OPPORTUNITIES!

Told by Montana Tech's AmeriCorps Team Leader Rachel Towsnend.
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TRIO Day students attend the Closing Ceremony hosted by Montana Tech Chemistry

“This is so awesome! Much cooler than a tour around campus…” 

On February 23rd, Montana Tech of the University of Montana celebrated TRIO Day, an opportunity to focus the nation's "attention on the needs of disadvantaged young people and adults aspiring to improve their lives if they are to become contributing citizens of the country, and to the talent which will be wasted if that investment is not made."

Students head underground for a tour of one of Butte’s inactive mines.

Students from middle and high schools in and around the Butte area came to our university to experience first-hand the voluptuous opportunities college access will provide them. From touring underground mines with professionals to memorization from Tech’s chemistry students demonstrating various chemical reactions, it was certainly a day worth celebrating.

Junior and Senior Upward Bound students after their tour
of one of Butte’s inactive mines

Although four-year universities do not bode well with every person’s career aspirations, academia past high school allots everyone an opportunity that otherwise would not be possible. It is important for students to realize their potential and begin thinking about life after high school from an early age;

however, it is one thing to be told of different possibilities and entirely another to see what is possible in face-to-face situations.
During the event, junior and senior Upward Bound students had an opportunity to travel 100 feet underground to tour an inactive educational mine. They walked with lights on their hardhats, reflective vests on their backs, and smiles on their faces. Butte is known as the “Richest Hill on Earth” for its mining history, which the majority of the students who came to campus for this year’s TRIO Day celebration are interested in pursuing to some degree.

Sublimity has a funny way of taking over when you have a room full of countywide students who are genuinely excited about their next steps.

High School TRIO students.

TRIO student with Amanda Curtis, a member of the Montana
House of Representatives.

MLK DAY AT THE ROXY!

Blogging about one’s own event can be difficult in my eyes. This is when I’m conscious of coming across as stuck up, fake, or WORSE to hype up an event that really wasn’t that eventful. So I’ll tell you a bit about the event and hopefully the video links below from NBC Montana and KPAX T.V. below will reflect that as well.

 KPAX T.V. MLK at the ROXy
NBC Montana MLK Day at the ROXY

Across the state Montana Campus Compact and AmeriCorps members helped continued the MLK Read for Peace mission with a few creative add-ons within the community. In Missoula I (Jason Forges, AmeriCorps Senior Leader) was part of the MLK committee and implemented the screening of “Selma” at the Roxy theater here in Missoula. Selma is a story of Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma, Alabama where racism was strong and openly expressed in 1965. This story not only shows the great work of Dr. King and others, but also shows how Martin Luther King Jr. was human too.

What I’ve learned from that experience is that it’s the importance appreciate people that helped behind the scenes. With that I would like to thank Carly Hosford-Israel (AmeriCorps VISTA Leader) for brain storming the idea with me and Ja’ton Simpson for facilitating the community discussion. Selma at the Roxy Theater was a packed event! So much that we had to open up a second theater so people wouldn’t have to stand in the back or sit on the floor. I think that shows something. The things that come to mind are curiosity, awareness, or both.

In the middle of the screening Selma was paused where Dr. King talks about the unlawful death of Jimmy Lee Jackson by the police officers in Selma. We then had a facilitated discussion with the audience from both rooms that was led by Ja’ton Simpson.

Creating an event like this you’ll never know what you’ll get from those discussions and what we got was GOLD! Community members young and old talked about their perspective on race in America now and back in the 60s. A couple community members even talked about their experience in going to Selma, Alabama in 1965 and joining the march. Overall this event started a conversation on how to move forward as we deal with current issues and not to only just talk about issues but to have ACTION, look for action or create an action plan with you and others. Hope you enjoy the videos.

FALL GAME JAM AT SKC!

On November 3rd through 5th AmeriCorps Leader Dayton Smith helped put on the Fall Game Jam at Salish Kootenai College, hosted by Flathead Tech4Good.

 “Water is Life” is this year’s theme at SKC. With that focus the purpose of the fall Game Jam was to bring local high-schoolers, SKC students and community volunteers together to tackle related issues with-in the community. With the"Water is Life" theme in mind, Tech4Good Game Jam focused on the unique challenges that Flathead Watershed faces.

Now what is a watershed? The first thing that comes to my mind is a “shed that holds water”, but that’s not the case.  Now if you know exactly what a watershed does congrats, but if you’re like me then welcome to the soon to be woke club. Overall we all live on a watershed. A watershed is like a funnel that drains from the land to the same location or body of water. And how our communities treat the land plays a big role on the water we have. Not woke? Watch a  short video on "What's a Watershed"( Soon to be Woke Club: What is a Watershed)

Now learning about watersheds can be useful, but making it useful and relatable can have a deeper connection with the students and community members. With that there’s the Flathead Watershed. That Friday students learned about the challenges that Flathead Watershed faces such as Invasive species, oil train derailments, pollution due to agriculture development and more.
Although there was not a big turnout for this year’s fall Game Jam the effort continues to bring students and communities member together to work towards a common goal.

For more information on the SKC's Fall Game Jam visit Tech4good.

