CCE Service Expo & Awards

This past week was a wonderful one for the Center for Community Engagement volunteers! The third annual Service Expo and Awards occurred last Thursday from 2-5pm in the Betty Tipton Room in the Student Center.

                Different groups representing their particular service categories displayed tri-fold boards for judges and fellow volunteers. Different awards were being given to students demonstrating: going green, broadening horizons, leadership development, effective communication, best new program, and strengthening communities. Each group of volunteers were ranked and scored on their particular project, their effectiveness on creating awareness, and their influence on Eastern and the Willimantic community, among many other things. Each volunteer group created fantastic presentations on their services and it was really tough for the judges to only select one winner for each group.

                Among the students that were honored, faculty and staff that have given much to the Eastern and Willimantic communities were applauded for their efforts. There is no doubting that a small group of people can have an outstanding effect on a community.

                Congratulations to all of the winners, and all of the volunteers that offered their dedication during the school year!

Winners:
Going Green: Willimantic Wildlife Habitat (Sarah Lion-Egan and Heather Lepper)
Effective Communication: Best Buddies "Spread the Word o End the Word"
Leadership Development: College 411 a Hartford High School (Todd Aviles and Kayla Bynum)
Best New Program: Windham Center After School Program (Max Goto) and the Food Justice Committee
Broadening Horizons: PHP Pen Pals Program
Strengthening Communities: The Sisterhood Project

Summer Program Assistant Intern

Title: Summer Program Assistant Intern

Department:  Community Engagement

Reports to: Community Engagement Coordinator

(Amara Watkin-Anson, 860.548.9877 ext. 201)

Position Description: The majority of this position will be spent assisting the Community Engagement Coordinator lead weekday programs throughout the summer.

The intern will be expected to develop and lead games and activities, and perform basic administrative tasks.

Responsibilities include:

·         Assisting program staff with curriculum development and daily program delivery

·         Providing supervision of camp participants at all times

·         Facilitating activities (games, art projects)

·         Assisting with set up and prep work as needed

·         Facilitating the distribution of summer lunch

·         Assisting program staff with daily operational tasks

Qualifications:

• At least 1 year of formal or informal teaching experience with

 children (ages 4-10)

• Excellent communication skills with children and adults
• Ability to seek and accept supervision and guidance
• Maturity and patience

Student Benefits: The goals for this position include developing teaching skills, creating educational materials, program development and practicing customer service skills through daily.

Schedule: 10am-4pm Monday-Friday beginning July 9th and ending August 17, 2012

Please note: this is an unpaid position.

Website: BillingsForgeWorks.org

Law and Government Academy Inspires!

“I may not change the world, but let me inspire someone who can”

                The Law and Government Academy of Hartford High School has been working towards inspiring Hartford High School students to change their world. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, only 13.3% of Hartford’s residents have a bachelor’s degree or higher. Graduates of LGA (and others) that now attend Eastern decided to take action and encourage and inspire Hartford High students to not fall into the majority.

                Eastern students attended Hartford High School to speak on a panel with the sophomore, junior, and senior classes to answer questions and tell the students the benefits of attending college, whether it be at the community college or university level. Many of the LGA students were Hartford High graduates themselves and knew that there would be a need for a mentor for these students. Hartford High School alumni, Gina Martinez stated, “My role as far as I’m concerned is to serve as a mentor in helping guide the students down the  right path as well as address any questions or concerns they may have regarding college.”

                Former LGA senior Class President and one of the founders of the mentoring program, Kayla J. Bynum, explained that “There are people out there who assume that the majority of Hartford students will never graduate high school and go off to college”, she goes onto say, “I truly do want to see these students succeed. They are all intelligent, gifted, free-spirited students, who with the right guidance and motivation WILL succeed”. With the work of these Eastern students and the drive of the Hartford High students, there seems to be nothing stopping them.

                The LGA mentoring group has been doing an outstanding job helping and mentoring these students. There is so much that Eastern students can accomplish- and when they help others to accomplish their dreams, there is no stopping them!

Student Spotlight: Ashley Lovett

This past Wednesday, junior Ashley Lovett (Marlboro, CT) received the Ella T Grasso Award for excellence in community service. Ashley is a sociology major and has been involved in many different community outreach programs during her time at Eastern. Currently, Ashley is a resident assistant in Niejadlik Hall.

Ashley’s accomplishments have been incredibly impactful on the Eastern and Willimantic communities. She has been a huge influence on the Journey House, a transitional living home for adolescent girls, and is the president of the Best Buddies club at ECSU.

One of Ashley’s greatest accomplishments through the Best Buddies program occurred earlier this semester. A nation-wide campaign to abolish the use of the word “retarded” in a derogatory manner has been in effect for a few years now. Being the president of Best Buddies, Ashley and other members stationed themselves around campus one day and asked fellow students to make a pledge of not saying the R-WORD any longer in their daily use. Outstandingly, Ashley and her team collected more than 1,500 signatures! This was an amazing accomplishment for the group, and especially for Ashley.

Ashley hopes to carry on her volunteerism into the future. She hopes to have a career with a non-profit or perhaps in higher education. Regardless of her career path, there is no question she will be making Eastern proud!