March 2013 | Vol. 2 Issue 4 | Renewal
Dear Idealist Helps with LACY
CY Corps Member Spotlight on
Katie DeVore First Year Corps Member And CY Spotlight on
Read Across America Day With the CSX Team
MaryHaven with Guest Writer
The Amazing Race Mifflin’s Literacy Night
Jason Phillips Katie Devore @KatieD_CYCO
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As my student walked across the stage during the honor roll assembly, she looked for me, waved and gave me a huge smile. #makebetterhappen
MARC 16
Starfish Stories Corps members from each Columbus School share a story of their service
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Dear Idealist You ask; the idealist answers
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School Zone A quick recap of what is going on at each school at City Year Columbus
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Amazing Race Mifflin High School holds a Literacy Night that literally takes us around the world
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Read Across America Day Dr. Seuss is still impacting our students lives! A recap of how Linden-McKinley STEM Academy celebrated
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Best Practices Great ideas for the last couple months for having a greater impact on your students!
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CY Health Zone Zandra shares some tips for staying on track with your health.
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Mary Haven Jason Phillips shares the purpose and mission of Mary Haven in Columbus, Ohio, and how City Year Columbus supported them in the holiday season.
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Katie’s Tale Corps Member Katie DeVore takes us into her personal journey of change, and how that journey has impacted the way she serves.
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Humor Time Rod and Brit both speak about Renewal … one on a toilet, and one about skin … just read it, and you’ll understand.
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The mission of THE IDEALIST is to cultivate a culture of inspiration by showcasing the talents of our Corps members and highlighting our service and impact within our community and our schools.
Serves at Linden-McKinley STEM Academy as the Team Leader. Exil started the Electronic Daily Briefing Magazine in 2011 in her first year as a Corps Member.
I’m a twenty-something on a mission to make a difference in the world. I also love coffee in the mornings and ice cream in the evenings.
City Year Columbus The Idealist 88 East Broad St. Columbus, OH 43215 theidealistcyco@gmail.com
A recent graduate of The Ohio State University, Mirria serves at Mifflin High School. She enjoys reading, writing, and random outbursts of the Macarena.
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I serve as part of The Idealist committee because I am proud of the impact we’re making in the community.. I serve because I want to inspire others to follow in our footsteps: not only future Corps Members, but people everywhere, to leave the world a little better than when they found it.
Graduate of OSU, Tamar began her journey with City Year in July 2012.She also enjoys traveling, spending time with her family, and cherishing her relationship with the Lord.
Photo Credits: Mark Schmitter (Cover Photo, pg. 2 Amy, pg. 3 Katie, pg 9. Katie and boys, pg 12 and 13 ALL, pg 15 ALL, pg. 29 Katie tutoring) Font Used: Garamond, Bebas Neue, GeoSansLight, and Walkway Programs Used: Microsoft Publisher, Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator
I'm 22 years old a recent graduate of Kent State University with a degree in Mathematics. I serve with City Year at South High and I look forward to staying in Columbus to serve youth next year.
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Renewal
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hange is something most people pull out at the last second when they’ve realized that their current object, plan, or idea is not meeting up to the expectations of those around them. It is easy to change something impersonal. For example, I used to always shop at Kroger, and now I shop at Giant Eagle. I just live closer to Giant Eagle. However, a personal object, plan or idea is almost always harder to change. An object with personal connections, like my dead MacBook, can be the hardest to give up. We throw money at it, hoping with every fiber of our being that it will wake, but eventually we must move on and let our father buy us a PC. Change is hard, especially when it involves people. Renewal, to make new again, is even harder. Somehow you have to convince your audience that change is here to stay. A new leader from the outside can change things from a different perspective than those on the inside. Our site has gone through some incredible changes in the past eight months: new staff, schools, and expectations. Through awesome leadership of our Executive Director, Todd Tuney, our site renewed itself into being a sustainable organization aiming to impact the lives of students in Columbus, and it has shown great results. Check out the Impact section of this issue to see how renewal can be successful. Change is hard to come by when all the hands in the pot have different ideas of what the ingredients should be. I can’t add a bit of peanut butter with garlic and expect to create a fabulous peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Where’s the jelly? What if it’s not the right peanut butter? What if the people don’t want a peanut butter and garlic sandwich? However, when the hands come together and figure out a single vision that drives each member to stir the pot in the same direction, then we are on to something. The Linden Community, where I serve, is going through some changes. A student passed away, and now the community is coming together to figure out how we can keep our kids safe. Renewal is sometimes necessary, and even in the darkest situations, it is possible.
Above: The Idealist Committee trying to take a group photo.