REMEMBERING GEORGE WITH CHARLIE BRIGGS

When George Dennison passed away earlier this year, it prompted us to reach out to many of the folks with whom Dennison had worked to establish, grow and support Campus Compact and National Service in Montana. Recently we heard from Charlie Briggs. Charlie is a University of Montana alum, and is the public policy and development officer with Easter Seals Goodwill of the Northern Rockies. When I got my start with Campus Compact, Charlie was director of the Governor's Office of Community Service. He shared some thoughts about George here. Thank you, Charlie.
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In Montana, the Commission is housed in the Governor’s Office of Community Service (and established in statute by the 1993 Legislature), and I served as the second Executive Director from September 1997 – February 2001.  It’s interesting that George was so personable, at least in our dealings it was usually on a first-name basis (which was certainly not the case in meeting with him at the university environment, such as Main Hall).  We had a warm, yet professional working relationship.  He was a decidedly strong leader of the Commission.  George was passionate about national service, and quickly embraced the creation of the Corporation for National Service in 1992-93 (early in the Clinton years, though
initial grants I recall came out at the end of the George H.W. Bush term).  He was appointed Chair by Gov. Racicot, who also embraced national service and created the Office under the Governor, and served as Chair through the Martz Administration.

George was a very direct, clear communicator, and a very engaged Chair of the Montana Commission, developed effective working relationships with a diverse commission membership, making sure everyone was engaged.  He was also most supportive of the work our staff did to prepare and the protocols to award AmeriCorps grants, which included creation of the Montana Campus Corps, under Campus Compact, and other grants such as the Learn and Serve grants awarded in cooperation with the Office of Public Instruction.  He was also committed to maintaining a positive working relationship with the Corporation’s State Office, under the leadership of Joe Lovelady, and then John Allen.

Charlie Briggs

I left the Montana Commission in 2001 to become ED for the Texas Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service, the state commission originally created under Gov. Ann Richards, but enthusiastically embraced by Gov. George W. Bush.  I only mention this because the Texas Campus Compact when I started was really a fledgling university organization there.  As University President, George had really invested in making Campus Compact a priority in the Montana University System.  A couple years into my tenure, I helped convene a meeting of campuses in partnership with their Compact, and asked George to be the keynote speaker.  He readily agreed, made time in his schedule and flew to Austin at his own expense to provide the keynote, but also spent time conferring with campus executives about the importance of supporting national service among university students through the Compact.  That underscored how instilled in George was the importance of campus-based service learning and strengthening civic engagement.  I think that is an important part of his legacy that will hopefully stand the test of time.

Charlie Briggs
March 2017

NASA BLASTS OFF FROM BIGFORK WITH CARTER OLLERVIDEZ

Hello, my name is Carter Ollervidez. I am a MTCC AmeriCorps Leader serving at ACES afterschool program in Big Fork, MT. We got the great opportunity to be part of a NASA STEM challenge. I went to Helena to attend a two day, face-to-face training with NASA in order to fully grasp the STEM challenge my students will be taking on.

During our training, the first challenge was landing on the surface of Mars! I worked with a partner using the Engineering Design Process (EDP). Together we embarked on a mission of building a drag device to slow down a capsule to the surface of mars. We were able to finish a great prototype at the training and then I was on my way home to start the program in Big Fork.

We started off the program at ACES with some team building. Then we broke up into two teams. Our first mission was to come up with a team name, mission patch and a vision statement.

Team One: The Cat-stronauts, proclaiming; “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much!”

Team Two: The Orion Landers and their vision statement is; “Let's take a trek.”

On day two we got together and played a rousing game of hot seat with our vocabulary words for the course. Then we discussed in more detail the criteria and constraints of the challenge.

Our Mission: Build a drag device to slow down a capsule for landing on the surface of Mars.

Constraints:
1. Only the materials provided can be used for the drag device.
2. The drag device must connect to a team-built cargo bay that is assembled using the template provided in the student journal section.
3. The overall mass cannot exceed 50 grams.
4. The drag device must have angled or round edges; one big circle is not allowed.
5. The cargo bay should be protected by the device when it is dropped from a height of one, two and three meters.

Then to finish off the day the students wrote a letter to our Program Director at ACES, explaining their new job as a NASA Scientist.

The team working hard on the design of their parachute.

We then got right into research. They dove into questions about drag devices, low-density supersonic decelerators, parachutes, and much more. We also made sure to research who will benefit from this work we are doing and this problem we are hopefully solving. We also came up with a few questions for our NASA Scientists to answer. One of our questions was: How much does a 100 ft. parachute weigh?

This period was hard work for the teams, we concentrated super hard and powered through. Each team worked separately on a design that fulfills the constraints of our project.
The teams powered through, then came together at the end to see and explain to each other their design. They came up with two prototypes to begin building.

We started off the New Year with a bang by meeting NASA scientist, David Berger! He grew up on a small farm in Indiana wanting to work on the next NASA rocket plane/spacecraft. He was fortunate enough to be able to start working at NASA as a co-operative education student in college.  At NASA he has worked in propulsion, aerodynamics, systems engineering, flight test engineering, chief engineering and education technical management positions.

After our call with David Berger we started building our devices! The kids took to it and worked well together, creating and adapting the model as they used different materials.

Next up, we went out and tested our two designs! Then they spent time reworking designs to see what we could improve upon based on the first test’s performance. The kids were super excited to try their prototypes! Following a few design changes, it was time to test them once again.

The kids learned the importance of having a big light surface area chute with a hole to help stabilize the craft on the descent. Their last chute proved to work the best as they continued to consider weight and surface area ratios.

Testing the parachute and taking notes.

We also had the pleasure to talk with Kurtis Long.  Kurtis Long is a research engineer at NASA Ames Research Center. He runs wind tunnel tests to investigate the lift, drag, and flow patterns of different objects. We had a really great experience listening and asking questions. Mr. Long congratulated the students on their designs, and was happy to see they had come up with a few ideas that NASA also had.  ie; A parachute designed with a hole in the center, and a cupped capsule to catch wind.

