|
|
|
Members of the 2003 Class
of Leadership Monterey Peninsula (Thanks,
LMP!) have assembled a number of Community
of Caring "success stories" describing how caring people and
organizations on the Monterey Peninsula
have put the five values into action. Here they are... Youth Diversion Program of the City of Monterey When someone remarks that Kathy Balderas, of the Youth Diversion Program of the City of Monterey, is trying to save all of Monterey’s troubled kids, her reply is always the same. "It’s what I do, one kid at a time." Her "kids" have ranged from a teenage unwed mother arrested for shoplifting baby formula to street kids living rough. Most are in trouble with the law of school authorities. All benefit from her wise guidance and respectful combination of correction and encouragement. Balderas forms a one-person department within the Monterey Police Department, although she is a child counselor by training and not an officer. Her mandate is to reach – and help turn around – youths "at risk". Depending on the incident or needs of the youth involved, she oversees community service or restitution assignments, meeting regularly with the child for up to six months. Kathy’s solutions may call upon traditional social services and agencies, but they are as often marked by imaginative problem solving. Few others would risk putting two groups of schoolgirls cited for brawling into one room together for a session of sharing that helped them recognize their commonality – shared interests in music and movies, common family problems, and universal dreams. Once that mutual respect is established she can help them learn to ‘walk the walk’. According to Balderas, "I tell them, ‘I can teach you to walk, but you have to choose to walk’." For more details: http://www.monterey.org/mpd/program_pages/youth_diversion.htm
The bonds of family are supposed to be stronger than any other, but for a young person in deeply personal trouble, home can be the last place you feel you can go for advice or comfort. Indeed, sometimes the old advice to troubled teens, ‘tell a doctor, clergyman or teacher,’ comes to mind and proves the best counsel: as long as the teacher has somewhere to turn. Gordon Jones, a Seaside High School math teacher, had to think quickly when a former student who had graduated a few years previously called him in great distress after she was raped. He turned to Dennis Alexander of the Seaside Police Department, an officer trained in tactful, empathetic, interview techniques by the Monterey Rape Crisis Center (MRCC). The MRCC has staff of trained counselors who in turn provided extensive free training to anyone who might come in contact with a person who has been raped: paramedics, doctors or nurses, law officers and attorneys, and so on. They provide advice and counseling to victims, too, and help victims’ families cope with the aftermath if needed. To Dennis Alexander, one of the most important aspects of his training, and the one which came to the fore in the incident with Jones’s former student, is working with others to help the victim recover from the traumatic incident. To him, "Helping Mr. Jones as he tried to help his former student made me feel part of a team, all of us assisting this young woman to recover." For more information: http://www.mtryrapecrisis.org/ http://schools.monterey.k12.ca.us/~seasideh/
Negotiating one’s sexuality is a tricky task of the teen years. For young adults uncertain of their sexual orientation, it can be an especially treacherous time, as childhood friends and new acquaintances alike shy away from those who choose alternative lifestyles. Elena Loomis, a librarian at Seaside High School, does her best to reverse that isolation through open-minded discussion and bridge building. She had occasion to bring all her empathetic skills to the fore to help one 17-year-old girl at Seaside HS. Loomis is also active in the National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI), and she invited the girl to attend the next "Gays and Allies" workshop. "Gays and Allies" is an open-to-all workshop, developed by the NCBI, providing an informal setting for young people to learn tolerance and open-minded attitudes. The NCBI offers workshop materials to parents, teachers and guidance professionals, to help them create an atmosphere that is safe and secure for young people to express feelings about their sexuality. It also helps adults and youth reach out and build coalitions despite differences. With the calm support of Ms Loomis and her colleagues, this young woman walked a difficult path of self-discovery to the realization she was lesbian. Thinking back to the workshop day, Loomis says, "Intervention made the difference in her feeling comfortable about her identity. Today that young woman is successfully serving in the US military." A brave step for the girl, thanks to the caring environment created by Loomis and the NCBI. For more information: http://schools.monterey.k12.ca.us/~seasideh/
While school teachers may be duly grateful for the support provided by their classroom aides, most kids probably regard them as so much educational wallpaper. But every so often, one kid – often one as stubbornly unaware that he or she needs help as he or she is desperately in need of it – connects with one aide, and small, classroom sized miracles happen. Elizabeth Carderas, a Spanish-speaking bilingual aide at Seaside High School, faced one such kid in "Ramiro". He was placed in a freshman class shortly after he arrived from Oaxaca, Mexico, to live with his cousins. This was no free ride; the 8th grader was expected to work to pay for his keep, despite speaking little if any English. The Seaside Bi-Lingual Aide Program doesn’t expect the class aides to serve as social workers, but committed staff like Carderas find themselves among the few adults a troubled student can turn to. In the case of Ramiro, Carderas took the time to befriend the boy, and came to see how his low self-esteem, gnawing loneliness and inadequate language skills affected his behavior. As Carderas worked with him on his basic skills, she also told him what a special boy he was. "I told him not to let others decide how he should behave," says Elizabeth Carderas. "Believe in yourself! Don’t give up!" And the changes in behavior started to happen: the class clown and trouble-maker now wants to graduate high school and find his own way to succeed. For more information: http://schools.monterey.k12.ca.us/~seasideh/