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This magazine had to go through some changes as well. I had to let go of my pride and realize that I was not using the full potential of those in my committee. I asked for their help, and I truly believe we have created a legacy that will go far beyond our City Year days. The renewal process was not easy, but now looking at the design, photography, and writing throughout this magazine, I know we went in the right direction. I’m proud to introduce the renewed City Year Columbus’ magazine, THE IDEALIST. The mission of THE IDEALIST is to create a culture of inspiration, by showcasing the talents of our Corps Members and highlighting our service and impact within both our communities and our schools. I hope while you read this edition, you’ll see many different hands with one clear vision for change. ■
Lonesome Dove An Ice Machine Throw the sun hat outside and use the paper clip to attach a sign to it that says “free sun hat.”
My favorite camera is the Canon 5D Mk.III, because it does great in low-light, is full-frame, and makes me look like I know what I’m doing. Iron Man is my favorite super hero, because come on, have you seen his garage and technology? I would walk into Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream like a king and buy scoops on scoops on scoops of ice cream.
I loved barbies. My favorite classes were Francophone literature and Conflict Resolution Early sunrise or late evening in the Summer
Mifflin Blue! Building balloon bouquets at my 2nd job! Buy a packet of ketchup
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Katie Devore @KatieD_CYCO
5h
I serve so that my students have someone to look up to ‌ #makebetterhappen
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South 7-12
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ity Year at South High School is launching a new behavior initiative – Caught You Doing Something Good! This initiative stresses the importance of character; that “doing good” in school is just as important as “doing well.” Teachers and Corps Members can acknowledge good student behavior by rewarding them with a C.Y.D.S.G. card. Positive behaviors include staying on task and focused in class, doing something kind for others, giving a compliment. The positive behavior will be noted on the card. Students can accumulate them and cash them in biweekly for prizes. Prizes include candy, to be first in line at lunch, and lunch in the CY room (with food from the outside.) Positive reinforcement is good. ■ Danielle Moses
Weinland Park Elementary
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enewal within the Weinland Park Elementary team comes with increased expectations and an overall heightened standard of excellence. After break, our team decided that it’s time to step up our game and give our all to these last few months. The Weinland Park community has a lot of “hands in the pot,” as we like to refer to it, meaning there are numerous organizations, people, and ideas already present within the school. In order to leave our mark on the school, we are all brainstorming an event which will hopefully be approved by administration soon! Erin has assisted each member of our team in writing up a proposal to describe our event in detail. The potential events include a Culture/Quilt-making day during intercession, a Community Garden in Weinland Park, a Math Station with a take home activity during Family Night, and a Literacy Competition for all grades at Weinland Park. ■ Diana Kwacz
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Power 107.5’s Big Man Konata and High school Winner, Corey Day
Linden McKinley S.T.E.M. Academy
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uesday, February 26, 2013 LMSA hosted a Black History Rap and Song contest judged by Power 107.5’s Big Man Konata. The winners will be getting a tour of the studio and an on-air shout out to represent their school. The rules of the contest were that songs should be positive and contain 5 ACT words. Workshops were held the weeks before the contest in which participation grew from 2 participants to more than 15 in a single room working on their submissions. The efforts may or may not have been sparked by Mr. Juan’s amazing morning announcement raps. The winners were announced on Power 107.5 by Big Man Konata, and the students of LMSA were commented on by Misty Jordan and Konata in a positive light. ■ Juan Mosquera Cochran
Mifflin High School
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ntervention is a driving force at City Year and at Mifflin we’re putting a new spin on it. Every day we play games and give instruction and make math interactive. This typically involves dry erase markers and bingo boards. The students who struggle the most then work with the math coach. This is helping our students catch up and keep up in math. Also, while we are planning for literacy night, I have been scheming on “March Mathness”, a night of excitement, basketball, and math. We will have 10 basketball and math related stations in the gym. Building upon the successes of previous events, the excitement for future events in our building is rising. Our teachers are getting involved and everyone is on board. ■ Robby Raccette
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The
A M A Z I N G Race
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n February 26th, City Year Columbus Team Mifflin hosted their final literacy night, The Amazing Race. Students were required to participate in 10 timed, literacy based stations. Although, you better watch out for the grammar pirate! A pirate roamed the halls and prompted students with grammatically incorrect sentences which they had to correct. This gave students the opportunity to improve (or hinder) their times in efforts to win 3 wonderful prizes. Collaborative efforts from Mifflin’s Diplomas Now Team, Joshua Johnson, Johns Hopkins School Transformation Facilitator and Courtney Elrod, Communities in Schools Social Worker, allowed us to provide a full course Italian dinner provided by Kroger and amazing prizes. Our prizes included a $25 gift card to Easton mall, one $50 gift card to Hollister Co. and a brand new Kindle tablet. With 98 individuals in attendance, including 77 students, 11 City Year Members, 7 volunteers from Hilton Hotels, 2 parents, and 1 New Salem Baptist Church member, the night was a huge success. Not to mention the elaborate decorations that one of our classes here at Mifflin worked so hard to create. Thank you to everyone who came out to show your support. -T. Carr Special thanks to: Miffiln High School Administration, The Diplomas Now Team, Mr. Deckers theatre productions class, Kroger, Hilton Hotels, Kim Palmer, our parents, and students.
