We welcome back Amanda Schuler for her second year with BCC as the Massachusetts Campus Compact AmeriCorps *VISTA. Over the past few months Amanda has been working hard in the Service-Learning office with the Berkshire United Way and in the Pittsfield Public Schools to strengthen these community partnerships, expand on projects she began last year, and encourage and support students who are participating in Service-Learning through their classes.

Building on her work with the Pittsfield Public Schools and Crosby Elementary in particular, Amanda collaborated with stakeholders to revise BCC’s Tutor Training to better prepare students tutoring in the schools. At the start of the semester, the fate of The Crosby Afterschool Robotics program was uncertain. Crosby did not receive the expected grant funds to support it this year.  After a three year partnership, we were committed to continuing this program. Amanda, Mary Parkman, John Tatro, and BCC student Nick Kuni all met with the Crosby School Coordinator to strategize how to continue the program. Crosby was able to advocate for funding and the program started on October 23.  Amanda recruited a student leader to mentor the three new SL students allowing her to step back and let the students take the lead. Another great accomplishment from last year to this year is that Amanda achieved her goal of successfully expanding our tutoring and mentoring program to Williams Elementary this semester. Two students are serving as tutors and mentors in Math and Afterschool Homework help there.

Amanda also built on her work from last year helping The Berkshire Immigrant Center. She set up a new Service-Learning project for Spanish students to practice language skills by implementing the survey she created to help track clients’ citizenship status. Another great accomplishment is The Berkshire Immigrant Center video Amanda had created that is being used to outreach and teach the community about this population ended up winning her an award through Pittsfield Community Television.

This year Amanda has been partnering and working with the Berkshire United Way on the early childhood literacy initiative called Pittsfield Promise. She has helped recruit and train students to interview organizations using the Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) Strategy. She also has attended Third Thursdays and Pajama Night at the Berkshire Museum to conduct outreach for the initiative, Parent Power events to talk with parents from the community about literacy and issues, and steps towards solutions to positively impact our community.