The purpose of most high school Spanish clubs is straightforward: to practice the language, learn about native speakers and their cultures, perhaps learn to cook a simple dish. The Monterey High School Spanish Club has a wider scope: to serve the community in some special ways. Each year the Spanish Club "adopts" several local, needy, families, channeling the money the students raise towards holiday season food baskets that include big ticket items like hams and turkeys. In past years, the students have run in The Human Race, sold snacks in the cafeteria, and run drawings. They also placed cardboard boxes in classrooms for recycling, which raised about $50 a month. The 2002-03 Spanish Club president, Ashish Patel, saw a way to spur the recycling income and incidentally help boost school morale. "Falling ceilings, litter, and unfinished construction have all caused our school spirit to crumble along with the buildings," says Patel. "I feel our recycling program goes hand in hand" with other efforts to revive morale. Patel’s enthusiastic proposal to increase recycling at the school by using sturdy city-issue recycling boxes won over Tish Sammon and Angela Brantley at the City of Monterey Community Resources Department. With 40 classrooms equipped with plastic bins for cans, bottles, and paper, the Spanish Club’s recycling income doubled. At Easter, the Club expanded its community service to bring an Easter Egg Hunt to the elementary school class attended by several of the Club’s "adopted" children. And they’ll return again soon on their own – to help Spanish-speaking children learn to read. For more information: http://www.montereyhigh.com/Clubs/spanish.htm
Some people breeze through exams; others, like 17-year-old Matt Dillard, react like deer in headlights. Their nervous systems go into overdrive, producing stress so severe as to elevate heart rate and cloud recall of even straightforward facts. It’s a disastrous reaction when getting ahead in school and on the job requires frequent testing. Already plagued by dyslexia, Matt, a junior at Carmel High School, despaired of attaining better grades, still less passing the First Responder certification exam given to Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs). However, an innovative program offered by teacher Diana Govan held out hope to Matt and dozens of other students. HeartMath emotional management tools help anxiety sufferers to control their autonomic nervous system, using techniques such as Freeze-FrameÒ to shift their emotions and heart rhythms. Govan is among a select group of educators working with HeartMath to conduct research on the impact of such tools on test anxiety. For Matt, there’s no question but that Diana Govan’s dedication to teaching him the Freeze-Frame technique has a huge payoff. "New doors have opened for me," he declares – including those of the Carmel Mid-Valley Fire Department, where Matt had been a volunteer. Although under 18, he was allowed to sit for the exam. Using his new skills, Matt passed with flying colors: he scored third in his group. Both Govan and the EMT crew were tremendously proud of Matt’s accomplishment. He is now a paid employee (through the Youth Employment Program of California Employment Development Department), and looking forward to extending his qualifications when he graduates. For more information: http://www.carmelcalifornia.com/ BEST & BEAM – Business and Education Alliance of the Monterey Peninsula "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Once past elementary school’s easy answers – "doctor, astronaut, fire-fighter" – young people have a hard time answering that question. The world of work is as remote to them as Mars, and few clues are available in the classroom. Monterey County youth can get closer to the answer that’s right for them by getting "on the BEAM." The Business and Education Alliance of the Monterey Peninsula is a community-wide alliance of business people and educators, aimed at introducing young people to a diverse array of fields and industries. BEST, Business Education Student Transition, and BEAM, Business and Education Alliance of Monterey Peninsula, are non-profit organizations with the mission of facilitating school-to-career opportunities to enable youth to succeed in the world of work. They are committed to providing job shadowing and internship opportunities in business and non-profit organizations throughout Monterey County. Ron Stump, Co-Chair of BEAM’s Board of Directors, has worked hard with his colleagues from the community to bring programs and resources into the classroom. Among those put in place to help students understand how business works and what it takes to succeed are shadowing, internships, mentoring, and ‘real-work’ experiences. BEAM is also developing a complete school-to-career curriculum for use throughout high school. Says Stump, "We want to flip the ‘passion switch’ with these kids." One perfect example is his story of a young Hispanic student who chose to shadow a crew of Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and was permitted to go out on a call to assist a seriously ill and elderly Hispanic man. No one in the crew spoke Spanish – except the BEAM student shadow. That boy’s translation helped save a man’s life – and inspired a newfound calling to become a trained EMT himself when he grows up. For more information:
To newcomers arriving in a strange town, the word "neighborhood" can ring very hollow indeed. When everyone ‘keeps to themselves,’ the essential components of community – friendship, common goals, sharing – are lost. Julie Horner has seen a lot of neighborhoods since she and her husband met at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey: they were relocated six times in four years. During their time in Washington, DC, Julie and seven other "playground moms" came together to form a neighborhood association that has since grown to 400 members. When the Navy moved them back to the Monterey Peninsula, Horner was determined to uncover the qualities of neighborliness near their new Seaside home. Brief meetings with their new neighbors suggested to her that people would like to do more as a community; her husband challenged her to apply her Washington experience to Seaside with help from a Community Foundation Neighborhood grant. The pair went door to door, baby in stroller, distributing leaflets inviting local households to the first-ever neighborhood meeting; 18 attended, and the Seaside Neighborhood Association (SNA) was launched. "They recognized that the local neighborhood was changing," Julie Horner says, "with younger families moving in where older, less active couples had lived." It was the ideal time to promote a new sense of community. Julie Horner’s successful start-up of the SNA has received praise from the wider community. The Seaside City Council has asked Horner to sit on its newly created Neighborhood Improvement Commission – helping other neighborhoods benefit from her experience. For more information:
