http://www.uwasc.org/americorps

AmeriCorps South Carolina

Preschool Teacher

June - August 2018 • Camden, NJ

What I liked

I loved the kids, and feeling like a small but positive influence in their lives. It was very rewarding to teach them every day and watch them slowly grow and get prepared for kindergarten.

What I wish was different

I wish there had been more coworkers my age. I still made friends, but it would have been nice to have had peers.

Advice

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Americorp Member

June - August 2018 • Wilmington, DE

What I liked

Worked with children living in lower-class communities in Wilmington, Delaware. I built lots of personal and professional connections to people in these communities.

What I wish was different

Work schedule and chose of placement.

Advice

Think outside of the box.
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Summer Associate

June - August 2018 • Bakersfield, CA

What I liked

I loved seeing all the birds and small animals interact and I got to play with and feed the turtles in the pond. It was very quiet and peaceful most of the time. The job itself was hard work, but it was very fulfilling.

What I wish was different

I wish my supervisor had shown more appreciation for all the hard work I did.

Advice

If you're working outside, I suggest long socks and work boots, as there are a ton of bugs that bite, especially ants.
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AmeriCorps Member

May - July 2018 • Tulsa, OK

What I liked

I really enjoyed being able to teach STEM. The same 60 children came almost every day all summer, so I really enjoyed being able to get to know them on a more interpersonal level than just in the classroom. I loved how welcoming the Tulsa community is to our program, Project Transformation.

What I wish was different

Advice

My advice would be to be able flexible and ready to adapt to any situation because children often change your plans.
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Montana Conservation Corps Crew Member

March - August 2018 • Missoula, MT

What I liked

The people I got to meet and networking opportunities I had available.

What I wish was different

Advice

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Mentor

June 2017 - July 2018 • Weirton, WV

What I liked

Working with children everyday, leading them to better literacy skills and engagement opportunities. I love to serve the community and I was grateful to be a part of a school Supply Drive.

What I wish was different

Nothing. The program is great.

Advice

This is a great way to get involved in serving the community. If you are an education major then this experience is perfect and it will help you gain knowledge of building lesson plans and working with children.
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Construction Manager

August 2018 • Newburgh, NY

What I liked

What I wish was different

Advice

So far, I've learned humility. No one is perfect at their job from the start. It is important to ask questions, even if you're afraid of looking like a fool. Everyone makes mistakes, don't be afraid to make yours.
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Library Americorps

June - August 2018 • Oswego, NY

What I liked

Helping others, through the experience.

What I wish was different

Nothing

Advice

Plan ahead
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AmeriCorps VSA

June - August 2018 • Boise, ID

What I liked

Great people and meanigful work.

What I wish was different

Nothing

Advice

It's not about the money, it's about helping people.
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Americorp Member

June - August 2018 • Wilmington, DE

What I liked

Good job, great teaching experience, awesome bosses

What I wish was different

Better working enviornment and structure

Advice

Be prepare for anything that you least expect.
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Grounds Team Member

May - August 2018 • Dallas, TX

What I liked

I enjoyed working with kids and food distribution while getting to see a side of my home town that I normally do not see (hungry kids in poverty).

What I wish was different

I did not like the meals that were provided to the kids at our summer food program. We were sponsored by Pepsi Co. and the food was always packaged, cold, and unflavored. I wish we could have provided kids with healthy, cooked foods that they would have enjoyed.

Advice

We often mistake our big cities as places of prosperity in all corners yet the people who make up the backbone of these cities are often left without or lacking essential resources needed everyday life (food, house, income, etc.). I want people to understand how privileged we are to be getting a college education and not having to work "x" amount of jobs to barely stay afloat.
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Opioid Advocate

June - August 2018 • Miami, FL

What I liked

I liked that I was able to help those who suffer from addiction in a direct and hands on way.

What I wish was different

Advice

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Health and Wellness Student Ambassador

June - August 2018 • Whittier, CA

What I liked

I worked in a Food Pnatry and Resources Program at my community college. I liked working with people on a personal basis. I was able to help students find resorces best fitted for their needs. One of the most memorable and inspirational moments I experienced during my duartion in the program was when a student told me that they felt blessed that the pantry was accessable for them. They admitted to me that they were struggling to buy groceries, paticularly on the weekends which would unfortunately lead them to skip meals. It was a very emotional moment and that's what kept me going. It is small moments like those that fuel my passion to continue to work hard and help those who are underprivileged.

What I wish was different

Due to the fact that the Food Pantry was recently established, everything was disorganized. As the Health and Wellness Ambassadors, it was our duty to make sure to reach out to outside resources for collaboration opportunities. In addition, we were the ones who kept track of inventory and we also tracked the number of people who used the resource per day. We were basically the guiney pigs and everything was experimental.

Advice

Overall, I believe that this was an incredible opportunity. Being able to help those who are underpriviledged by providing them with groceries and other resources like mental health, free housing opportnities or applying for CalFresh. Majority of our customers were college students and for someone like myself who is also a college student and who sometimes struggles with food insecurity, I can truly empathize with what they were going through. Once again, this was an amzing experience and I highly encourage anyone who aspires to make a difference to get involved and help those who are underpriviledged.
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