Our final discussion with NASA was career oriented. We met with the Johnson Space Center, It is the center dedicated to astronauts. Our Subject Matter Expert was Sarah McNamara. Mrs. McNamara works on the guidance, safety release and evacuation for the Orion Lander.  She answered a ton of questions the kids had for her about different careers NASA has to offer - from doctors to divers. She also spoke on becoming a NASA Scientist and how to do it! She said goodbye in a really neat way - by showing us a live view from space!

Finally, the last week was upon us. We made the finishing touches on our video and even shared a little time at the local Dairy Queen and having a celebratory ice cream cone.

Thanks for following our journey. We all learned a lot and can’t believe we got to talk to real astronauts!

REMEMBERING GEORGE: PART 3

George with Emma Lommasson in 2006.

We're opening this space to friends and former colleagues of George Dennison, so we can remember him and the good work he did. This piece comes from Steve Nelsen of Helena, MT. Steve is retired now, but he is the founding director of the Montana Conservation Corps and was the director of the Governor's Office of Community Service, working with George who was Commission Chair. Thanks for contributing, Steve.
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It's pretty easy to be cynical about the leaders of our institutions when their brilliant narrative wanes in the face of obstacles to their pursuit of lofty public policy goals.    However, when George Dennison talked about civic engagement he was "the real deal".  As a History professor George understood that citizens working to help each other formed the basic fabric of our democratic society, and was relentless in his efforts to reinvigorate involvement of Montana's citizens. 


When Marc Racicot was elected Governor  he adopted national service as one of his signature programs. He created the Governor's Office of Community Service and  tagged George to Chair the Commission. At the time,  I was Director of the fledgling Montana Conservation Corps  and was pleased to have a University President chairing the Commission that we hoped would be a major funding source.  Frankly,  I had few  expectations that he would  be more than a nice "figurehead". It quickly became apparent that  George was serious about  leading Montana's national service programming.  He took time from his crazy busy schedule to support the Corps in its' infancy. He came to swear in  Members, graduations, and  provided numerous contacts with potential partners. He even flew to spend a day with a crew in the Yaak, where they threw him a pair of waders  and took him to a wetlands project.  Only later did I learn that he had directed his scheduler to give priority to AmeriCorps Programs. His presence gave us credibility, stature and legitimacy at a critical time in the infancy of the Conservation Corps . George laid more than a couple of bricks in the foundation of the Montana Conservation Corps. 

I also observed the support he gave to other AmeriCorps programs.   I watched as he brought together virtually every college and University in the state to participate in Campus Compact.  This may have been his crowning fete.  If you've had any dealings with Institutions of Higher Ed you know how difficult it is to bring them together on any issue,  yet, in a few short years George had the Presidents of all these institutions, from Carroll  to Dawson Community College dedicating staff to Campus Compact and preaching the Gospel of Civic Engagement as though it were their lifelong passion.  Maybe it was, but I doubt we would have seen this unified effort mobilized without the leadership and persuasiveness of George.    

It seemed that he never passed up a chance to spread the gospel  of civic engagement and to

Steve Nelsen

institutionalize its presence .  He highlighted civic engagement at  Griz pregame Presidential breakfasts, used it as the theme of Commencement  Addresses,  and even co-opted the Cat/Griz venue to present Awards to alumni for the community involvement.   He spoke with passion about the vital role of civic involvement in a democratic society, and how it was the foundation for citizen led government.    We miss you George.  We could use you in these dynamic times. 


Steve Nelsen 

Helena, Montana

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY 2017 IN MONTANA

Absorbing the lessons

Wide eyes. Pointed fingers. Smiling faces. Enthusiastic hands coloring pictures and writing poems. Mouths agape and fumbling for words to formulate questions. These were the expressions and experiences of thousands of kindergarten through 4^th grade students all over Montana during Montana Campus Compact’s Martin Luther King Jr. 2017 Read for Peace event. Read for Peace is an annual MLK service Day operation that utilizes the wonderful help of community volunteers, VISTAs, AmeriCorps and Senior Corps members, college students and elected officials to read to elementary age students about the message, life, and legacy of Martin Luther King. Already in its 5^th year of existence, Read for Peace continues to be an outstanding resource for important civil right discussions in early childhood education.

Here are some statistical highlights and volunteer experiences from around the state that reflect the necessary scope and capacity of organizers and volunteers to make this year’s Read for Peace event so successful. Special thank you to the many leaders in each city for their help and guidance. Read for Peace took place on January 13^th, 2017 with many more volunteer readings on, January 16, MLK Day.

Impacts

Participating Cities and Communities: 11 (Great Falls, Missoula, Butte, Kalispell, Helena, Billings, Darby, Lame Deer, Havre, Sidney, Big Fork)  

Number of volunteers recruited: 129

Number of K-12 youth served by volunteers: Just over 4000

Total hours contributed by volunteers: 215

Missoula Mayor Jon Engen with students at Russell Elementary

Reflections
“Each year I truly look forward to this service project!  It is so uplifting to see a child's unbiased perceptions on peace and love.  The students all give their full attention to the book and they take the activity very seriously (while still having FUN) because they know the importance of the issue.

One student learned the lesson perfectly and implemented the lesson immediately: I had explained to a student that I do not have a TV. He felt really bad for me and thought that a TV was a necessity so he gave me his address and told me I could come over any time and watch his TV.”  -- Teresa Gregory

“Reading with the elementary students on January 16th for Martin Luther King Jr. day was an extremely moving experience. When reading to little children one thinks of fun and light topics. Equality for all persons does not fall in that category, and sharing this idea with the next generation was an honor. The highlight of my experience was a 3rd grader at Hillcrest, whom asked after the story, “Why they were so racist ‘back then’.” A tough idea to portray at a 3rd grade level without seeming patronizing, but an incredibly important one. I am so thankful we could share such an important man and symbol with this budding generation.” -- Shyla Wesley

Reflections on peace

Read for Peace showcases higher education’s commitment to community involvement and engages Campus Compact’s student and community networks. As this year’s organizer, I am proud of how this project connects young, developing students with thoughtful adults and how that commingling of ages benefits the lives and hearts of volunteers, students and teachers alike. Thank you to all of our volunteers around the state and to our many teachers who were gracious enough to allow us time with their students. Finally, I’d like to thank all the kids who participated in discussions concerning inclusion, difference and peace. May you all continue to reflect on these moments of as you grow and participate in your communities.

