Spring 2016 Community Partners
SOCL 269
African Community Education (ACE) / Monday- Thursday, 3-6pm (for one 2-hour time block) / CBL Fair
Assumption Center / Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, 2:30-4:45p / CBL Fair
Claremont Academy / Monday-Friday 8a-4p (for one 2-hour time block) / CBL Fair
Let’s Get Ready / Monday or Wednesday, 5:30-8:30p / CBL Fair
MassEdCo. / Monday-Friday, 7:10a-1:40p (for one 2-hour time block) / Office
Woodland Academy / Monday – Friday, 8a-2:13p (no Wednesdays after 12p) (for one 2-hour time block) / CBL Fair
African Community Education (ACE)
24 Chatham St. Worcester
Staff Contact:
Volunteer Coordinator
508-799-3653
Organization Description:
The African Community Education Program (ACE) has a mission to assist African refugee and immigrantyouth and families in achieving educational and social stability through access to academicsupport, leadership development, cultural expression, and community outreach in Worcester, MA. ACE focuses its attention on recent refugees and immigrants, especially those coming from countries of conflict. ACE students are English Language Learners with limited or interrupted formal education, are low-income, and adjusting to American educational culture.
CBL Opportunities
After School Program Volunteer:
Our After-School program combines homework tutoring and extracurricular activitiesto providestudents in Grades 5-12 with supportive, structured, enriched learning opportunities during out-of-school hours. The goals of the After School Program: (1) provide a structured environment for students to receive academic support and assistance to complete school & assignments and become independent learners; (2) provide interactive extracurricular and recreational activities that enrich students’ academic, social-emotional, and physical well-being by hosting facilitators from our partners in the Worcester community.
Volunteers commit to at least 2 hours/week for at least 1 semester to serve as tutors and activity assistants. Volunteers assist students with their homework assignments, projects, and academic enrichment and guide them to become independent learners. Volunteers also assist extracurricular, gym, and leadership activities to guide students to engage in learning, demonstrate good sportsmanship, and develop positive leadership skills. Volunteers must be flexible to work with one student or in a small group as needed. Volunteers may state preference for age/grade level and academic subject, which ACE tries to honor.
When: Monday- Thursday, 3:00-6:00pm. September 8, 2014 – June 2015 (closely aligned to the Worcester Public Schools calendar)
Pre-service Requirements:
Volunteer Application, Emergency Contact Form, CORI form & photocopy of photo ID, & attend a 2 Hour New Volunteer Orientation
Volunteers needed: 10-15
Assumption Center
16 Vineyard Street
Worcester, MA 01603
Staff Contact:
Sr. Catherine Anne Soley, RA
Sr. Mary Ann Azana, R.A.
508-767-1356
Organization Description:
The Assumption Center in Worcester is a ministry of the Religious of the Assumption. In partnership with the parish of St. Peter-St. Andrew in the city’s Main South area, the Center serves the various educational needs of the neighborhood through English as a Second Language classes for adult learners, after-school mentoring and literacy programs, the Kate O’Neill spiritual book library, Girls With DREAMS, GIFT Lecture Series and a Vietnamese summer camp. In addition, the Center also sponsors a Knitting Circle and a community garden which involve many volunteers from around the city. All the programs were founded by the Sisters and are carried out by the Sisters, AMAs and volunteers from Assumption College, Clark University and College of the Holy Cross as well as a good number of adults from the parish and the area.
The headquarters of the Sisters’ lay volunteer program, the Assumption Mission Associates (AMA), is housed at the Assumption Center. A project of the Religious of the Assumption since the 1950s, AMA has been particularly active in the U.S. since the 1980s. Since its move to Worcester in 2001, AMA-USA has sent approximately 100 young people to mission sites both overseas and in this country. Currently the AMAs serve with sisters in Worcester, MA and in Chaparral, NM in the USA and in the Philippines and England, internationally.
In addition to the AMA office, the Center provides housing for the AMAs themselves, who live together in the Cana community along with other young adults who are committed to intentional living. The Cana community shares meals and prayer regularly with the community of Assumption Sisters. The AMAs offer service at Assumption Center, the parish of St. Peter-St. Andrew’s, and other neighborhood organizations that serve the disadvantaged.
