Responsible, socially conscious, dependable students who are interested, would like to gain experience while in college, give back to the community, and boost their resume with hands on experience can contact Corrine Handy, Volunteer Recruitment Coordinator at
chandy@stfranciscenter.org.

 
St. Francis Neighborhood Center
2405 Linden Ave
Baltimore, MD 21217
www.stfranciscenter.org

Date: Saturday, September 12

Time: 2 PM

Place:  Austin Grill, Canton

If you have any questions, email Karen Sentementes at KMSentementes@LMUS.LeggMason.com or Chris Youngston, the Executive Director of Unchained Talent, at chris@unchainedtalent.org. 

Higher Achievement – Baltimore Mentor FAQ

• What is Higher Achievement? Higher Achievement is an after-school and summer academic enrichment program for motivated middle-school students that helps students excel and advance to top high schools.

• What do academic mentors do? Mentors are volunteers who work with a small group of intellectually curious 5^th and 6^th grade scholars in a core academic subject of their choice, using easy-to-use, structured, and scripted lessons. Higher Achievement equips mentors with the curricula, as well as ongoing support and training. Mentors bring their enthusiasm and commitment, and serve as positive role models to the scholars. In return for giving their time and effort, mentors receive the rewarding experience of making a lasting impact on a young person’s life.

• How long is the commitment?  Mentors work with a core group of scholars one evening per week during the school year (late September until early May), from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. Mentors can choose what day of the week they want to volunteer: Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday.

• What kind of support is provided? Mentors receive significant support from Higher Achievement, including curricula, an extensive orientation session, ongoing training opportunities, and coaching from full-time professionals. The Assistant Center Director at each site is responsible for working with mentors to provide guidance and support.

• Where is the program located and is it safe? Higher Achievement operates out of two elementary/middle schools in Baltimore:  Collington Square Elementary/Middle School, 1409 N. Collington Ave., Baltimore, MD 21213 or Dr. Nathan A. Pitts Ashburton Elementary Middle, 3935 Hilton Rd., Baltimore, MD 21215. Mentors can choose their location. Both schools have security and staff who work until 8:30 pm. All mentors will be oriented to the neighborhood and encouraged to use precautions that they would ordinarily take in unfamiliar settings.

• Is there a background check or other requirements? Yes; all volunteers working with youth must complete a fingerprint background check and Tuberculosis test prior to starting. The organization will provide more information on how to complete these tasks.

• How do I apply? Visit www.higherachievement.org and click on “Volunteer.”

• Will I work with the same students all year? Yes, you will work with the same three or four students all year. Many mentors choose to come back year-to-year to continue to working with their assigned scholars.

What to hear more?  Join us for a mentor information session:

Wednesday, September 2nd       6:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday, September 16th     6:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Location: 1414 Key Highway, Suite 300, Baltimore, MD 21230

RSVP: 410-752-7753 or mentorbaltimore@higherachievement.org

Downspout Disconnection Program Coordinator

Position Overview:

Full time, salaried staff person sought to direct the implementation of an innovative pilot program intended to reduce polluted stormwater runoff from urban and suburban neighborhoods in Baltimore City/ County. Program goals are to control, treat or divert runoff from rooftops and roads prior to entering municipal storm drain system by educating homeowners about the water quality impacts of runoff and encouraging direct action by individuals such as disconnecting downspouts and installing rain barrels and rain gardens. The Coordinator would work with existing staff from the Herring Run and Jones Falls Watershed Associations, the Center for Watershed Protection and government partners.

Responsibilities:

Provide technical insight into neighborhood site selection for disconnection, install and maintain stormwater monitoring equipment, educate and engage local communities, and conduct surveys and disconnections for interested homeowners and businesses.. Coordinator will oversee and manage seasonal work crews and be responsible for project vehicles, equipment and tools. He/she will also be responsible for meeting project deadlines, managing all aspects of project budget, and providing regular progress reports to all project partners.

Minimum Qualifications:

* Working knowledge of watershed sciences, (including hydrology), urban ecology, and the environmental issues facing the Chesapeake Bay.
* Prior landscaping and light construction experience, as well as some experience with community organizing.
* Strong verbal and writing skills to be able to communicate project goals effectively and convincingly to diverse audiences through direct community outreach and organizing.
* Ability to manage project logistics and work crews, and work with project team.
* Ability to work in a fast-paced, collaborative, and highly dynamic work setting.
* Strong organizational skills needed to develop and maintain tracking systems, monitoring data, and overall project coordination.
* Basic computer skills including, Word, Excel etc.

