13 - 14 vydc winter newsletter

VYDC CHRONICLES WINTER EDITION 2013/2014

PAGE 1

Greetings from the VYDC office in Montpelier, VT

We are happy to bring you the first of three newsletters featuring the 2013-2014

Vermont Youth Development Corps AmeriCorps State Program (VYDC) team.

VYDC members serve around Vermont at innovative, youth-focused organizations

that address critical community issues. VYDC builds community support for preven-

tion and intervention programs that help youth thrive and ultimately become healthy,

engaged citizens. Through VYDC, members help communities embrace and value

targeted, results-driven investment in youth initiatives. This year, we have 21 mem-

bers serving at local non-profit organizations, municipalities, and statewide agencies

around Vermont.

For this newsletter members were asked to introduce themselves, explain what led

them to AmeriCorps service and their site, and discuss what they hope to accomplish

this year through their service.

We hope you enjoy learning more about our wonderful VYDC members. We look

forward to sharing with you their progress throughout the year!

Please take a moment to check out the accomplishments of last year’s team as well –

the numbers say it all, page 13.

Kindest wishes,

Callie Frey, Assistant Director of National Service Programs

VYDC Chronicles Vermont Youth Development Corps

AmeriCorps State Program

Contact our office to request assis-

tance or an accommodation.

In this issue:

Jessie Mazar 2

Ben McShane 3

Karen Taylor 4

Daniel Olmschenck 5

Kathrine Mansfield 6

Jesilyn Amsden 7

Alyson Wall 8

Olivia DeJohn 9

Training Plan 10-11

SerVermont Launch 12

12-13

Accomplishments

13

Jessica Jackson 14

Sam Rothberg 15

Emily Wilson 16

Sarah Petrokonis 17

VYDC Contact Information

18


PAGE 2

Yesterday, I was

asked by Srish, a Ne-

pali 14-year old reset-

tled in Vermont, what

super power I would

want if I could pick

one. I responded, the

way that I always

have, that I would like

to be able to fly. “You

know, just step for-

ward and up, weight-

less, and soar though

the sky. Wouldn’t that

be cool?” I reciprocated the question to the stu-

dents. Srish responded that he would like to

make a pot of rice, and every time that you

reached the bottom it would magically refill.

Supai, a high school girl, also resettled in Bur-

lington seven months ago, said that people

might waste the rice then because they would

not value it. She said that she would make a

wand that she could bring to Nepal to make

houses for people to live in. I did not think

much of it at the time, but that evening when

someone asked me what I am grateful for, that

conversation resurfaced in my memory.

This is the reason why I serve with VYDC- for

the constant awakening that youth can bring and

the opportunity to create a space where students

can share their stories. Since March, I have had

the opportunity to serve with Burlington School

Food Project as the Farm to School Educator. In

the past nine months I have worn many different

hats including teacher, farmer, presenter, bee-

keeper, historian, goat herder, after school facil-

itator, fundraiser, and lunch lady. I

am constantly amazed at how much

can happen in one day while I serve

with Burlington School Food Pro-

ject.

I have lived in the Burlington com-

munity on and off for the past five

years, which has made my transi-

tion into this position smooth.

While living in Vermont, I have

worked on a variety of garden pro-

jects: with youth, senior citizens,

Mexican migrant farm workers,

and adults. I am so grateful to have

the opportunity to do the work that

I care about as a part of Ameri-

Corps and I look forward to glean-

ing and sharing inspiration with all

of you.

Above:

Youth learn

about proper

care tech-

niques for

keeping

bees.

Right: Jessie

shares the

Burlington

School gar-

den’s potato

harvest.

Jessie Mazar

VYDC AmeriCorps State Member

Burlington School Food Project

Burlington, Vermont


PAGE 3

Ben McShane


Winooski Teen Center

Winooski, Vermont

community, national issues, or world issues.

By being consciously aware of the impact

they can have on the people around them, I

hope to instill a passion for helping others

by being aware of how being a good person

makes them feel.

My personal favorite accomplishment so far

has been the meetings we have been having

as a group during snack time. Our topics of

discussion have ranged from Syria, to the

bullying scandal on the Miami Dolphins

football team, to the struggles each of us is

facing at

home.

The dia-

logue

has made

us a

close-

knit

group.

