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.

ROCKY HOSTING SERVICE LEARNING WORKSHOP

Rocky's beautiful campus.

You may already know that through your CEO’s affiliation your campus is a member of Campus Compact, a national (and Montana) network advancing the public purposes of higher education.  Our state Compact office offers training, programs, awards and scholarships to our members to support their work to address needs in our communities and educate students for civic and social responsibility.

We are excited this month to offer a Service Learning Professional Development Workshop in eastern Montana for faculty, staff and administrators from the Campus Compact network. Rocky Mountain College will host the event on Friday, August 12. The workshop is free for Compact Affiliates in good standing, and will be led by MTCC’s Executive Director, Dr. Andrea Vernon. Andrea has worked in the field of higher education service learning and civic engagement for the past twenty years in Montana. The service learning event in Billings will focus on our affiliate campuses in the eastern half of the state, though any are welcome to attend. We will offer workshops in central and western Montana as well this fall.

Registration and additional information can be found here. Please share this invitation widely at your campus, and encourage anyone with questions to call the network office (406-243-5177)

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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

ERIK SWANSON, VISTA WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA AND MISSOULA PUBLIC LIBRARY MAKERSPACE, CHECKS-IN

Erik Swanson tabling at U of M Volunteer Fair

Erik Swanson started his year of service as a Montana Campus Compact (MTCC) VISTA back in July of 2015.  Erik has made a ridiculously significant positive impact within his service site, the Missoula Public Library MakerSpace. The MakerSpace supports STEM learning, and provides resurces and tools to support innovative ideas to become reality.  Erik has grown the MakerSpace's capacity and increased its volunteer involvement, hours donated, and classes offered to levels the MakersSpace has never seen before.

Here is what Erik had to say about his service: 

What is your background and what led you to VISTA service?

The driving principal of my life is mutual aid: people help each other because it is beneficial to do so. I enjoy serving my community. It makes me happy. Before VISTA, I was struggling with my depression, and rarely left my house. Getting involved in my community helped me care about it, and become a healthier person.

Talk about what your project is about, and what you're working on?

Erik reading to students on MLK

My service is with the Missoula Public Library's Makerspace. We provide a space for community member's to learn and practice hands on 'making' skills. We do everything from 3d printing and modeling to jewelry crafting and electronics. We help people turn their ideas into physical things. The goal of the VISTA project is to provide STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) skills to struggling Missoula youth. These skills will help them thrive in the 21st century technology world. My main tasks are recruiting and training volunteers, and creating and overseeing educational programs. My favorite current class is our 'Computer Programming Through Minecraft.' This course teaches children the fundamentals of computer science through the lens of Minecraft, one of the world's most popular games.

How have you incorporated your campus partner into your efforts?

My campus partner is SpectrUM, (Missoula's hands-on science center) so we have a common interest in children's STEM activities. Besides referrals, I have also deepened our partnership through summer camp visits and sharing technology resources. In the spring I attended SpectrUM's Innovate UM conference as a guest tabler for the MakerSpace. 

What motivates you to serve as a VISTA?

A desire to help others and learn new things.

What are your plans after VISTA?

After VISTA I plan to serve as a Makerspace Manager and continue volunteering in my community.

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Erik will complete his service on July 17, 2016. We at the MTCC network office want to thank him for his hard work in service to the Missoula community and to our country as a whole. We wish him luck in all future endeavors! 

FVCC STUDENT JADE WILLIAMSON REPRESENTS MONTANA AT THE COLLEGE DEBATE 2016!

Jade Williamson, FVCC student

College Debate '16,  just held its national student convening at Campus Compact affiliate institution Dominican University, in San Rafael, California. Montana was lucky to send Jade Williamson, a student from Flathead Valley Community College, to the event. Student delegates representing colleges and universities from all 50 states and DC met on the Dominican campus to plan strategies for using social media to expand conversations with young voters nationwide about the issues that matter most to them. Using social media and campus-based discussions, student delegates catalyzed discussions among young voters across the country to make their voices heard in the 2016 presidential debates and election.  The College Debate initiative offers student delegates the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the social issues that matter most to student voters, practice essential civic skills through leadership and collaboration, and the chance to engage in political discourse and promote civic engagement.

Jade recently reported back on her experience at the event:

Dr. Syb Brown, who is a professor at Belmont University, and also an accomplished journalist, was one of the speakers during our three-day seminar. She spoke with us specifically on social media trends and the digital footprint that each of us leaves. Social media and digital marketing affects our personal lives as well as professional lives. Dr. Brown was lively and animated which immediately engaged our attention. It is known that social media can help market products, people, and even new ideas. However, we did not learn solely learn the positive benefits of social media marketing but the drawbacks it can also have as well.

Another speaker, whom I got to speak with personally, was the Secretary of State of California, Alex Padilla. He voiced the importance of getting citizens, especially America’s youth, out to the voting booths. While his speech was non-partisan, he told us of his story. Secretary Padilla grew up without much opportunity in a lower economic community, but he was determined to make opportunities for himself. He worked hard through school and graduated from MIT with a degree in engineering. Later, he became concerned with the political issues that stricken California. Once again, he worked his way to success starting his journey in the Los Angeles City Counsel, to the State Senate, and as of 2015 to the role of Secretary of State. Secretary Padilla inspires me to chase after what I am passionate about and reiterates the importance of young Americans being involved in politics. He especially inspired me because of his background and his perseverance as a minority, of which I can relate.

I would also like to talk about Julie Winokur’s mission. She is the Executive Director of Talking Eyes Media, a magazine writer, and a documentary filmmaker. Her work has appeared on PBS, the Documentary Channel, MediaStorm, National Geographic Magazine, and Discovery online, as well as in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times Magazine, The Washington Post, and MSNBC.com! She is beyond talented, and Winokur works extensively with nonprofit organizations to develop their messages, and she is also on the faculty of the International Center of Photography. Her current project is called “Bring It to the Table” which I hope to bring to our campus for our student body to participate in. This project consists of a short documentary, webisode series, online platform, and community engagement campaign aimed at bridging political divides and breaking down partisanship. The Table is a citizen’s antidote to political ranting. Anyone game enough to sit at The Table is invited to discuss pressing national issues, such as taxation, the economy, same-sex marriage, civil rights, abortion, religion, and immigration. People are asked to explain the roots of their beliefs, so we understand WHY they believe WHAT they believe. This idea is precisely what the goals of the Coalition of Political Awareness strive to achieve, and my hopes are that this sort of setting will help students, teachers, and staff at FVCC ease into discussing the political issues we face.

Julie and her crew are interested in learning which of our beliefs cross over to the other side of the political spectrum and how have our opinions evolved over time. They ask questions like “What does the other side get right?” At The Table, “ordinary” citizens are given an opportunity to speak their minds, openly and authentically. No ranting. No rhetoric. Just straight, honest talk that reveals the value systems behind our personal political views. I hope to do this with the citizens of FVCC.

I feel so privileged and grateful for the opportunity that the FVCC Foundation has given me. This seminar was only part one of a two-part trip. In September, when I return to Dominican University, the stakes will be even higher! There will be national media coverage as all the delegates are trying to make the college debate a national movement, and FVCC—and the state of Montana—are on the front lines of this undertaking. Not only am I learning life long skills but I have also formed lifelong relationships with other delegates who are passionate like me. I look forward to bringing back even more phenomenal ideas to our college campus!
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Thanks for representing your campus, community and our state, Jade! We look forward to hearing more from you this fall!

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