CBL Opportunities:
MENTORING
The Assumption Center runs an after-school mentoring program at St. Peter’s Church on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons from 2:30-4:45 p.m. Children, ages 6-15, are paired one on one with college mentors who help with homework, reading, arts and crafts, games and much more. Since 1996 the mentoring program has provided a safe, supportive and fun environment for children to spend their after-school hours.
THIRD DAY
In the fall of 2013, a third day was added to the after school programming with an emphasis on building literacy. With the help of AMAs and other volunteers, the center opens to the students something of what they have found in the pages of books. The students are offered a variety of genres and subjects, given the support they need to move into longer periods of reading, and then have an opportunity to share their ideas. There is time for writing as well. Sometimes there is a read-aloud or have a guest reader. But the focus is always on providing the students with blocks of time to enjoy reading. The program meets on Tuesdays from 2:30p-4:45p at St Peter’s.
Pre-Service Requirements: CORI Form
Number of Volunteers Needed: 10 or more for Mentoring (5 per day); 6-8 for Third Day (3-4 Spanish students)
Claremont Academy
15 Claremont Street, Worcester MA 01610
Staff Contact:
Jessica Coleman
School Counselor, Guidance
Office (508) 799-3077
Cell (508) 320-9370
Organization Description:
Claremont Academy is a grade 7-12 public school located in the Main South section of Worcester. We have a diverse population of approximately 500+ students, predominately from low income households. According to the Claremont 2014 DOE Report Card, our English Language Learner population accounts for approximately 40% of our students and this number continues to grow.
Claremont is committed to providing all students with a college and career-ready education. Students take an all honors course of study starting in the middle school; upper classmen can take college courses as part of our dual enrollment program. In addition to the core curriculum, Claremont also offers many elective courses including American Sign Language, Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, Computer Technology, Engineering, and African American History. There are also many AP courses from which to choose including AP Biology, Calculus, Statistics, English Literature, and Environmental Science. In addition to academics, Claremont has many student-run programs and groups including the Claremont Community Service Club, National and Junior National Honor Societies, and Student Government. Claremont has a thriving student and teacher culture where high expectations and success for all are core beliefs.
CBL Opportunities
Claremont would like CBL students to serve as tutors for our English Language Learners (ELLs), former ELL students, as well as any students needing extra support in Math, English, and Science.
Tutors are needed throughout the day, as well as after school.
1.5-2 hour weekly commitment is needed within the following time periods:
Monday-Friday during and after school: 8:00-4:00 (flexible start and finish times)
Volunteers Needed: As many as possible
Pre-Service Requirements: CORI form
Let's Get Ready
89 South St. Boston
(staff work in Boston, but program administered at South High in Worcester in the fall semester, and North High in the spring semester)
Staff Contacts:
Renee Robichaud, Worcester Site Director
Phone: 508-579-5518
Ashley Lesperance, Worcester Program Manager
Cell: 508-269-8159
Boston Office: 617-345-0098
Lisa A. Dziokonski
New England Director of College Access
Main Line: 617-366-2643
Direct: 617-345-0082
Fax: 617-507-6041
Organization Description:
Let's Get Ready provides low-income high school students with free SAT preparation, admissions counseling and other support services needed to gain admission to and graduate from college. Services are provided by volunteer college students who also serve as role models and mentors. LGR was founded in 1998 by Jeannie Lang Rosenthal, a Harvard undergraduate. Believing that the knowledge and experience she had gained while applying to college could be of substantial value to low-income high school students who lacked access to the critical support resources she had, Jeannie started the first Let’s Get Ready program in a church basement in Mount Vernon, NY. Since then Let’s Get Ready has served more than 19,000 low-income high school students with the mentoring power of 7,000 trained volunteer college Coaches. In partnerships with colleges, high schools and community organizations, programs stretch from Lewiston, Maine to Philadelphia. In 2013 Let’s Get Ready assisted nearly 3,500 high school students on the road to higher education and college success.
CBL Opportunities:
Let's Get Ready mobilizes and trains volunteer college student ""Coaches"" as tutors and mentors who provide not only instruction but also the encouragement and inspiration students need to succeed. Coaches are comprehensively trained to teach reading comprehension & writing or math (or both), as well as financial aid and college readiness. The program runs from 5:30-8:30 on Monday and Wednesday nights. Reading comp coaches teach one night and math coaches teach the other night, but students attend both nights each week. Coaches must commit to preparing for and teaching the full three-hour class each week. Let's Get Ready provides a workbook and lesson plan, which coaches can supplement with fun activities of their own.