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Mifflin’s
L i t e r a c y Night
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Read Across America Day Linden-McKinley STEM Academy For their Read Across America Day Service, the LMSA City Year team and seventeen civic-minded ninth grade panthers volunteered their time to read to students at Hamilton Elementary school. On the morning of Wednesday, February 27 the ninth graders were called down to the cafeteria where they chose which Dr. Seuss books they would read before the group set off for Hamilton. Once in the school, the students teamed up with a Corps Member and each team went to a classroom ranging from kindergarten to second grade along with two special education classrooms. After an introduction from the Corps Members, the student volunteers read their books to the Elementary children as a promotion of literacy and appreciation of reading amongst the youth of Linden. Some classes ended their hour of reading time with a Dr. Seuss related craft. The ninth graders loved engaging the younger students through their reading, and, though the walk back to LMSA was a little soggy, everyone’s spirit seemed a little brighter after this fun morning of literacy based service. ■Bob Ambrose
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Dear Idealist...
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Providing advice on service, team dynamics, and life after City Year.
Lethargic Idealist
I have been loving my service year at City Year, however I frequently go home and just want to lay down and relax. I understand that going to my room and laying down in bed puts me at a huge risk to be unproductive, be late on my bills, become obese, make poor life choices and, above all, go to sleep. I am wondering if you have any advice that will help me relax, but also keep me from falling asleep. I would love to be more productive. Thank you for taking the time to bring some advice to me and others in need!
A
Dear Lethargic Idealist,
A few words of advice: 1) Make an agenda and stick to it. I often find that I’m much more productive when I create a schedule for myself. Actually writing it down, whether it’s on paper or typed up on your phone, solidifies your plan and holds you more accountable. 2) Prioritize. Tackle important tasks with deadlines first, when you have more energy, and note what you don’t get to for later. 3) Stay active. Exercise boosts your energy levels. Although it may be difficult to gather the motivation to go to the gym, or go for a run, being active will give you more energy in the long run, so get in the habit of incorporating physical activity into your weekly routine. Even activities like going for a walk or doing yoga – some more relaxed forms of exercise – will help boost your energy, so take advantage of the warmer weather that’s bound to arrive soon and go for a walk with a friend! If the end of your day is typically stressful, or if, like me, you tend to get on the road at the perfect time to coincide with what seems to be every driver in Columbus, set aside some time (15 minutes) when you get home to recuperate from the day’s stresses. Doing something active but calming (e.g., yoga, taking a walk) is a great way to occupy yourself during this time; just be sure to give yourself that opportunity to clear your mind. Don’t allow yourself, however, to fall into the trap of lying on the couch for the next several hours. Once you’ve come back down to a calmer state of mind, move on to what’s next on your agenda. Here’s an example of an agenda I might make for myself on any typical weeknight: Try being more intentional about your free time and keeping these three tips in mind: Make an agenda. Stick with it. Prioritize. And stay active. Good luck!
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Pronunciation Pai ns How do you pronounce the name of that café chain across the street “Au Bon Pain?” It seems like the sort of establishment that is just made to make me feel like an idiot because I don’t speak French.
Dear Pronunciation Pains, This is something I think we’ve all struggled with during our time with City Year, whether or not we openly admit it. The best advice I can offer is to see CYCO’s resident French expert, Miss Katie Devore, for all pronunciation questions and concerns.
Typical Weeknight’s Agenda: 5:15/5:30 – Get home from school, depending on traffic. 5:30-5:45 – Relax & clear my head. Take a walk around the block if it’s warm enough. 5:45-6:45 – Dinner & clean up. 6:45-7:15 – Pay bills. 7:15-8:15 – Work on job applications & LACY plans. 8:15-8:45 – Prepare for the next day. (Pack a lunch. Press those
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• Dear Idealist • Dear Idealist • Dear Idealist •
L a s t M i n u t e L AC Y Graduation is quickly approaching, and I haven't really been thinking about my LACY. Is there time for me to make meaningful connections and secure a job for next year? Where do I even start?
