Serving students at a time when they need us the most
My name is Elizabeth Geiser, and I am a Senior AmeriCorps member serving at Tech Boston Academy in Dorchester Massachusetts. I would like to share my Red Jacket Dedication and the story of why.
One of my earliestand favoritememories is riding with my mother as she delivered mealsasavolunteer withAIDSRochesterDailyBread. She would bring me along with her as shedeliveredlife-sustainingmealsandmoreimportantlyhuman kindness topatientsliving with AIDS, who many times lacked other support systems.As a young girl,Iloved having thechance toexplore my community and meet new people.As an adult,Inow realize the giftmy motherwas giving me.
This was my first introduction to community service and emblematic of my mother’scommitment to volunteer work. Even while raisingtwochildren, counseling her patients atthe pharmacy, and caring for her friends and family, my mother found time to helplead myGirlScout troop, work at an equine therapy center, and promote public healthinitiatives to healthcare professionals.
Throughout her life, my motherfound ways togive back and serve our community and she has always served as my role model.It isbecause of this example andthe proudtradition of community service thatIchoose to servewithCityYear: to serve students at a time when they need us the most.
It isbecause of this example andthe proudtradition of community service thatIchoose to servewithCityYear: to serve students at a time when they need us the most.
During my first yearas aɫƵ AmeriCorps memberat Tech Boston,Iservedin a seventh-grade English classroomwith a student whowasvery smart butstruggled to sit stillduring class. He would wander around the classroom,standingoverother students’ shoulders, asking questions about everything besides the assignment.When you could get him to sit down, he would finish his work within minutes;but getting him to pick up the pencil in the first place was the challenge. After a conversation with my student, he agreed to let me bug him all class until he completed his work in exchange for wearing my watch during class.Ifollowed him around the classroom, letting him borrow my watch with the promise he would complete hispaperandmost of the time he did. By the end of the year, he hadupheldourdealand passedwith flying colors.
This year, for my second year of service,I am backin the sameseventh gradeclassroom,andhavethe chance to observe my now eighth-grade students.One day,Iglanced intotheir classroom andsaw myformerstudent still pacingaround,thistimeholdinga clipboard with his work in hand.Inspired by my mother, Iserve tosupportstudents when they need it most, in the unique ways they need it most, tosucceed and thrive in and outside of the classroom.
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