My service year went by incredibly fast. I remember being so excited, especially when I came home from PSO (Pre-Service Orientation). It's not often that I feel like I belong somewhere. The people there were incredible. On top of that, no one acted rudely or constantly put another person down. We were all here for the same reason - to serve. That mentality is special.
One moment that will always stick me with is when about seven of us were in the elevator on our way to dinner. When the elevator arrived to the main floor, no one moved. Why? We were all trying to be polite and let someone else off first. I don't know why but that makes me choke up a little bit. Tears are in my eyes now just thinking about it. So many people don't give a second thought to anyone else. It's always, "Me first". I loved that no one seemed to have that ideology.
My site was at a nonprofit called Reading Partners. It was a collaborative environment and I enjoyed getting to know everyone there. I learned so much about myself, nonprofit life and the education system. If I hadn't been a part of their team, I never would've known about the gap between low-income and middle/upper-class students when it comes to reading. Furthermore, I wouldn't have known about the lack of diversity in children's books. This particular fact made me think about what I could do about it. I love to write, but I've never written for children. Why not give it a try? So, in the spring of 2017 I decided to give it a shot. Currently, I'm working on a children's book series! I'm super excited to see where this goes.
I'm so glad that organizations such as Reading Partners exist. Learning how to read proficiently is crucial for success. I had no idea that when individuals don't know how to read on grade level, they have less of a chance of graduating high school and are more likely to wind up in jail. I hope that Reading Partners continues to excel and expand!
Over all, my time with AmeriCorps was great. While it had its ups and downs such lack of communication from the national office, a dearth of money, and stress, it's something I would encourage others to do. It teaches you a lot and can potentially be a building block personally and professionally. For example, I now know what it's like to grocery shop on a tight budget. This is a lesson I will take with me for life.
If you want to use your talents in a special way and give back to your community, research AmeriCorps!