D e a r L . M . L A C Y, Of course there’s still time! With just under 100 days until graduation, you can still make plans for next year by being diligent and intentional with your time and your resources. Through our LACY events and other networking opportunities we’ve had this year, each of us has dozens of potential connections to prominent professionals in the Columbus community. Take advantage of those connections! Start by deciding on the particular career field that you’re most interested in pursuing, and compile a list of people in that field (or related fields) who we have met over the past seven months. Don’t be afraid to ask IMs or other staff members if you can’t remember everyone’s names – believe me, they are MORE than happy to help CMs out with things like this. Once you’ve made your list and gathered contact information (ask staff but don’t be afraid to Google someone), start making calls and sending emails! Tailor your email to your situation, but start off by introducing yourself, noting your affiliation with CY, and, if appropriate, mentioning the event at which you made this connection. Then state your career goals, let them know you’re interested in potential opportunities for next year, and ask if they have any information they might be able to pass along to you. If these individuals weren’t invested in our future, they wouldn’t have taken the time to come out to one of our LACY events to begin with, so don’t be afraid to take the initiative and contact them!
Stressed S.C.M.,
Rumbling Stomach
I completed my Senior Corps application and am really excited, but I'm also nervous. A lot of my friends are applying too, and I don't want things to get tense if they make it and I don't, or vice versa. What do I do?
I find that I am ALWAYS hungry at work. I usually eat a good amount of breakfast before coming to work, but then I am hungry hours before lunch. I don't want to keep eating at work because I'm participating in the biggest loser and am trying to be more healthful.
Dear Stressed SCM, This is a concern that I’m sure many potential Senior Corps Members are feeling as well, and it’s something that’s bound to come up in this kind of setting. Now that the applications are in, however, I’d suggest not stressing over it or concerning yourself with all of the hypothetical situations that could potentially arise and further, how you, as well as your peers, would react to them. Simply put, all you can do now is wait. And once the decisions have been made, be happy for those who received good news, and be a comfort to those who did not. Be proud of your acceptance if that’s the case, but don’t flaunt your success in the face of others. I always think that the best approach in these situations is taking a matter-of-fact position: if someone asks and you have good news to share, share it with them, but do your best to not be jumping-up-and-down-and-screaming-forjoy because for all you know, they may have been disappointed by the news they received. The bottom line is this: be sensitive. Don’t make assumptions, but just be there for each other for whatever news comes your way. And for those in our corps who receive news they weren’t hoping for, take this piece of advice: everything happens for a reason. You’ve completed 1700 hours of service over the past ten months, and that’s nothing to be taken lightly. Now that your City Year is over, though, your experience and your growth that took place here will definitely be significant in wherever you go next.
Do you have any ideas of what I could to do resolve this?
A
Dear Rumbling, Snacking at work doesn’t have to be unhealthy! Those of us who are very active need to snack throughout the day to keep up our energy levels – and I think we can all agree that our service requires A LOT of energy during the week! Snacking in and of itself isn’t a bad thing, as long as you’re making healthy choices about what you’re eating. Not only is eating breakfast important, but choosing high energy breakfast options is important, too. Eating a high energy breakfast can start your day off right, so breakfast foods like eggs, whole wheat toast with peanut butter, and fresh fruit can help boost your energy level in the morning. Continuing to fuel your body with healthy snacks throughout the day will help, too. Fresh fruits and veggies are always a good option, as well as yogurt, peanut butter, nuts, and hummus. Having a small, healthy snack every few hours can give you energy without adding on empty calories. Ask fellow Idealist Jen anything about your service year or life as an Americorps member. Email questions anonymously anytime to theidealistcyco@gmail.com.
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Sharing Best Practices ELA Corner In Ms. Baumgardner’s class, students who act out or crave attention are given roles that use their behavior issues in ways that don't involve discipline. For example, the student will be told to pass out papers to the class, asked to scribe the notes on the smart board, or will be designated as temporary teacher. Ms. B. comes up with creative ways to incorporate material into class to make the students more engaged, too. She plays a game called “Swatter,” where she has words up on the board and two students are given a swatter1. Ms. B reads the definition, and the first student to hit the right word on the board wins and advances to the next round. Ms. B also has every student’s birthday written on her big calendar, and she has a box full of cool presents from which they get to pick. It's a good way to make students feel special and appreciated.