BEGINNING MY SERVICE

Hi everyone! My name is Margaret and I am the new senior AmeriCorps Leader located in the Montana Campus Compact office. I just started at the beginning of September.  I am a Montana girl. I grew up in Cascade and was already in Missoula when I began my AmeriCorps application process. I graduated from The University of Montana in 2014 with a degree in Marketing, Management and a certificate in Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management. I love hiking, running and backpacking with my adventure dog Keta, she is a rescue from Alaska. I love a great cup of coffee and am an avid coffee-making-contraption collector. I love to travel near and far. Finally, I love that AmeriCorps is my next adventure!

Montana Campus Compact:
My service has just only begun and so far it is off to a brilliant start. I work in the main headquarters of the Montana Campus Compact office located in the heart of the University of Montana. I love it! My position is new to the Compact, and my days are full of learning new things. My days are filled with looking for the right candidates for the leader positions around our beautiful state of Montana. I am constantly in contact with candidates, answering questions about positions and helping them learn about the great opportunities we are offering. One of my favorite parts so far is talking to the AMAZING people that apply for AmeriCorps. What an astounding group of individuals willing to be a part of something bigger than themselves. It has been a rewarding experience to chat with people from across the country that are willing to make Montana their home for this upcoming year.

SpectrUM:
Beyond the office work my direct service portion is working for SpectrUM Discovery Area. It is a local children’s museum located in Missoula. My service has only begun but my time at SpectrUM has already been an incredibly fun experience.

 My days have been filled with learning science experiments to later teach to children at the Missoula Food Bank. My role is to help children in the community get excited about science and therefore that will hopefully translate to them staying in school.

Three of my favorite experiments I’ve learned so far are a zombie experiment, electrical circuits and an infectious disease experiment. One that I will not be taking to the food bank but completely enjoyed was dissecting… a cow eyeball! I have never seen the inside of an eyeball before, and now I can safely check that off my list! The kids that watch the experiments are so brave. They would happily watch the dissection and be willing to feel each part of the eye. I was not as brave as them. One of my favorite things I’ve heard so far was “learning here (at SpectrUM) is so much more fun!”

Busy learning at SpectrUM

I hope I can bring the fun and excitement with me to my time at the food bank. I am very excited to spend more direct time with the youth in the Missoula community.

Thanks for checking in!

ROOM TO GROW: A SERVICE STORY BY CARA GETCHES

Below is a story of service from Cara Getches, one of our VISTA Summer Associates with the Helena YMCA. Cara's experience as an AmeriCorps VISTA was full of meaning, reflection and growth on multiple levels. We appreciate the commitment she took to serve underprivileged youth and praise the impact she had in their lives and the community at large. Here is a link to a video Cara produced for the YMCA Summer Literacy Initiative. The Password to access the video is: YMCA
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Room to Grow
By Carolyn Getches
Campus Compact AmeriCorps VISTA, Summer 2016

For years, serving with AmeriCorps was on my list of things to do. Like traveling to Europe and riding in a hot air balloon, it had a certain romance to it. Sure, I loved the idea of helping my community, but I also had grand images of myself handing over the keys to a new house I built for a young family, impressed smiles from my parents’ friends at my obvious selflessness and a child who hadn’t spoken in years looking up at me and whispering, “Hello.” At the time, I was in my early twenties and it was easy to get lost in how experiences reflected on me, rather than how I could truly be of service to others.

After graduation, I combed through the AmeriCorps database, desperate to find that perfect match that would give me a clear purpose. I considered applying to a few, but when my internship turned into a salaried position, I hopped quickly on the corporate ladder. Soon, I was stuck in the seductive trap of working too many hours for just enough money, certain that the next promotion was the only fix. Improving the world outside my office was far from my mind. Finally, I saw a way out when an imminent move to Lincoln, NE was on the horizon.

AmeriCorps seemed like a good way to get involved in my new community and find a path to more fulfilling work. Again, I spent hours searching for the right match and, this time, even applied to a few positions. I got as far as exchanging several emails with my potential site supervisor, before I accepted another job. It was a freelance position that offered me more flexibility. Unfortunately, it also required constant travel. Serving the greater good quickly took a back seat to exhaustion and keeping up with my current time zone.

A few more years passed before I was packing up to move again. I was headed to Helena, Montana for the summer and knew that without some structure my days would be lost to Netflix and four dollar lattes. I always imagined AmeriCorps being for those folks without recurring knee pain and sprouting gray hairs and, at 28, I felt too old to apply again. I was determined to find another way to make myself useful.

Before the big move, I reached out to the Helena Family YMCA to see if they needed help with their summer learning programs. Darla Dexter, the youth development director, quickly got back to me. They had a few openings in their Summer Literacy Academy, “But,” she cautioned, “they are AmeriCorps VISTA positions. Are you still interested?” After some online research, I learned that while some AmeriCorps programs are reserved for those under 25, many of the opportunities are open to adults of any age.