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience in the creation of rain gardens and knowledge of Maryland native plants a plus. Working knowledge of water infrastructure systems, point and non-point source water pollution, and urban streams also a plus. Valid driver’s license and good driving record, along with own transportation are required. A bachelor’s degree in environmental science or biology preferred or a combination of relevant education and/or experience. Weekend and evening availability required.

Please submit resume and cover letter to dflores@jonesfalls.org

Dallas Nicholas Broadcasts to World Through Radio Blog

Audio Interview with Evon Hewitt Jr, Special Education Teacher at Dallas F. Nicholas Sr. Elementary School.  Recorded Spring 2009.

My name is John Bernet and I am a Community Connections Coordinator/Americorps*VISTA at the Dallas F. Nicholas, Sr. Elementary School for the Greater Homewood Community Corporation. Since August 1st of 2008 I have been working in a neighborhood elementary school and its surrounding communities to create and strengthen connections and partnerships between the school and its parents and neighbors. Dedicating a year to community service through Americorps*VISTA is a large commitment. You don’t make any money. When I filed my taxes I was kind of shocked to realize that I was in the very bottom bracket of the tax ladder and owed nobody any money. It really drove the whole thing home. In joining Americorps*VISTA, regardless of where you are going or what you are doing, you are making a commitment to fight poverty while being poor, literally. And that’s when it goes from just normal community service to something a little bit more intense. It’s not just coordinating a volunteer day here and there. It’s more than just getting donations or putting together an event. It is a year long, fully involved commitment to helping other people for basically no reward at all.

And yet, over the course of my VISTA year I hadn’t really noticed this situation until tax time. That got me thinking on the whole experience, and it stuck me how positive the whole experience has been. Not only have I been fortunate enough to work at a wonderful school, Dallas F. Nicholas, Sr. Elementary, but I work for a wonderful company, the Greater Homewood Community Corporation. Occasionally one gets horror stories that come back through the grapevine about terrible VISTA years at awful sites where the people were just allowed to answer the phone all day. This job is definitely not that. In fact, I’m occasionally too busy to answer the phone. Best of all, it’s not just busy-work that I spend my days doing. It’s actual, interesting, tangible work. Whether it’s coordinating a volunteer day, finding resources for an event, or figuring out how to get two ends of one partnership together, very rarely do I find myself thinking I am stuck doing mindless stuff.

My VISTA position really works out to be a phenomenal transition between college and what everyone keeps calling real life. College leaves you in a mind-set built around straightforward goals, with very clear steps to achieving them: 1-Go to class, 2-Do your homework, 3-Study, 4-Pass your tests, 5-Finish your finals, 6-Get and A.

The world doesn’t work that way, and VISTA has been a great way to grow away from that. The beginning of the year usually has some pretty clear goals left over from the prior year’s VISTA, and it gives you a chance to get the lay of the land. But when those are finished and you’ve become accustomed to community work, you will find yourself with a good amount of freedom to begin designing your own programs, realizing your own needs, and defining your legacy as a VISTA in the community. Not only that, but you wind up doing it with skills you never knew you had.

This is another realization that hits you suddenly. About a month ago, sitting down after a day-long string of meetings and phone calls to coordinate three different projects with a number of different people, I realized that if I had found myself in that situation a year ago I might have just sat down and cried, but now I hardly even think about it.

Going into this position I really didn’t think that it would turn out like this. I was pretty convinced this year would be a job, and I would do it, and then go on to some other job. That was about as much as I was expecting. It has, however, blown my expectations out of the water and given me a year’s worth of very valuable training and practice for the professional world.

Interested in becoming an AmeriCorps*VISTA? Check out this amazing opportunity!
AmeriCorps*VISTA position available at Montgomery College Takoma Park/Silver Spring in August 2009

Who: Anyone fluent in English and another language: French, Amharic, Arabic, etc.

Time: Approximately 1 – 1 1/2 hours/week; sessions scheduled M-F, 8 am – 5 pm

Commitment: You are welcome even if you cannot commit to every week!

Where: ASTT’s offices are located in Wheaton, DC and Baltimore at 431 E. Belvedere Ave.

Contact: Andrea Rackowski, Volunteer Coordinator, (410) 464-9006, Volunteer_coordinator@astt.org

http://astt.org/

Who: Anyone fluent in English and another language: French, Amharic, Arabic, etc.

Time: Approximately 1 – 1 1/2 hours/week; sessions scheduled M-F, 9 am – 4 pm

Commitment: You are welcome even if you cannot commit to every week!

Where: ASTT’s offices are located in Wheaton, DC and Baltimore at 431 E. Belvedere Ave.

Contact: Rachel Avery, Volunteer Coordinator, (410) 464-9006, Volunteer_coordinator@astt.org

http://astt.org/