Kids

look for-

ward to

these

discus-

sions and

now

come prepared to bring up their own ideas

to the table. I feel like these little talks are

generating real thought provoking conver-

sations.

My hope for the future is to continue devel-

oping new frameworks for continued devel-

opment of youth. As my year of service

progresses, I hope to see a continued

change in behavior over time. I know the

community around me has already started

to change me.

Hi all!

My name is Benjamin McShane. I am

serving with the city of Winooski Youth

Programs. As Middle School Activities

Coordinator, my role is centralized

around our Middle School Open Hours.

I run active and engaging programing

for kids in grades 4 through 8 three

times a week. Our population is an ac-

tive one, where no two days seem to

flow the same…which I have truly

come to enjoy! This position is far from

static, and that has kept me more en-

gaged and more eager to come to the

community center each and every day.

As the winter months are starting to

creep up on us, we aren’t able to have as

many of our intense games of capture

the flag or basketball games, however,

many of our kids are just as rambunc-

tious inside the walls of our center.

Inside our center we have plenty of ac-

tivities to engage the youth in. We are

situated with nine computers which

have access to the internet. We have an

air-hockey table, a billiard table, and a

fuβball (soccer) table. We have a big

screen television with video games (the

youth love to play Pro Evolution Soc-

cer). We have numerous materials for

arts and crafts. Jenga is always a fan-

favorite in the space, as well as chess

and battleship.

My main goal is developing youth who

will become aware of the world around

them. Whether that means they under-

stand how they affect the people they

interact with on a daily basis, their local

Ben has fun

while apple

picking

with

Winooski

middle

schoolers.


PAGE 4

Wisconsin, and graduated from Lew-

is & Clark College in Portland, Ore-

gon in the spring of 2013. As a teen-

ager, I learned best from hands-on

challenges. Throughout college, I

participated in and then later led ser-

vice trips on several fall and spring

breaks, all which expanded my pas-

sion for creating positive change. I

chose to serve with VYDC because

this program aims to give access to

those healthy experiential opportuni-

ties to all young people in Ver-

mont—regardless of their families’

financial capabilities.

This year at Maplehill, I am thrilled

to be involved in all the seasonal

changes that occur on a farm. This

winter, I hope to share my love of

cross-country skiing and snowshoe-

ing with students, and I’m currently

planning a beekeeping curriculum

for the spring months. I also hope to

lead an all-girl activity group later in

the year to provide a safe space for

Maplehill’s young women to talk

about their experiences and challeng-

es. One of our objectives as VYDC

members is to facilitate civic discus-

sions with youth, so I plan to lead a

workshop about anti-racism and cul-

tural competency. At Maplehill, the

staff is passionate about letting stu-

dents lead the charge, listening close-

ly to each young person’s interests

and desires. Above all, I hope to lis-

ten to the students, to give them re-

sponsibility in planning and execut-

ing projects, and to create positive

space where they can learn.

My name is Karen Taylor, and a couple of

months ago I began my year-long journey

at Maplehill School and Community Farm.

Maplehill provides two campuses for stu-

dent learning: one at a schoolhouse in

Plainfield, where students take classes in

small groups, and one on a farm in Marsh-

field, where students benefit from one-on-

one staff support. Maplehill is an independ-

ent school that caters to students in grades

7-12 who need more support than they

would receive in a traditional public

school. We provide experiential, vocation-

al, and service learning opportunities for

students, while focusing on close relation-

ships between students and staff.

At Maplehill, I take on a number of roles. I

provide classroom support for students

with learning and behavioral challenges.

This quarter, I am co-teaching a vocational

class called Farm Outreach & Marketing,

where we cultivate skills like event market-

ing and researching community needs. Ear-

lier in the fall, I helped har-

vest some of the produce

that we have been eating in

delicious, healthy lunches

each day. The fall has been

filled with getting to know

the students and getting

accustomed to their indi-

vidual learning styles and

needs.

My passion for experiential

education began during a

previous job as a canoe trip

leader for a wilderness

camp in northern Wiscon-

sin. I grew up in Appleton,

Karen Taylor


Maplehill School and Community Farm

Plainfield, Vermont


PAGE 5

I grew up in Small-Town Minnesota, lived in

Minneapolis for ten years before moving to

Vermont, and rock climb on a regular basis.