Summer of 2016 marked the Literacy Academy’s first year in Helena, a YMCA program dedicated to preventing summer learning loss and helping incoming first and second graders improve their reading levels. Two teachers were already on board to run the nuts and bolts of the literacy component, but they were looking for enrichment leaders to fulfill the arts, nutrition, physical activity, science and music requirements. I felt too old, unqualified and nervous about being in front of a dozen or so children, who past experience had taught me, were likely to be very honest. However, I was excited by the opportunity and couldn't deny that it felt “meant to be,” so I accepted the position.

My fellow enrichment leader and I worked hard to develop lesson plans and find corresponding activities with the right mix of educational value and fun. We prepared fresh pasta, launched rockets, painted portraits, played soccer, decorated cupcakes, swam, marched in a parade, picked up litter, created volcanoes, jumped rope, danced, and more. With so many new activities in the mix, it was a welcome relief to have some routine in our days.

Each week, we visited the Helena Food Share, a program dedicated to “creating a hunger­free community.” There, Nick Chmura, the garden and nutrition program coordinator and a fellow VISTA member, would lead our students in a short lesson before assigning them a task in the community garden. Over the next few weeks, we sang about the parts of the plant, identified bugs, rolled compost and planted seeds, but on that first day he started with the basics. “What grows in a garden?” he asked.

“Flowers!” offered a student from the back of the group.
“Roses,” added her friend.
“What else?” Nick asked. The students looked at the garden for clues, but the plants were still too young to be of much help.

Another student, even louder than the first, shouted, “Flowweeerrsss!” I had seen our students eat broccoli, bell peppers, grapes and oranges with gusto, yet the idea that these foods came from the ground, just like flowers, wasn’t easy for them to grasp.

Near the end of our visit, Nick offered each child a chive. “What’s that?” they asked. He explained it was an herb with an onion flavor. Our bravest students reached out their hands. After a few “ewws!” and kids asking if it was grass, the group grew quiet. “Can I have another?” We were making progress.

Over the next few weeks, the plants got bigger. Slowly, the students began to recognize the fruits and vegetables growing all around them. “That looks like salad,” they’d say or, “I like those on my pizza,” while eyeing a green bell pepper. Nick encouraged them to sample the fruits of their labor. They tried beans, kale, chard, onions, spinach and basil. Not everything was as big a hit as the chives, but their curiosity was piqued.

One of the most unexpected perks of the garden was the conversations it fostered. It was a quiet time when the teachers and students could work and talk together. One day, we’d be discussing what one of our students should do with the two dollars “in cash!” she just received for her birthday (the big contenders were goop from the dollar store and a pair of over­sized sunglasses), the next I was being advised to avoid the eye doctor on Tuesdays because on Tuesdays “they take everyone’s eyes all the way out.” We were able to offer the children an educational experience, while creating the space to truly get to know them.

By the end of the summer, all of our students improved their reading levels, making our program a measurable success, but it succeeded in more subtle ways as well. On the walk back from one of our final garden visits, I asked our group how many plants they could think of. “Watermelon,” offered one student.
“Tomatoes!” added another.
“Peppers and strawberries,” a third chimed in.
“The tribes!” yelled a fourth. “You mean that we all work together, like a tribe?” I asked, thinking that was such a sweet sentiment. “No, the tr­i­bes,” she said more slowly. “They are so yummy and taste so good,” she explained, taking a bite of her chive. “Oh, the chives. Yes, those are good,” I replied. She nodded with a look that said, “I know, that’s what I’ve been saying.”

In a few weeks, the kids might not remember how to make compost or what a “sepal” is (even I had to be reminded of that one), but they will have a much better understanding of where their food comes from, how it grows and the work it requires.

After spending years thinking about serving through AmeriCorps, the 10 weeks of actually doing it flew by. There were times I felt a little too old and out of place, and while uncomfortable, I know these moments offered me the most opportunity for growth. I didn’t save lives or build an entire house by myself, but it was a rare chance to feel part of something that had values aligned with my own. Plus, I’ve been meaning to make an appointment with the optometrist to address my increasingly fuzzy vision. Thankfully, I know not to make that appointment on Tuesdays.

CHECKING IN WITH AMERICORPS LEADER SHANADA HICKS

Our staff member Lacy Fiore checked in with AmeriCorps Leader Shanada Hicks to see how her service is going.  Shanada comes to Montana from Denver, CO and serves with Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming and Rocky Mountain College.  Keep reading to learn more about her service to Montana:
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Where are you serving and what does a typical day look like?
I am serving in Billings, MT. A typical day starts with preparing materials and lesson plans for our Girl Scout Troops. The best part is getting to engage the girls in these activates. I enjoy watching them learn and expand their horizons.  We are always preparing for upcoming events which takes a lot of organizing and preparation. I am always looking for ways to collaborate on projects with other Billings organizations.   

What are some focus areas of your service?
Working to incorporate college access activities into our Girl Scout lesson plans and activities with young girls. 

Inspiring the girls I work with to always feel empowered.

What inspires you to serve?
I am very passionate about teaching, and being a big role in the development and growing process of children. I believe that every child needs someone who wants to learn about them and push them to be all they can be despite any circumstances that they think may hinder the process of them being who they dream to be. I want to be that person. I grew up in a low income family and for a long time college wasn't something I was looking forward to doing, now I'm two years in and also serving for a national service branch. I never thought I'd be doing anything like this and I want to show other kids like me that truly anything is possible if you work at it. 

How are you incorporating your campus partner into your service?
I will be meeting with them when classes start back up for a possible collaboration on National Service Day!

What do you hope to gain from this experience?
I hope to gain a better sense of self and a better understanding of why I do what I do everyday and what purpose I serve.

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Thanks for checking in, Shanada and good luck with the rest of your service!