■Remy
Orlins, Corps Member, South High School
Behavior Corner Research shows that the most effective form of behavior intervention involves positive reinforcement, which “occurs when a reward or privilege is given following an appropriate behavior, thus increasing the frequency of the behavior." As corps members, it can be surprisingly difficult to focus on positive behaviors when there is a large amount of negativity in the classroom. By rewarding students who are behaving properly, we can still attempt to manage negative behaviors and perhaps save our sanity in the process. The following is an example of a technique that has been reasonably successful in my classroom: Devon rarely does his work, and he has no problem ignoring me when I approach him. James, however, who sits right next to him, is equally unproductive but will acknowledge me if I am nearby. Instead of futilely begging Devon to do his work, I now praise James for his efforts in class (however minimal). When Devon sees the praise James gets, he begins working. Devon’s sudden increase in productivity is likely due to his recognition that even a little bit of effort will be praised. And c'mon who doesn't want a little acknowledgement now and then? ■ Anna
Habib, SEL/Behavior Coordinator, Linden-McKinley STEM Academy
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More Ideas: ELA
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Math Corner One method that is great for building confidence in math is the two-step method. With the two-step method, you begin lesson plans with a review of previous lessons, solidifying students' knowledge. After you get through the lesson plan, you do a brief preview of topics they will learn in the near future. That way, when they get to the actual lesson, they will feel confident because they already know what is going on. They might even get a confidence boost from knowing more than their peers! ■ Yan
Zhang, Math Coordinator, Linden-McKinley STEM Academy
Resources CYconnect has so many resources for us to use as Corps Members, and yet so few of us look to the site for tips. Each month we’ll be featuring some links that other CMs have found helpful to encourage us all to take advantage of this great resource! Looking for that one Putting Idealism To Work statement that you heard at the beginning of the year but can’t quite remember what it was? Check out this link for a list of all the PITWs2 and a more detailed explanation of the message behind each one. Bing! PITWs List Struggling to come up with creative tools to use with your students during math intervention time? Check out this link for the Math Tools and Resources Library, where you can find tools for assessment, templates for tutoring sessions, graphic organizers, over a dozen creative math games to play with your students, and more! Math Tools & Resources Library Looking for some graphic organizers to use with your students during ELA pull outs or push ins? Check out the link below to find plenty of resources for your literacy tutoring! ELA Printables Library
For the month of February at South, we’ve featured student poets in our Black History Month Showcase 4. Students submitted poems to CMs focusing on issues related to social justice, and it was impressive to see the depth of the poetry we received. African American poet Langston Hughes was also featured in order to showcase both his talent and the impact his writing had on society. ■ Jen Brown, ELA/Literacy Coordinator, Math The Math Counts Club program that we started in the middle school at LindenMcKinley STEM Academy is a hit! Twelve students are regular participants on Wednesdays and Thursdays during lunch. We are on our way to a Silver Level designation! Once we get there, the school will receive a trophy and each participant will receive a certificate! ■Yan Zhang, Math Coordinator at LMSA
Behavior At South High School, CM Dani Moses is starting up a “Caught You Being Good!” initiative. City Year Corps Members, teachers, and other members of the ninth grade team will hand out slips3 to acknowledge students’ random acts of kindness, and every couple of weeks students will be able to cash them in for incentives and prizes, with prizes growing in value as they accumulate more slips. ■Jen Brown, Corps Member, South High School
CYconnect Keep in mind this tip when clicking on links to CYconnect pages or accessing the site yourself: when asked to enter your username and password, you need to use your FULL City Year email address, including @cityyear.org.
■ Hope Hill, Afterschool Coordinator, Linden-McKinley STEM Academy 2013 |
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#Makebetterhappen Twitter Pics
@ BritD_CYCO Data Wall almost complete! Showing the whole school how we #makebetterhappen
@ToddT_CYCO Geoffrey Canada on partnerships – do what you do, so you don’t become the scapegoat for failure #makebetterhappen
@ KateS_CYCO Diplomas Now Seal 9 Team working hard to #makebetterhappen (and having fun!) @CityYearCbus
Gathered by Ashley Dzurnak
@ JenB_CYCO Serving with @Huntington_Bank for MLK Day at the wonderful @RMHCofCentralOH to #makebetterhappen
@ dkwacz Mr. Derek caught his kids reading! #cyreads #makebetterhappen
@MonikaK_CYCO 9th graders from LMSA shared their love of reading today through community service #cyreads @CityYearCbus
@ ZandraC_CYCO
Great way to end the day @CityYearCbus #makebetterhappen
@ SamS_CYCO Thank you YMCA for our free passes! #healthybody #healthymind
@ JennF_CYCO Excited, Inspired, Amazed and Refocused after lunch with the United Way CEO Janet Jackson!