Degree? BA in English (creative writing).

Bicycle? Steel frame Fuji road bike, found in a

ditch.

Ballin status? Still.

The Northfield Teen Center (NTC) is a teen

organized space where youth between the ages

of 13-18 can explore, socialize, and chill. We

only have three rules: weapons free, substance

free, and respect (oneself, others, the space,

the community, etc.). The Teen Center has a

plethora of games and activities, but also some

significant lawn and outdoor space for running

and playing. We provide healthy food options,

a kitchen to cook in, and make Friday night

dinners that the teens are encouraged to help

create. The space also hosts the PREP sex edu-

cation programming and provides basic repro-

ductive health resources. At any given time the

space is staffed by at least two Washington

County Youth Service Bureau (WCYSB) staff

and service members, volunteers, and our

youth intern.

My motivation for serving in the space is an

intense desire to feel that people are affected

by my presence in the world in a positive way.

Working with youth is my favorite way of do-

ing that because of their spontaneity and ener-

gy level. Also, they believe in magic and

ghosts and stuff, which are often times better

gauges of a person’s real character than things

like political affiliations or careers (i.e., adult

conversation topics).

As a VYDC member at the Northfield

Teen Center, I would love to see the space

attract more youth. The Center has had

growing participation since I have started

my service there (which has allowed the

space to be open more), and I hope that the

donations of new equipment and the events

we are planning will bring in more young

people to check out the NTC. I would like

to initiate food awareness programming,

like gardening our own food, at the Teen

Center as well as fun and challenging

physical activities in hopes of getting

youth involved in a healthy lifestyle. I am

also greatly interested in having conversa-

tions about respect on a regular

basis, focusing on issues that the

Northfield youth may not have

direct exposure to, or don’t fully

comprehend what exposure they

have had and how that has af-

fected their views of others. Fi-

nally, I would like to provide

youth with methods of expres-

sion and coping, whether that

avenue is artistic, conversation-

al, meditative, or any other out-

let that respects them and others.

Daniel Olmschenck


Northfield Teen Center

Northfield, Vermont


PAGE 6

Kathrine Mansfield


Committee On Temporary Shelter

Burlington, Vermont

teer position. This is going so well that I

am in the process of recruiting more vol-

unteers. This is also one of the few plac-

es in the workplace where my ballet

skills are useful, as I am starting a dance

class for kids. In addition to all of this,

we are now working to create a snack

program, using the VT Child and Adult

Care Food Program (CACFP) resource,

which we are hoping will be launched in

the next two months.

My main objective in this service role is

to get more community involvement at

COTS family shelter, especially with

activities, such as going to Petra Cliffs.

We are so close to so many adventures

that the possibilities are endless. These

current and future plans of action fit

snugly into the overarching mission of

my service: the creation a supportive en-

vironment in which children can be

physically and emotionally healthy.

Hi, I’m Kathrine Mansfield! I like to say that I’m

a Vermonter, but I’m only 2nd generation on one

side, and 1st on the other. I’m so Vermont that

when I moved to North Troy, VT having lived in

Burlington made me the most urban kid in

school! Dancing, singing, people, and the envi-

ronment are my passions. As you might guess,

given these interests, it was difficult to figure out

what profession I should pursue. I had just grad-

uated from the University of Vermont with a

Bachelor of the Arts Degree in Political Science

and Environmental Studies, and thought that I

was going to be a teacher. Then I realized that I

had other options. One thing led to another, and I

came upon the Committee on Temporary Shel-

ters (COTS) Children’s Programming Specialist

position through VYDC AmeriCorps, and found

that it was the place for me.

COTS is a nonprofit organization that provides

services and shelter for people who need such

supports in Vermont. COTS Family Shelter, the

branch in which I serve, provides housing for

families with young children in its two locations

in Burlington, VT. There are fifteen rooms for

families, with each family limited to 6-month-

long stays. As such, I have had the privilege of

meeting more than 40 children over the past 2

months. These kids range from ages 0-17, and

each contribute something new to my worldview.