GOODBYE AND THANK YOU TO OUR SUMMER ASSOCIATES AND MEMBERS

Community service and bonding is the source of change from the ground up. A trickle up approach that changes the heart more so than the wallet. In this way AmeriCorps Summer Associates not only fight the material and monetary pressures of living in poverty but also empower others to open their hearts to the possibility of community inclusion.

Throughout the summer, members participated in diverse activities to help Montana community organizations fight local poverty, including increasing tutoring and mentoring resources, managing various summer activities and support services for children and families, supporting feeding programs to help alleviate hunger within the community, mobilizing hundreds of volunteers to assist with events, developing programs to help literacy rates among disadvantaged youth, and planning for future VISTA members’ efforts.

Given the short amount of time summer VISTAs serve, the number of personal and community accomplishments over those ten short weeks is astounding. In order to get an understanding of the diverse impact our Summer Associates had, we would like to highlight a few communities that were positively affected by their service-minded contributions.

Elisha Buccholtz with the Community Food and Agriculture Coalition of Missoula

Elisha’s overall goal was to increase outreach to Double SNAP Dollars (DSD) stakeholders, mainly potential participants/customers and farmers’ market vendors.  Her main duties included identifying organizations who serve a number of SNAP recipients and providing them with information about the DSD program; launching a Facebook campaign; collecting feedback about the program from vendors. She was instrumental in increasing the number of individuals receiving food security services from 185 to 397 over the course of her term.

Steph Reinwald with the Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming (GSMW)

Steph’s service with Girls Scouts has proven to be a great success for the program and the girls they serve. Her monthly accomplishments were stocked full of fun bonding adventures and interactive learning experiences with the girls. She planned and carried out two summer programs. The first was with the Polson Boys and Girls Club doing detective science for an afternoon, and the second was a morning of fishing at Silver's Lagoon in Missoula. She also facilitated a week long camp partnering with the M.O.R.E program that consisted of teaching spin and fly fishing and a three day rafting trip. Additionally, she helped lead a four day Girl Scout service trip in Glacier National Park. The girls performed service in the park by picking up trash, collecting data and picking over 300 lbs of invasive weeds. Listed here is a Go-Pro video recorded by Steph and the girls promoting the great activities going on with GSMW. HERE

David Farmer with the Billings YMCA

David’s mission throughout his term of service with the YMCA in Billings was to implement programming designed to help kids in the areas of art, personal awareness, physical activity and nutritional education. He was also instrumental in the literacy component which improved the reading levels of several students. While serving, David was able to balance the stresses of working with individuals from diverse backgrounds and the behavioral challenges associated with disadvantaged youth who have difficult or subversive home lives. David also played a key role in parent communication to ensure parents were aware of future activities, announcements and in general how the day was going for their child. Farmer’s service emphasizes the effective yet often overlooked network potential of college age students and K-12 education.

Our Summer Associates have proven to be adept at building relationships with co-workers and communities. Summer Associates step beyond the boundaries of traditional definitions of service. Through their actions and willingness to relocate to new communities, VISTAs realize the vision of manifesting networks for increased solidarity and mobilizing themselves and community partners to be in service to others. We thank you all deeply for your ambition to serve others and the compassion with which you accomplished this mission. We wish you well in all your future endeavors.

LITTLE BIG HORN COLLEGE HOSTS AMERICORPS TRAINING

MTCC AmeriCorps at Little Bighorn College

The wind was unforgivingly whipping across the plains while a young native woman with long black hair flowing in the wind rode a bare back on a horse up a hill riddled with white markers at the Little Big Horn Battlefield.  The stories of the battle echoed throughout the rental car over the radio speakers synced to a cell phone. Each historical marker had a corresponding stop number which changed the story to that location. Being surrounded by the narrative of this clash of cultures and being placed in the story by proximity, “over the ridge to your left, the soldiers advanced.  The cluster of white markers mark were the soldiers fell…” made for a surreal experience. The Crow People were not part of the battle at Little Big Horn that was the Sioux and Cheyenne, but that does not stop the Crow people from wanting to learn more about this struggle for independence as one Crow woman shared she focused her college thesis on the Native American perspective of the battle.  She was instrumental in setting up this tour of the battlefield for the AmeriCorps members.

Little Big Horn College welcomed the MTCC AmeriCorps Leaders from around the state for a Close of Service Training.  The training included opportunities to learn more about the Crow people through their games, food and stories. Crow games go above simply being fun. The games teach skills for hunting to young boys while another one helps woman control their destiny.

The training also included opportunities for the Leaders to learn about teen depression from Joan Nye with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, learn more about the work and resources available via of Reach Higher Montana (formerly Student Assistance Foundation) as well as the ins and outs of the Education Awards earned with National Service. Bringing together members to reflect on their service and how they can leave a legacy for future teams deployed at their campuses is important aspect of AmeriCorps Close of Service events.  MTCC AmeriCorps Leaders are deployed at campuses around the state including Montana Tech, Bitterroot College, MSU Northern, Little Big Horn College, Dawson College and with Girls Scouts of Montana and Wyoming in Billings (MSU Billings) and Great Falls (University of Great Falls).  Those interested in hosting a College Access focused AmeriCorps team at their college should apply via the mtcompact.org website.

While watching three young boys’ race miniature horses in the courtyard of the Little Big Horn College in preparation for the Pow Wow later that night, Shakira an AmeriCorps Leader and Crow woma,n told us that when a Crow boy reaches three-years-old they begin to learn to ride bareback. Boys start on small horses to fit the child’s size, but graduate to full size horses in due time.  It was clear these boys had been riding for many years even though they couldn’t have been more than 9 or 10 years old.  They were riding fast, making sharp turn-a-rounds and switching riders quickly much like a relay race.  An older boy was coaching the younger two.  It was clear he would be moving up in horse size soon as he dwarfed the horses and struggled to keep his feet off the ground as he rode on these tiny horses.  