When people picture "the homeless," they nearly always envision older men. Few of us with safe roofs overhead can comprehend the despair of homeless women with children, still less understand how to help them. Lee Hulquist, Director of Shelter Outreach’s "Homeward Bound" program, knows that it isn’t as simple as having someone put up a rent deposit or co-sign a lease. The women she works with need a lot of help to make the permanent transition to an independent, productive and violence-free life. Homeward Bound is a two-year transitional living program that provides a community setting for women and their children through its 33 two-bedroom, fully furnished family residences. Even more important than the cozy homes is the safety net of services provided by the caring and professional staff, including training, education, counseling and recreation. The women served – who are perhaps recently weaned from drug dependency, abusive relationships, or petty crime – must make a real commitment to change. Yvette came to Homeward Bound with a newborn baby and two older sons, and little experience of how a responsible adult should behave. The staff has worked with Yvette for almost two years, and perceives a palpable change. "I have goals, something she says she never had or cared to have before. I’m participating in community life, studying for my GED, seeing my counselor. I’ve allowed myself to care – about myself, my family, my property; accepting responsibility; and finding my self-respect." "In short, I know I have a future." For more information: http://www.ultimanet.com/~shltrpls/sop.html
Captain Robert Swenson is no stranger to volunteer and community work. His parents were role models who instilled a sense of community and social responsibility in him at a young age - their community involvement set the tone. Captain Robert C. Swenson, Associate Dean, Asian School III, at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center, was asked to become involved with the Civil Air Patrol first as the Air Force Advisor and then Deputy Commander of Cadets. The Civil Air Patrol provides training for cadets in emergency response services, teaches aerospace education, military drill and ceremonies, provides airshow support, and other volunteer activities. Dedicating his time now for other volunteer causes, he volunteers at the Thomas Carmen Food Pantry, distributes holiday meals at the Seaside elderly center, and distributes water at Mile 25 water station during the Big Sur International Marathon. Capt Swenson says, "Seeing the benefits and watching the people’s reactions is the high I get. You don’t have to do a lot of work, just watch the reactions and know the benefits provided when you serve them a bag of food at the food pantry. It’s not just the volunteer aspect, but a civil responsibility. His guidance for those looking to volunteer: "Don’t get wound up with just
one activity. Broaden your scope, see what you like and where you fit. Working
in many volunteer activities and associating with many different levels of
people has made me grow into a better person." Volunteer Master Sergeant Mary Kay Parris has been volunteering her entire adult life. Even though she has a family and has only lived on the Monterey Peninsula for three years, she is an excellent example, saying: "If you can volunteer, you should." MSgt Parris, US Air Force, the Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge, Commander’s Support Staff, Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center, is very active in veterans’ organizations, rallies, and parades. She volunteers at the SPCA Christmas in April Rebuilding Together project, helping to repair homes for disabled or low-income families and distributing food at the Thomas Carmen Food Pantry in Marina twice a week. She volunteers every year in the Big Sur International Marathon by passing out water at the Mile 25 water station along with other Air Force members she has solicited to help out. "It makes me feel good knowing I can make a difference. MSgt Parris involves her entire family in volunteer activities as much as possible. She sets the example by teaching math at her children’s school, assisting with field trips and painting the playgrounds. She finds it instills caring qualities and values in her children, as well as developing a quality family life. "We don’t appreciate how good we have it until we see those suffering or in
real need", says MSgt Parris. Volunteer Senior Master Sergeant Rodney L. Irons, US Air Force, signed up with his daughter for a Father / Daughter MS Walk in his local town 7 years ago. Little did he know how much he would enjoy the experience and dedicate the rest of his life to supporting activities that benefit him, as well as others. When SMSgt Irons, who is Superintendent of the Training Directorate at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center, moved to the Monterey Peninsula in September 2001 he became involved in an initiative sponsored by civic and church organizations to start a local food pantry. He recruited more Air Force volunteers who helped with building construction, unloaded 11,000 pounds of food and transported it to the food pantry, and helped transport donated furniture to a rummage sale, with proceeds benefiting the pantry. Today, SMSgt Irons is the Volunteer Coordinator for the Thomas Carmen Food Pantry. In addition he volunteers his time to the SPCA Christmas in April Rebuilding Together project each year with his daughter and other Air Force members he recruits to repair homes for disabled or low-income families. "I don’t enjoy just fundraising for good causes, but rather volunteering my time for activities that make a difference in someone’s life. When I look for a volunteer activity, I ask myself ‘what can I do to make a difference out there’ and then dedicate my time and efforts to that cause." |