My service thus far at COTS has included man-

aging volunteers, finding childcare, coordinating

an art display at Barnes and Noble, and creating

my own programs for which I can recruit volun-

teers. As my role is to promote healthy lifestyles,

I have just created and filled an activity volun-


PAGE 7

This past September I started my sec-

ond year of service at The Collabora-

tive in Londonderry. The Collabora-

tive’s mission is to promote the devel-

opment of a healthy, involved com-

munity supporting substance free

youth in a caring environment.

I’ve enjoyed returning this year and

getting a chance to build on my rela-

tionships with students and many

community members. Being a second

year member has already enhanced

my ability to not only help my site run

smoothly and improve youth pro-

grams, but it has also been a great

asset when collaborating with new

AmeriCorps members.

I grew up in Orwell Vermont but have

spent my last year getting to know

Wallingford. I graduated from

Lyndon State College in Lyndonville

Vermont with a degree in two of my

passions, Graphic Design and Photog-

raphy. My camera is always in hand

ready to capture life’s details to incor-

porate into creative designs for others.

One of the most rewarding experienc-

es during my years in college was

being a member and senior leader on

the Women’s Soccer Team.

I was drawn to serve with the Ver-

mont Youth Development Corps be-

cause it was a hands on way to give

back to youth and communities in

Vermont. I enjoy the mixture of ages I

serve at my site and how different

each day can be. When I think ahead to my

year of service, my goals are to provide

successful enjoyable experiences for the

community and youth, as well as develop-

ing leadership and outreach opportunities

for our group of high school teens.

Although it’s only been a few months, I

have already taken part in providing so

many events and opportunities for the

youth and community. The Collaborative

has a great Refuse to Use program that em-

powers the area youth with knowledge and

resources to be substance free as well as

promotes an active lifestyle by providing a

discounted pass to a local ski/snowboard

resort, skating rink, or theater. I also take

part in planning and providing many sub-

stance free events such as broomball, mov-

ie nights, and dances.

The Collaborative also

has a daily extended

day program to provide

a safe fun space for

youth after school.

I’ve just started my sec-

ond year at The Collab-

orative but so far each

experience has been

rewarding. I look for-

ward to utilizing

knowledge and experi-

ence from my previous

year to build and devel-

op all that The Collabo-

rative offers to youth

and community mem-

bers in Southern Ver-

mont.

Jesilyn Amsden


The Collaborative

Londonderry, Vermont


PAGE 8

Alyson Wall


Operation: Military Kids

Burlington, Vermont

dren’s community through hands-on

learning. There is no better way to

connect people than through fun ac-

tivities that create exposure to natural

environments, community organiza-

tions, and others who inhabit the

same place as them! I am excited to

get to know the military families of

Vermont and provide kids with activ-

ities that connect them to one anoth-

er. I hope to increase participation;

create diverse programming with a

focus on physical and outdoor activi-

ties; as well as expand my own

knowledge about science and tech-

nology to design a stimulating Tech

Wizard programming. I am psyched

to be a part of such a wonderful or-

ganization for the next ten months

and have the opportunity to work

with other community organizations.

Hello Everyone!

My name is Alyson Wall. I graduated from

UVM this past May and have returned to

the beautiful Green Mountain State this

November. The state of Vermont keeps

pulling me back! For the next ten months I

will be serving with the UVM 4-H Exten-

sion program Operation: Military Kids

(OMK), providing programming and spe-

cial events for kids whose parents are in

the military, and striving to link military

kids with one another throughout the state.

Military kids in Vermont have a unique

family situation, and dealing with deploy-

ments of military parents can cause stress;

OMK strives to increase their support net-

work and help them through trying times.

OMK’s programming varies from science

and technology to outdoor adventures- all

of which have the intention of leaving kids

with new skills and experiences that help

them to flourish in life. Since military kids

can have increased stress with their

parent’s deployments, OMK events are an

opportunity for kids to connect with one

another and be around adults who are sen-

sitive to their home life.

Majoring in environmental studies and

having a minor in community development

showed me the importance in creating and

sustaining places where people feel con-

nected to those they live around and the

physical place that they live in. I was

drawn to Operation: Military Kids because

of the importance put on enhancing chil- Alyson, center, graduated from UVM

this last May.


PAGE 9

different workshops to

also incorporate physical

movement and self-

sufficiency. I hope that

my year of service will be

mutually beneficial and

that as I help these stu-

dents learn and grow,

they will do the same for

me.

