer at the Booker T Washington Community Center even after the program is over.  Booker T Washington Community Center is a great non-profit organization to volunteer at if anybody would like to make a difference in the children's lives and to be a mentor to them.  These children who are coming to the community center will be successful in going and getting a good education.  People need to volunteer at the Booker T Washington Community Center because this will impact and change your live as it did to mine.  Volunteering at the community center is one of the things that has turned me into a Hamiltonian!!!!!!    

Fresh produce in a food desert

The following blog was written by Brittany Angst, a senior Accounting major on Oxford's campus, about her volunteer work with HUGS (Hamilton Urban Garden Systems) at Booker T. Washington Community Center.

This summer I have been volunteering for Hamilton community garden systems (HUGS). The organization encourages individuals living within the city of Hamilton to grow their own produce using creative methods that require much less space and energy than traditional gardening. I have learned so much while volunteering at the Booker T. Washington Community Center garden! I never knew that peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers could be grown inside raised boxes so easily.The organization has quite a few gardens all over the city and residents are encouraged to help care for the gardens. I worked at a new area that they created that is a part of the Booker T. Washington Community Center. Twice a week I would water all the plants in the evenings, and occasionally I would even pick a few weeds. 

The methods that were used to grow the produce made watering and caring for the garden very easy and I was impressed with how much easier it was to grow plants in small boxes instead of the traditional giant space-consuming rows. I am looking forward to seeing just how much food can be grown in such a limited amount of space. The gardens offer residents a chance to grow vegetables and healthy foods that they may not have access to otherwise. There is no supermarket in the immediate area, and that makes it difficult and very inconvenient and costly to go out and buy produce.The vegetables from the community centers garden will be given out to the members of the surrounding community so that they can have access to healthy fresh produce without having to spend a lot of money. I speak from experience when I say that growing something in a garden is very empowering and I think that it will be a great project for the children at the community center in the future. It is a great way to teach them about food and nutrition and nature without having to ever leave their neighborhood.

One thing that really impressed  me was how interested in the gardens people were. The children at the community center painted and decorated the boxes and the area around them, and adults would often stop by to ask me questions about who the gardens belonged to and what was being grown. People would comment about how well things were growing and seemed to be very impressed with what could be grown in such a small space. I am very proud of everything that we managed to grow at the community center and people's interest in it, especially considering the newness of the garden. I think that the garden is going to be a great tool for educating kids and I hope that it continues to be as successful in the future as it has been this summer.