A Haven for Hope
Maryhaven Rehabilitation Clinic has served Franklin County for over 50 years.
Every dollar invested in treatment at Maryhaven saves the community $11 in healthcare and justice system expenses. This number comes from an independent study.
Maryhaven provides a continuum of supports, including detoxification services, youth programs, extended women’s care, and outpatient safety programs.
Registered nurses provide 24-hour care for inpatient detox program.
Maryhaven recently started a Problem Gambling program, which addresses both pathological and compulsive gambling issues.
Maryhaven emphasizes a strong, healthy relationship between mother and child, establishing a positive connection between the two.
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A Testimony of the Promise Of Renewal at Maryhaven
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My partner, we’ll call him Donya, was 15 years old. He was more outgoing than his peers and eagerly answered any question I had about his life and treatment. Donya had been at Maryhaven for more than a few months for his addiction and the problems it caused at home. While we worked on our lyrics, Donya’s story became clearer through the words he wrote as I helped with spelling; “It’s going to take a long time, but Momma I’m going to make it up to you.”
efore stepping into the halls of Maryhaven in the Fall of 2012, I didn’t know what to expect. I was nervous, intimidated, and unsure of how I would be able to relate to As he continuously presented new lyrics, I young men who seemed worlds apart from was surprised at how fast we were flying me. United Way had arranged a field trip to through the song. It turned out Donya had visit Maryhaven in order for new employees been working on this song for a while and all to personally experience its success in the other guys knew how it went. I couldn’t rehabilitating adults and adolescents from beat box or rap, a disappointment to the drug addiction. On that day, we were boys, but I ushered them into a makeshift participating in an art therapy program. As a practice room so they could perform Donya’s group, we looked awkward and song. uncomfortable; a The performance rigid line of “I didn’t know it at the time, was epic and was Calvin Klein and given a standing Ralph Lauren but my experience with Donya ovation by the staff. suits looking would lead to a year of service The United Way back at Ecko and partners tried to Rocawear. with City Year Columbus.” keep up and As we waited remember when we to be picked by the students in the class to were supposed to provide background echoes partner up, my mind flashed back to the and stomps. After we took our bow, Donya horrors of middle school gym, where I often announced that his treatment would soon be volunteered to referee because the team over and he was starting a GED program at picking process was so embarrassing. Instead, Columbus State. The staff again stood to give a flood of students came rushing towards me, him thunderous applause. the closest to their age. I didn’t know it at the time, but my The student I ended up working with experience with Donya would lead to a year shoved a few others out of the way, before of service with City Year Columbus. politely asking if I’d like to work with him that day. Our assignment was to create a song Maryhaven is a place of transformation. It quickly becomes apparent to all who visit that and album cover based on life. I started the spirit of hope and the warm comfort of throwing out a few ideas and we landed on community thrive within Maryhaven’s walls. our title, “The Winding Road Back Home.”
Top Left A graduate of Maryhaven Women Center, Shoenika proudly shares her story on Maryhaven’s website Top Right Corps Members from Weinland Park and Mifflin pose with over 200 items donated by staff and students.
Offering residential and outpatient services to over 175,000 men and women of all ages, the facility is a cornerstone of the health and wellness community in Columbus. Young men and women like Donya are given an opportunity to piece their lives back together. Patients are not only given psychological and addiction counseling, but also anger management, life skills, and GED preparedness training while living on site.
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his service year, City Year teams at Linden-McKinley STEM Academy and Mifflin High School had the opportunity to give back to Maryhaven’s Stable Cradle program. This program focuses on the rehabilitation and support of recent or expecting mothers. Stable Cradle not only helps with addiction counseling, but provides a community that’s built on women helping each other
overcome dependence and providing a more quality life for their families. Corps members at LMSA and Mifflin held a hygiene drive at their schools to help support the extraordinary families in Stable Cradle. The two schools together collected over 200 items from students and staff making this event a huge success. One particular student went to her orthodontist and asked him to donate. She came back the next day with 17 toothbrushes. It’s often difficult for our students to donate items to charity drives, but they still want to be able to make a difference. An entire English class at Mifflin volunteered their time creating posters encouraging donations. The student involvement and encouragement helped inspire the staff to donate. To supplement the hygiene drive, corps members at Mifflin and Weinland Park participated in holiday service at
Maryhaven. City Year delivered all of the donated products and took a tour of the facility. To our surprise, the Stable Cradle program was having their holiday party at that exact moment.