For years I planned to be an AmeriCorps

member after college. During my time at

Green Mountain College in Vermont, a

small environmental college with ideals

rooted in experiential and service learn-

ing, I fell in love with Vermont and local

food production. My enthusiasm has

pushed me to seek out Farm-to-School

programming and school gardens.

From that, I found the Maplehill School

and Community Farm- an alternative high

school for students whose needs were not

met by the standard education system.

The Maplehill School uses its garden and

greenhouse for vegetable production,

while also raising livestock for meat and

eggs. Maplehill School uses the garden as

a classroom and provides a large portion

of meat and produce for the lunches that

are provided daily for all students.

Maplehill works to support youth by cre-

ating a safe learning environment for

youth that may not otherwise have re-

ceived that comfort in their previous

school setting or otherwise. We work to

provide them with an education that best

matches their strengths and abilities,

while preparing them for a healthy future.

During my year of service, I intend to

continue the growing enthusiasm for food

production. I want to develop curriculua

that will tie in food production with sci-

ence, social issues, and other relevant ed-

ucation goals. I want to aid the students in

making healthy decisions for life through

Olivia DeJohn


Maplehill School and Community Farm

Plainfield, Vermont

Olivia (right) and Karen

(left) participate in a role

play activity during their

VYDC Orientation.


PAGE 10

Counseling 101, facilitated by mental

health counselor Nicholas Nicolet,

MA. Members learned how to estab-

lish good boundaries with youth;

practiced counseling techniques.

Positive Youth Development, facili-

tated by Kreig Pinkham, Executive

Director at the Washington County

Youth Service Bureau/Boys and Girls

Club. Members discussed the various

factors that affect adolescent develop-

ment (environmental, social, biologi-

cal). Members learned how to use

positive youth development theory to

improve their interactions with youth

and include youth in planning pro-

grams and services.

Resource Development, facilitated

by Andy Robinson, a fundraising

consultant. Members explored the

basics of successful resource devel-

opment and practiced grant writing

and fundraising skills.

Understanding Poverty, facilitated

by UVM Professor Jennifer Jewsiss.

Members explored the complexities

of poverty and its impact on the com-

munities they serve.

Experiential Learning, facilitated by

author and educator Jenn Stanchfield.

Members learned about experiential

group facilitation techniques that

could be used with youth at their

sites.

Understanding Work-style Prefer-

ences, facilitated by Markey Read, Ca-

reer Networks Consultant. Members

learned about the Myers-Briggs Type

Indicator model, an assessment designed

to measure psychological preferences--

how people perceive the world and make

decisions. Members learned about their

own preferences and gained a better un-

derstanding of how others approach situa-

tions and how to better work with all

types.

Supporting Military Families &

Youth, facilitated by Sarah Kleinman,

University of VT Extension State 4-H

Director. Members learned about UVM

Extension Operation: Military Kids mis-

sion and programming, Vermont’s mili-

tary population, and how best to support

families and youth.

Vermont Youth Development Corps


2013—2014 Training Plan

Professional Development:

A significant benefit to serving

in our program is the emphasis

we place on each of our mem-

ber’s professional development

throughout the year.

By providing access to high

quality workshops and train-

ing, we help members gain

professional skills and experi-

ence that will serve them in

seeking meaningful employ-

ment, as well as develop a

commitment to a life of active

civic engagement.

AmeriCorpalooza—During November’s Training VYDC was joined by the Vermont Youth Tomorrow VISTA, SerV-

ermont VISTA, and Vermont Housing Conservation Board AmeriCorps State Programs.


PAGE 11

Upcoming Training Topics:

Navigating Difficult Conversations

Cultural Competency

Networking and Resume Building

Life After AmeriCorps

Monthly Team Meetings:

At each monthly training, members participate

in a Team Meeting, giving members a space to

share accomplishments, challenges and in-

sights, site updates, and upcoming events.

VYDC staff use various activities to facilitate

meetings, allowing members to learn different

techniques through participation. The mem-

bers are fantastic networkers, regularly sharing

ideas and advice, allowing them to constantly

refine and enhance the programs at their ser-

vice sites.

AmeriShare Presentations:

Members are given an opportunity to plan and

lead an AmeriShare during monthly training

sessions. Members gain experience in re-

searching, planning, and facilitating a presen-

tation for the team on a topic of their choice.