“Water is Life!” was the theme of the week at Crow Agency as the Crow Tribe celebrated an historic settlement for water rights.  The celebration featured a parade including floats, Crow men in headdress’ riding horses and women in native dress juxtaposed to young men wearing t-shirts and baseball caps and playing the drums and chanting.  Beautiful woven blankets covered truck hoods and beds, songs, candy, and water balloons were highlights of the parade.  It was a cornucopia of Crow people, tradition, culture all mixed together to embrace Water is Life! We were honored with the opportunity for a rare look at a celebration of the Crow culture and be sent off on our travels with a traditional travel prayer spoken in the Crow language that doesn’t say ‘good-bye’ but rather ‘when we meet again’.  Sadly, we had to miss the celebration continuing at the Pow Wow later that night, but the leaders were off to their respective campuses to complete their service and the MTCC staff was heading to MSU to spread the word about the great work the teams are doing around the state in the lives of first generation and low income students they are privileged to serve in hopes they too would like to host a team.
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Piece by Dannette Fadness, MTCC Program Manager

LITTLE BIG HORN COLLEGE' S AMERICORPS LEADER: SHAKIRA GLENN

Shakira Glenn, AmeriCorps Leader with LBHC

Inspired by a quote by Plenty Coups, famous Chief of Crow Nation, "With an education you are…[an] equal; without education you are…[a] victim" Shakira L. Glenn, AmeriCorps Leader serving at Little Big Horn College, noted: “Without education we are a victim to circumstance. We as Crow people have the choice to better our well-being with education. There are many types of aid available in helping to do so; I am here for that sole purpose—to guide the people toward success, in becoming equal.” The staff and board of Montana Campus Compact welcome Shakira to service!

Shakira adds AmeriCorps to a resume that includes  LBHC Business Management and Accounting student, wife and mother. Shakira faced multiple struggles in her college experience and is an example that anything is possible no matter the circumstances noting that “If you put your heart and mind into something—with determination—you will succeed.” 

Little Big Horn College

Shakira’s National Service will earn her a $2,200 Education Award to pay some of her tuition when she transfers next fall to MSU Bozeman to complete her bachelor's year degree. Good luck Getting Things Done, Shakira! 

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Post by Dannette Fadness, MTCC Program Manager

DISABILITIES ADVOCATE INSPIRED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE WITH MTCC AMERICORPS PROGRAM

Brittany Gwisdala, AmeriCorps Leader in Great Falls

Inspired to join AmeriCorps by a Peace Corps volunteer, Brittany Gwisdala is serving as an AmeriCorps Leader with the University of Great Falls and Girls Scouts of Montana & Wyoming in Great Falls, Montana. Brittany joined AmeriCorps to make a difference in education and believes that “Every Student, no matter their background, deserves a college education to not only benefit their own life, but to take the experiences they learn from college and give back to their communities. There is a difference between just being a student, and being a student who gets involved. Getting involved in the community is a great way to encourage others to do the same.”

A disabilities advocate, Brittany was no ordinary Ferris State (Michigan) college student. Accessing college through the Tuition Incentive Program and a financial aid package, she was involved with the Educational Counseling and Disability Services Office and became a panelist and presenter on Disability Awareness. 

Like many college students, Brittany changed her major several times before graduating with a Bachelor’s in History and a minor in French Language and Literature. During college she was frustrated, lost, confused at times, and felt like she had trouble fitting in. While struggling, Brittany put forth her best effort (even failing sometimes) and she was recognized as an Outstanding Graduate at her winter 2015 Commencement, and was later recognized as an Outstanding Senior Student, History B.A. this past spring. 

Welcome to service with Montana Campus Compact, Brittany!
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Submitted by Dannette Fadness, Montana Campus Compact

SPOTLIGHT ON COMPACT AMERICORPS MEMBER: MEGAN BROWN

Megan Brown, supporting a community beautification project.

Megan Brown relocated from Washington state to serve as an MTCC AmeriCorps Team Leader at MSU Northern in Havre, MT. Megan is part of Campus Compact's inaugural college access AmeriCorps program, and leads a team of college student AmeriCorps members supporting college going culture, and supporting educational needs on Montana's Hi-Line.

Mentoring at the Boys and Girls Club has been a rewarding experience for her and the young people. She notes, “My bond with the kids at the Boys and Girls Club is very meaningful.  I take great pride in knowing that I have built strong bonds which is shown when I see the kids outside of the Boys and Girls Club and they are excited to see me and run up to give me a hug.”  Megan also tutors young kids with reading and spelling which has taught her patience and an appreciation for teachers.  Megan mentioned success with one Kindergarten girl she tutors—“Over the months I have observed an increase in confidence associated with reading for this young girl and an increase in understanding and frequency of reading sentences without errors. I am pleased to recognize my ability and skills in teaching reading to children.”  

Megan supports the Junior Staff Program (8th and 9th graders) at the Boys and Girls Club.  The Junior Staff mentors younger children at the center. They take the time to learn more about their mentees, their skills and passions, so they can better meet the needs of the centers where they serve.  Six –of the ten total- Junior Staff members have consistently demonstrated increased confidence, leadership skills and abilities to mentor youth. As they increase their dependability and understandings of their skills and abilities, they are able to mentor individual children at the center on an ongoing consistent basis.

Besides working directly with children, Megan helps coordinate service projects to meet community needs in Havre.  In honor of Mayor and County Recognition Day for National Service, Megan and four other Hi-Line AmeriCorps members coordinated a Havre Cleanup Day.  Megan worked alongside Havre Mayor Tim Solomon on this project and engaged volunteers in service including pruning trees and shrubs.  The Mayor was pleased to recognize the AmeriCorps Members engaged in National Service in Havre.