Coaches are dynamic and motivated undergraduate students who are committed to equality and social justice. Coaches will work on site once or twice a week to guide a small group of high school students through the SAT and college application process.
Qualifications:
•Have SAT score of 600 or higher in the subject they want to teach
•Tutoring experience ideal, but not required
Responsibilities:
•Attend a 4-5 hour orientation session
•Volunteer one evening per week for approximately 6-8 weeks
•Serve as a mentor to high school students
•Prepare high school students for the Math or Critical Reading/Writing Sections of theupcoming
SAT
• Help students better understand the college admissions process and assist on completion
of key components of their application
Pre-service Requirements: CORI form, Online Volunteer application at
Volunteers needed: 5-10
MassEdCO
484 Main St Suite 500 Worcester, MA 01608
Staff Contact:
Donna Connolly
508 754 6829 ext. 3016
Organization Description:
Massachusetts Education and Career Opportunities, Inc. (MassEdCO, Inc.) is a statewide network of service sites that provides education and career advising to over 14,000 individuals each year.MassEdCO’s mission is to assist individuals in identifying a potential career path and the education programs that will lead to that career, and help them enroll in, pay for and succeed in the appropriate education program. Economically and educationally disadvantaged individuals are the focus of our services, which are provided free of charge. Funding for MassEdCO comes from the federal and state education departments, as well as private foundation and corporate sources.
Our Mission
MassEdCO provides access to educational and career opportunities that empower people from diverse backgrounds to achieve their potential.
Our Vision
Educational Opportunity for All
Our Values
Empowerment, Opportunity, Diversity, Commitment
MassEdCO Opportunities:
GEAR UP Program - MassEdCO GEAR UP programs exist at Worcester East Middle School and North High School and services are provided to grades 7-12. Opportunities exist for tutoring, classroom workshop assistance, and working in the guidance department at the middle school level. At the high school, Holy Cross students could work in the fast paced GEAR UP office working one on one with students on the college search process and SAT/ACT registration. Additionally they could accompany GEAR UP staff to classroom workshops and share their experiences as a college student to help motivate high school students to go to college.
Educational Talent Search is based at both Burncoat and South High Schools in Worcester. Holy Cross students could work with students in grade 11 and 12 and help them with the college search and application process, financial aid forms and with SAT/ACT registration. In addition, they could assist staff with classroom workshops for all grades, explaining the importance of keeping their grades up, course selection and other related topics. At Burncoat HS, help is needed with planning a college decision day in late April.
School hours are 7:10 am to 1:40 pm.
Pre-Service Requirements: CORI
Volunteers Needed: 3-4
Woodland Academy
Staff Contacts:
Sarah Belisea
Wraparound Coordinator
Patty Padilla
Principal
Organization Description:
Woodland Academy is a preschool through grade six, public elementary school in the Main South neighborhood of Worcester. The school currently serves a community of learners who are classified as 92.7% minority. Our community includes:
•73% Latino
•10% Asian
•9% African American
•8% White
•57% English Language Learners
•15% Special Education
•97% Free or Reduced Lunch
Our vision is that students and teachers of Woodland Academy will engage in focused, Common Core teaching and learning with the critical goal of increasing student achievement. This effort is supported by a professional learning community, which fosters collaborative learning among and between teacher teams. Our school wide focus is to ensure students are able to read grade level texts with joy, understanding, and engagement across all areas of the curriculum. A systematic approach to time on learning driven by research based instruction will enable students who require additional supports and interventions to achieve success. We are committed to providing all students and families with a challenging educational experience in order to maximize individual learning and growth and promote the development of critical thinking skills.
CBL Opportunities:
Volunteers are needed Monday through Friday, throughout the school day 8:00am - 2:13pm, to support classroom instruction and provide additional support for students who may benefit from one-to-one academically based interaction. In addition, there may be opportunities for volunteers to support various after-school programs currently underway. No academic expertise is required; only enthusiasm and a commitment to working with young people in a friendly, respectful, and supportive environment.
*No Wednesdays after 12p
Pre-service Requirements: CORI form
Number of Volunteers Needed: 5-10