As part of our celebration of AmeriCorps week, we want to share the story of our current AmeriCorps VISTA member, Liz Klass. Liz joined the ENGLISH @ WORK team in August 2010 after receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Spanish from Truman State University.
Liz has been such an intricate part of our growth this year and has been working to establish structured and effective volunteer and student intake and outtake programs. In previous years, our volunteers came to us mostly through word of mouth, but now with a more structured volunteer program, we have been able to have a more direct and focused community outreach approach.
According to AmeriCorps, their members recruited and managed 2.6 million volunteers in 2010. What a statistic! And, we believe it! Liz has recruited and managed over 30 volunteers since August and now at least 70% of our classes have a classroom assistant volunteer. These numbers continue to increase as Liz meets with new volunteers weekly and leads monthly volunteer information sessions.
As for our student intake and outtake program, Liz has created a series of activities that aim to do two things – 1) have the student realize the progress they have made thus far in learning English 2) help a student set, realize, and articulate goals for their future. The goal setting, specifically, has been a great addition to the program. Goal setting is now incorporated into our course book templates, which makes the act of goal setting standard practice across all classes and students.
The facilitation of the goal setting has provided Liz with some special memories. In her own words, she recounts her most memorable student experience –
For me, some of the best moments this year were when I was able to glimpse the impact that my work will have on the students we serve in the future. The most vivid example of this was during a goal-setting ‘session’ with a group of 5 of our students at St. David’s Hospital in Georgetown, TX. Bekah, our Program Manager, and I went out to the class to experiment with different approaches to facilitate a conversation with our students about goals for learning English and goals that related to their personal lives. In order to create a relaxed atmosphere we spoke in Spanish for the majority of the class. This enabled the students to really say whatever was on their mind, without frustrating their thoughts by trying to search for the right words in English. The students in the class were all so open to talking with us about personal goals and their experiences learning English.  I could tell from the feeling in the classroom as well as their comments afterward that this process really meant a lot to them. That class showed me the ideal of what I was working towards and has kept me motivated throughout the year!
And with so much accomplished in a short amount of time, we wanted to get Liz’s insight on what she has taken from her AmeriCorps VISTA experience so far. When asked, she said “I’ve gained a lot of knowledge about the teaching and more specifically English as a Second Language world. And, my time in the classroom has given me the opportunity to hear our students stories which has widened my perspective on the immigrant and refugee experience.†She added, “Through the ENGLISH @ WORK network, I’ve been able to see what other area programs are doing to serve the immigrant community, but the need is still so great. I am glad to just be doing my part.â€
Liz, we would say you are definitely doing your part! Your work has been right in line with AmeriCorps goal of their members making long lasting impact in the communities they serve. Thank you!
And, thank you to AmeriCorps for all the work they do nationwide to tackle problems head on through public service! For more information on AmeriCorps opportunities available nationwide, please visit their website @Â http://www.americorps.gov/.