2013—2014 Training Plan Continued

VYDC, VYT, and SerVermont members take a group picture after a training on Positive Youth Development.

Karen,

Alexan-

dra, Tony,

and Kyle

work as a

team to

build the

tallest

structure

possible.

Sarah and

Ben, both

serving at

the Winoo-

ski Teen

Center,

joke around

with each

other dur-

ing the

VYDC

Orientation.


PAGE 12



2013—2014 SerVermont Launch

On October 24, 2013 Vermont AmeriCorps celebrated the kickoff of the 2013-14 program year.

The VYDC team joined members from 3 other AmeriCorps State Programs, 2 VISTA Pro-

grams, and 2 National Direct programs at the Statehouse. Members celebrated the beginning of

their service term and the 20th anniversary of AmeriCorps by hearing from various speakers,

meeting new members, and taking part in a personality typing activity led by Markey Read.

Members left feeling inspired after hearing kind

words of support from the following:

Governor Peter Shumlin

Joe Bertolino, President of Lyndon State College

Susan B. Elliot, Community Liaison from the

Office of Congressman Peter Welch, spoke on

behalf of the Honorable Peter Welch

Peter Hayward, Chair of SerVermont

Phil Kolling, Executive Director of SerVermont

AmeriCorps 20th Anniversary

“I will get things done for America

to make our people safer, smarter, and healthier.”

-- The AmeriCorps Oath


PAGE 13

VYDC 12-13 team poses for one last group photo at their End of Service Event.

Accomplishments by the 2012-2013 VYDC Team

Total Youth Served (unduplicated count) 4,558

Veterans' Family Members Receiving Services (unduplicated count) 211

Military Youth Receiving Services (unduplicated count) 159

Healthy Futures Programs & Activities developed by VYDC members 1,356

School & Workplace Readiness Programs & Activities led by VYDC members 1,263

Civic Engagement Discussions facilitated by VYDC members 590

Community Service & Intergenerational Events planned by VYDC members 54

Publicity Materials Created & Maintained by VYDC members (Flyers, Posters, Websites, Videos, PSAs, social media, blogs, etc.)

143

Operational Systems Developed and Enhanced by VYDC members (Databases, Manuals, Processes, Training Curriculum, etc.)

43

Community Volunteers Recruited & Managed by VYDC members 565

Community Volunteers Hours Generated by Volunteers 3,716

Funds Raised Through Non-Federal Grants, Cash Donations, In-Kind Dona-

tions, and Events by VYDC members

$75,923

Partnerships Developed with Community Stakeholders by VYDC members 165

Programs and Activities Increase in

skills and

knowledge

Positive

Change in

Attitude or

Behavior

Healthy Futures Programs,

Nutrition

95% 93%

Healthy Futures Programs,

Physical Activity

85% 84%

Youth In military families 89% 90%

School and Workplace Readi-

ness Programs (academic

help, job skills, college prepa-

ration, and communication)

86% 92%

Civic Engagement 92% 93%

Service Learning: Community

Service Projects

100% 100%



2012—2013 Accomplishments


PAGE 14

seeing the good. It’s about “what’s

your spark?” and empowerment and

letting the kids lead us in planning and

programming.

It’s not about me. I could tell you a

million things (traveled to x y and z,

majored in this, minored in that,

loathes celery but makes a mean piece

of french toast) but this year of service

is not about me. It's about living be-

yond myself, and being a container for

this work. In my AmeriCorps position

which focuses on youth outreach coor-

dination, I am reaching out to kids in

the community and facilitating com-

munity service opportunities. We’re

developing our civic engagement and

community service programming,

CHIP In! And several days a week,

I’m hanging out in the teen center,

making smoothies and leading trivia;

playing ping-pong and losing every

time. I’m having the time of my life,

and trying to make sure the teens are,

too.

So what’re we doing here at

CHIPS? Oh, not much, just changing

the lives of kids and strengthening our

community. Every day. Stay tuned.

So there I was, knee-deep in jam. Living

unhappily in Southern California. Graduated

from a business course, and ready to change

the world with my precious little preserves

gleaned from local produce, and (oh yeah)

living ever so unhappily in Southern Califor-

nia. Any time I encountered red tape with

my jamming business plan (and there was

lots of red tape), I had the same thought: I’ll

move to Vermont! I bet they’ll let me make

and sell pickles in Vermont! I bet everyone has goats in their backyards in the sub-

urbs. I bet there aren’t any suburbs.