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t was truly an uplifting experience to be able to provide gifts to all of the families in the program who have worked so hard to get to where they were. As corps members Robby Racette exclaimed, “[we] felt like Santa.” We were inspired about the success of the program learning that all of the babies had been born clean, un-addicted to the substance that put their mothers in the program. When we as corps members put on our red jackets, we have both an enormous opportunity and responsibility to find innovative ways to impact the community we serve. The Stable Cradle program, as well as the other services offered by Maryhaven, gives members of our community a second chance. The staff is an incredibly caring and invested group of people who, like corps members with our students, will always be there no matter how many times patients might fall. Both City Year and Maryhaven are organizations committed to a cause greater than self. It was honor to meet the gracious mothers and healthy children of the Stable Cradle program and to witness the renewal and hope Maryhaven provides for our city. ■ Jason Phillips
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Katie DeVore Corps Member at South High School Age: 23 Hometown: Dayton, Ohio Favorite Place in the World: France Favorite Movie: Lost in Translation, Sideways
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The Birth of Peace A personal walk with Katie DeVore, Corps Member at South High School
I
once read a quote that stood out to me, something that gives the revival of my life meaning. French Algerian philosopher, Albert Camus, once said, “The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.” As a young adult I aim to seek out who I am and what I may become. My earlier years were less graceful than now due to certain situations and disconnectedness I felt while growing up, but a sense of clarity has overcome me as a result of serving as a City Year corps member. City Year core values are the glue which holds the organization together. The values function as a reminder to those who choose to dedicate a year of their lives to serve the underprivileged and hopeless. One of those values is Social Justice For All. This particular value became so connected in my mind to Camus’ quote, my studies in school and it lastly defines my purpose in life. My purpose is to become so free within my own mind that my past experiences no longer hinder my abilities to think positively. I have learned from these times which serve as the drive that fuels my passion to help others. Alcoholism has plagued my family for years. Anger and frustration infused itself in me as a result. My mother had much anger toward my father when I was growing up because of the constant drinking. This spread toward me in many ways and I didn’t understand how to be in control of my feelings. My father began drinking heavily when I was in the 6th grade after his business he had built with two other
Caption: Katie’s Dad, Sister, Brother and herself partners had gone bankrupt. I suddenly became the sole role model for my younger brother and sister and the new responsibilities I had made me feel that I was the only person in the world with this problem. I remember countless nights when I had to take my brother and sister upstairs and try to distract them from the mess. When thinking about my students, several of them have had similar or even worse circumstances. A starfish of mine, Michael, has had to stay home from school and has even had truancy filed on him in the past because he has had to stay home from school to watch his younger siblings and cousins. Parental involvement is also lacking heavily with this student. It took lots of time for me to understand the extent of this student’s responsibilities but the relationship that I have built with him has helped. I have spent many one on one sessions with him just to get to know him - his likes, fears, dreams and beliefs. I began to see a parallel between 2013 |
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myself and his. By building that relationship with Michael, Ubuntu really began to take effect. I understood that he had a wall too. His poor behavior and lack of attendance were indirect problems that were signals for his stressful home life. I am proud to say that our meetings have resulted in Michael attending school every day for the past two weeks! He told me that he needs to be in school do he can achieve his dreams in life. To me, education equals opportunity and I have
reminded him of this each and every day.
I
was the first person in my family that was able to go to college. I began to learn about social injustices of the world and human rights violations. This lit a fire in me that made me want to get involved within the non-profit realm. I changed my major to international studies and took French as my minor. I began to learn the language early on in school after my grandfather told me that his family was French. Unfortunately, he died the summer before my senior year of college. I
Captions: Below Left, Katie with her Grandfather a month before he passed. Below Right, Katie with her Mother during Christmas. Bottom Left, Katie with her sister, Abbe, and brother, Michael two years ago at their Mom’s house. Top Right: 5 year old Katie with her Father. Top Right Middle: Katie with friend in France. Bottom Right: Katie with her Father during graduation.
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treat others with the inclusivity and empathy that they need. I felt reborn after speaking his truth at his funeral. My father and I began a new relationship after he served six months in rehab. The death of my grandfather somehow changed my father too. For one of the first times in my life he was completely supportive of me. The wall that I had before crumbled quickly and I began to feel freedom from the issues that I bottled up. The wise words of my grandfather and the new interest my father took in our relationship enabled me to move on and focus on my future. This is where my renewal begins. When someone asks me what I do and why I serve, I say not only that I am serving to combat the dropout crisis – but that it’s more than that. The students have stolen my heart. The young people that I tutor and mentor each and every day have inspired me to continue to embrace my story and in turn help others that need it. ■ Katie supporting a math classroom at South High School.
witnessed him take his last breath in my grandparents’ living room with a hospice nurse. Seeing death was something that shook me to the core. My grandfather was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease, and it took him fast. One of the last things he said to me was, “Kate, don’t worry about the negativity that surrounds you. The
future has bright things for you. Don’t let others with unhealthy minds drag you down.” From that moment on, I began to see life in a different way. Before, I had a huge wall that wouldn’t let anyone in, where I kept everyone at arm’s length. Now, I am more open to new opportunities and
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2013
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and another person knocks on the door.