Although Megan’s AmeriCorps service ends this summer, Megan has expressed interest in continuing serving with MTCC AmeriCorps in a new community next year.

MTCC SUMMER PROGRAMMING

MTCC VISTA Summer Associates in June, 2015.

Across Montana college students offer communities a myriad of talents. From working and volunteering in schools, with nonprofits and with cities and towns, you can count on a college student to bring fresh perspectives, ideas and energy, whether they're nineteen or forty seven. To support the great needs communities experience over the summer and the great wells of energy, skill and enthusiasm that college students bring, MTCC is continuing and adding resources to our summer AmeriCorps and VISTA programming.

In past years, we've placed as many as thirty VISTA Summer Associates with youth-serving nonprofits, city parks departments and other programs. This year, we will add the new MTCC AmeriCorps program to the equation, bringing additional resources, and a focus on postsecondary readiness, and near-peer college coaching to the work.

MTCC affiliate campuses and their partners are invited to apply to host MTCC Summer AmeriCorps and VISTA members, to add value and impact to their summer programming. Additionally, the MTCC network office is seeking existing partnerships where summer work study awards are utilized to link college students with important community work. These positions may be eligible to link with Education Award vouchers and national service training and affiliation to students. Please reach out and let us know if you need more information, or a phone call!

This page on our website has more information.

AMERICORPS VISTA CORAL THEDE CHECKS IN FROM GILLETTE, WY

I checked in with Coral Thede (pronounced TAY-DEE) to see how things are going down in Gillette, WY.  She is serving with the Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming.  Coral is finishing her service in January and we are excited to see what great things she will do next!  

Get To Know Your VISTA

Who: Coral (like the reef)

Where: Gillette, Wyoming

Age: 310 months

Originally From: Is this Heaven?    ..........No, it’s I O W A!

College: University of Northern Iowa Major: Communication Studies Minor: Spanish

Hobbies: Playing my guitar, bonfires, road trips, snail mail, blogging, Netflix.

Fun Fact(s): New Year’s Baby, natural ginger, once cut my hand ice skating (turns out I’m no Tara Lipinski)

Favorite Quote: “Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Why did you join AmeriCorps? A family friend suggested I look into it. I wanted to try something new and give back in some way, so becoming a VISTA seemed like a good idea. I think the empowerment of young women is especially important as well, so I was eager to serve alongside an organization like the Girl Scouts.

What has being an AmeriCorps VISTA taught you? My year of service came with a lot of ups and downs. It taught me to be more humble and grateful and gave me a better look into the modern day struggles everyday Americans are facing. It’s definitely been a year of growth and strength; including a lot of learning experiences. While this has probably been one of the toughest years for me, I can honestly say I’ve never given back more.

VISTA Service Accomplishments: With it being a huge rebuilding year, basically from the ground up for our Girl Scouts office, I focused mainly on service projects, revamping programs and creating partnerships.  Our main partnership is between the Boys and Girls Club and the local Gillette Community College. We had the Boys and Girls Club troop lined up and with my MTCC focus on College Positive Volunteers, I reached out to the college and luckily their Executive Student Senate decided to lead the troop. We had a very successful first semester and look forward to continuing this partnership!

In addition; we put on a camp that had been non-existent for two years and made it Reduce, Reuse, Recycle themed, received a grant for $2,000 from the Indian Education Committee to start a troop at the school on the reservation in Lame Deer, Montana, received another grant from the United Way for $5,000 for the girls at the Boys and Girls Club, participated in numerous community service projects including planting a garden in front of the Community Art Center and sending care packages to my Adopt-A-Soldier overseas, and had the most registered Girl Scouts in the whole state!

Post VISTA Life: After I complete my VISTA service, I fully plan on being rich and famous. Until then though, I will go back home to Iowa, find a full time job of sorts, pay off those student loans (eventually) and begin building my very own tiny house on wheels!

Contact:

Coral Thede

VOLUNTEER SERVICE PANEL DISCUSSION

Tonight! October 22nd at 5:00 PM in Missoula

Have you ever wondered about Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, or getting involved through volunteering? Do you know what it takes to become a member of one of these programs or to get involved in your community? Maybe you don't know where to look, or who to talk to, right?

Well, you are in luck! Because on Thursday, October 22, at 5:00 PM 2015 there will be a Volunteer Service Panel in Missoula to discuss how to get involved and what the perks are to being a part of the National Service movement. The event is hosted by the University of Montana's Peace Corps recruiter and Career Services. Attendees will be able to visit with current and former members of the programs and find out why they are serving.

Some of the national service programs such as AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, and Conservation Corps see tremendous support in Montana. Peace Corps ranks Montana 7th (per capita) in 2014 for number of volunteers per 100,000 residents, and Missoula, Montana ranked 2nd (per capita) for Peace Corps Volunteer generation. AmeriCorps and Senior Corps in Montana has ‘more than 5,900 people of all ages and backgrounds helping to meet local needs, strengthen communities, and increase civic engagement through national service’.2  Montana Campus Compact, the Office for Civic Engagement, and Global Youth Development Program all strive to engage students,  and community members. These programs develop civic engagement opportunities and service projects which will strengthen communities and the world at large.

We hope to see you all there on Thursday, October 22, 2015!

What: Volunteer Service Panel

When: October 22, 2015 from 5 PM – 6:30 PM

Where: University of Montana - Payne Family Native American Center (NAS) 105


Information taken from:
1. http://www.peacecorps.gov/media/forpress/press/2479/ 
2. www.nationalservice.gov/impact-our-nation/state-profiles/mt