I didn’t move here out of desperation. I was

called here. My feelings about California

were hollow, and something about Vermont

filled me up; resonated, if you will. And then

I found Essex CHIPS (Community Helping

to Inspire People to Succeed), this amazing

non-profit in Essex Junction, Ver-

mont. Youth-adult partnerships, civic en-

gagement, health and wellness initiatives and

a drop-in teen and tween center? Sign me

up! I knew it

was the right po-

sition for me

when we were

laughing about

garbanzo bean

brownies on the

phone inter-

view. I knew it

was perfect be-

cause we use the

same language to

talk about

kids. It’s not

about good kids

and bad kids, it’s

about intrinsic

motivation and

Jessica Jackson


Essex CHIPS Teen Center

Essex Junction, Vermont

Right: CHIP’s youth

enjoy making turkey

cookies after school!

Below: CHIP In!

photo collage from

our community ser-

vice trip to Williams

Woods in October

with 8th and 9th

graders


PAGE 15

tions as well as general food shopping.

We keep our fridge constantly stocked

with food staples so our teens have

snacks when they need them. I’m also

lucky enough to be able to make fun

snacks like carrot-pumpkin muffins

when we have an excess of fall-

harvested carrots!

I graduated from the University of

Vermont this past spring, so my stud-

ies in food systems including ecologi-

cal agriculture and food justice are still

very much fresh in my head. I hope to

engage the teens at The Hub in garden

activities and create workshops on nu-

trition that the teens themselves are

excited to engage in. And, I’m excited

to link my studies to my service here at

The Hub. I look forward to creating

engaging, hands-on activities in the

garden with the kids, and I hope to do

a lot of cooking with the fruits and

vegetables we harvest.

Hello AmeriCorps Community!

My name is Sam—I’m on the fourth day

of my new position here at The Hub: the

Bristol Teen Center and Skatepark. But-

terflies are still fluttering, but I’m delv-

ing deeper and investing more of myself

into The Hub each day. The Hub is an

eclectic teen center in Bristol, VT with a

massive skatepark right outside our

door. We are here so teens have a fun,

safe, substance-free place to be with

friends. Teens have access to comput-

ers, a ping-pong table, video games,

skateboards, art supplies, musical instru-

ments, and sound equipment here at The

Hub. Our tank of guppies always pro-

vides entertainment for our teens as

well. Besides all of the activities which

teens have access to right at their finger-

tips, we run music, nutrition, and gar-

dening programs as well as sex educa-

tion and workshops on conflict resolu-

tion such as the importance of consent.

My service includes coordinating

nutrition and the community gar-

den. As winter quickly approach-

es, my role as community garden

director comes to fruition mainly

through grant writing and fund

raising for garden resources such

as seeds, plants starts, tools, and

other garden equipment. However,

when the growing season begins to

return, I will manage our commu-

nity garden and work to engage

teens and community members in

helping the garden flourish. Re-

garding nutrition, I coordinate our

food shelf requests, our food dona-

Sam Rothberg


The Bristol Hub

Bristol, Vermont


PAGE 16

other Burlington organizations come and

give brief presentations and lead discussions

about what services they have to offer. Spec-

trum also offers counseling and peer men-

tors. Spectrum has three different shelter

spaces where youth who are interested can

apply to live in.

Part of the reason I chose to serve with

AmeriCorps and specifically at Spectrum

Youth & Family Services has to do with the

overwhelming number of youth and families

that are struggling with mental illnesses,

poverty, and substance abuse. The cycle of

poverty is a strong one and being born into a

situation where these issues are present can

be very difficult to break. But even within

the few months that I’ve been serving with

Spectrum, I’ve met quite a few remarkably

resilient and strong young people who have

been dealt a difficult hand, but are attempt-

ing to break that cycle and live a healthy life.