Rod’s Ruminations
T
“academics” have pondered solutions to this
Let’s look at this from both sides. From
dilemma for eons. I bet cavemen had an even
one perspective, you have the knocker, who
worse time with it. I mean, they couldn’t even
approaches the bathroom needing to use it.
build doors, let alone operate them correctly.
The door is closed (or at least I would hope it
So there was probably a lot of barging in on
is), so they assume the room is in use.
people and vicious club beatings as a result.
However, there is that small and deranged
However, my first grade teacher Mrs. Smith-
demographic of people who close the
Adams solved this problem years ago. She
bathroom door after they leave. So, in the
simply hung a big round cardboard circle on
back of the knocker’s mind, there is that seed
our classroom’s thunder closet door and
of doubt saying “Maybe it is actually empty?”
painted one side red and the other side green.
This seed of doubt inevitably forces the
The system was brilliant in its simplicity: you
person to knock, precipitating the most
flipped the circle to red when you went into
his month’s theme is
awkward five seconds known to man. The
the bathroom, and back to green when you
“ReNEWal.” To me, there
person using the bathroom is taken by
left. This signified whether the room was
is nothing more renewing
surprise by this interruption. What should
open for business or closed for…well…
than getting some quality
they say? At this point sheer reflex takes over
business. The scheme ended all awkward
thinking done in one of the best places
and one of several phrases is muttered:
bathroom encounters, freeing all of us eight
for that sort of thing: the bathroom. But
There’s the ubiquitous “Hello?” or the
year olds from crippling embarrassment and
today I want to talk to you about the
blatantly obvious “I’m in here,” and my
stunted social growth.
most awkward social circumstance
personal favorite, a simplistic “Yo!”
human beings face on a day to day basis.
Whichever one is chosen, the person in the
old Mrs. Smith-Adam’s brilliant bathroom
I’m sure you all have experienced this
bathroom is left feeling rushed and startled,
management system on your team. I think it
situation. I’m talking about the
while the knocker is left feeling intrusive and
promotes a sense of social harmony and will
uncomfortable exchange that occurs
foolish. In the end, we all lose here.
enable you to enjoy your own rumination
when one person is using the bathroom
I’m sure sociologists and other
I encourage you all to consider adopting
time, free from intrusion. ■ Rod Swain
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Photo credits: Jacuzzi.com | funnypics.com | Kid Reading Newspaper (gagtics) | toiletpaperworld.com
Brit’s Corner
S
ome things never change: Waking up at 5 a.m. will never get any easier. I will never be able to resist rolling my eyes at a student who forgets their pencil for the four-hundred-thousandth time. My car never has gas in it—and so forth. But while the things around us so often remain the same, we ourselves are changing every moment of everyday. They say that the human body regenerates all of its skin in seven years. As if that isn’t already disgusting and makes you feel like a lizard-human, I also learned that 90% of dust in our house is made up of that dead skin. This is completely irrelevant, but I wanted everyone to be as uncomfortable
as I am about this whole process. Every aspect of who we are renews itself every day. This appears in many forms. It could mean starting the day off in a bad mood and ending it laughing. It could mean rolling your eyes at that unprepared student, then applauding them as they do all their work. Perhaps it appears in us at the beginning of the year, terrified to enter a screaming classroom, then essentially becoming the glue that holds that classroom together. Or, it could mean all of our skin falling off until we have entirely new skin. Still grossed out.
we signed up for. We would come in on Tuesday holding grudges against students whose behavior was out of control on Monday… but we do not. I would have run away rather than dealing with an issue (can 23 year-olds run away? Or is it just leaving at that point?)... but I did not. Simply put, renewal is starting every day anew with a heart full of grace, and a smile on my face. The patience, forgiveness, and understanding we gain from this can change not just who we are, but who our students see when they look at us, and who they, in turn, will become.
Renewal is so imperative to growing emotionally and mentally. Without constantly pushing ourselves to the next level or into our squishy zones, we’d still be shaking out in the hallway, wondering what
And if not, at least they’ll be new humans in seven years. ■ Brit Dziak
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Columbus