Over the course of the next year I hope to

continue to strengthen relationships with the

youth who use Spectrum’s facilities and

work on being a positive role model for

them. I also hope to better learn how to meet

people where they are at and work to assist

them in what they are specifically looking

for, not what I think is best for them. While

at Spectrum I would like to facilitate a class

for young women to talk and learn about

healthy relationships, and I want continue to

be a part of the wonderful afternoon pro-

gramming that Spectrum has to offer. I look

forward to the rest of my year serving at

Spectrum Youth & Family Services!

My name is Emily Wilson; I am a recent grad-

uate from Earlham College located in Rich-

mond, Indiana where I majored in Environ-

mental Studies, with a focus in social rela-

tions. I am currently serving at Spectrum

Youth & Family Services in Burlington, Ver-

mont as the AmeriCorps Resource Coordina-

tor. Spectrum Youth and Family Services

seeks to empower homeless and at-risk youth

in hopes of fostering sustainable and healthy

lives. Spectrum Youth & Family Services pro-

vides a number of free services to youth such

as warm clothing, blankets, shoes, bus passes,

lunch and dinner, showers, and hygiene prod-

ucts. Spectrum also offers

free afternoon program-

ming and classes. Some

examples of classes we

offer are TAG which is a

class for young men to

talk about what healthy

relationships can look

like. We also offer a class

called Life Skills which

helps youth apply for

jobs, work on resumes,

budget, and apply for oth-

er useful services, such as

food stamps and health

care. Some examples of

afternoon programs for

youth to be involved in

are workout Wednesdays,

a jobs class where we

assist with resumes and

applications, we offer a

free legal advice clinic,

and have had people from

Emily Wilson


Spectrum Youth and Family Services

Burlington, Vermont


PAGE 17

Sarah Petrokonis


Winooski Teen Center

Winooski, Vermont

As the AmeriCorps member

focusing on special events with

the Winooski Youth Programs,

I am serving at the local teen

center and working with middle

school and high school aged

youth. Winooski is a refugee

resettlement site, and therefore

the majority of students I work

with are New Americans com-

ing primarily from countries in

Africa and South East Asia.

The influx of New American

families to Winooski has creat-

ed a more vibrant and multicul-

tural community—and an excit-

ing new place for me to call

home.

At the Teen Center, we strive to

foster a thriving community by

inspiring youth to make healthy

lifestyle choices and become

leaders. My position’s primary

focus is to develop and expand

the center’s programming for

local youth. In particular, I will

be working to provide free, nu-

tritious meals for children ages

18 and under, and assisting teens in the city’s

Summer Employment Program.

My personal goal is to introduce new and inter-

esting events to the

center that will

reach a wider

range of kids. In

particular, I want

to integrate art and

creative thinking

into our programs.

I also hope to con-

nect youth to local

artists, and organ-

ize a collaborative

project that reflects

upon experiences

of New Americans.

AmeriCorps has truly been a transformative ex-

perience for me. In 2012, I left my home in Lan-

caster County, Pennsylvania to join the VISTA

program. For the first six months of my service,

I served in a small town in rural Alabama as the

Arts Education Coordinator at a local arts organ-

ization. I then transferred to a position in Mont-

gomery, Alabama as a Program Specialist in a

youth development program.

While experiencing the culture and rich history

of the South, I also gained a unique insight into

how art, creative problem solving, and youth de-

velopment can positively impact youth and uplift

the community. I hope that my time in Vermont

serving with the Winooski Programs will be

equally positive, challenging, and inspiring.

Sarah poses with

one of the teens

during drop in

time.


PAGE 18

The opinions expressed in the articles in this newsletter belong to the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the site where the AmeriCorps members serve, Vermont Youth Development Corps AmeriCorps State Program, the Washington County Youth Service Bureau/Boys and Girls Club, SerVermont, and CNCS.

VYDC AmeriCorps State Program

P.O. Box 627 / 38 Elm Street

Montpelier, VT 05601-0627

802.229.9151 ph / 802.229.2508 fax

https://sites.google.com/a/wcysb.org/vydc/

During Orien-tation mem-bers created vision state-ments and

mapped out community resources

available to best support

Vermont youth.

2013-2014 VYDC Members are going to Get Things Done for VT!

Contact our office to request

assistance or an accommodation.

https://twitter.com/VYDCAmeriCorps

https://www.facebook.com/vermontyouthdevelopmentcorps?ref=hl

https://sites.google.com/a/wcysb.org/vydc/

13 - 14 vydc winter newsletter

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