"To give real service you must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money, and that is sincerity and integrity." ― Don Alden Adams | |
Message from the Associate Director | |
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“Hello everyone! I did not get a chance to write a message last month, but we have been busy! Community Outreach welcomed two new staff members for Jumpstart (check them out), and we have returned to doing most of our programming in-person after two years. Though it has not been easy navigating this phase of COVID-19, our staff, graduate students, students leaders, and community partners make all of this worth it. Thank you!”
Miguel A. Colón, Associate Director of Community Outreach
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Welcoming New Staff Members to CO! | |
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Jumpstart wants to give a HUGE welcome to Roxanne and Jake, our new staff! They have been such a huge help in the office already, and we're all so happy they're here.
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Roxanne Higgins
Site Coordinator for Jumpstart Preschool Literacy Program
"I'm passionate about education equity, student-centered practices, experiential learning opportunities for students, and community building."
For generations, Roxanne’s family has worked in education, both K-12 and higher ed. Observing her family members’ passion and dedication to education fueled her interest in the field, inspiring her to earn her BA in Elementary Education with a Concentration in Mathematics from Rhode Island College. While earning her degree, Roxanne worked as a Student Coordinator in the campus technology labs. She supported the faculty and student use of technology and trained and supervised other student workers.
Roxanne has earned her teaching certification in both Connecticut and Rhode Island. She has also earned a Global Career Development Facilitator certification and began working on a graduate degree. She’s gone on to teach kindergarten and first grade in Connecticut public schools, and she was head teacher of a multi-age preschool classroom at a private, non-profit Montessori school in Rhode Island. She has also worked as an instructional assistant for students with disabilities. Additionally, as a Career Coach at American Public University System, she helped students and alumni set career goals and work toward achieving them.
When it comes to her passions, Roxanne loves gardening, hiking, crafting, and spending time with her family. In 2017, she traveled with her family to the island of São Miguel in the Azores to see where her great-grandparents lived. There, she hiked the island’s volcanic crater. Today, she lives in Brooklyn, Connecticut with her husband, Nate, and their two dogs, Lucille and Frankie.
As a former teacher, Roxanne saw firsthand the need in under-resourced communities for programs like Jumpstart that provide children the skills they need to succeed. She’s excited to be part of an organization that is advancing equitable learning outcomes and driving positive change. She’s even more excited to work directly with UConn students to engage them in meaningful service and build strong relationships with Jumpstart community partners.
If you are a CO alumn who would like to be featured, email us at uconn.co.comm@gmail.com!
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Jacob Najarian
Site Coordinator for Jumpstart Preschool Literacy Program
"I strongly preferred coming to CO and making a real impact now over going to class to talk about making an impact in the future."
Born in South Korea, Jacob was adopted internationally by parents from the US as a baby, as was his younger sister. He graduated from UConn in 2015 with a B.A. in Human Development and Family Studies. As an undergraduate, his favorite dining halls were Northwest and South. I spent entire Saturdays on the quad outside of CLAS playing pick-up football and frisbee with friends. Jacob was a four-year member of the UConn Greek community with Beta Theta Pi and a three-year member of the UConn Student Union Staff.
As a junior and senior, Jacob volunteered with CO through the Jumpstart Corps. When he was a corps member, he loved working with his two partner children and making friends with the other corps members on his team. As a senior, he had a lot of fun growing through his term of service with the other team leaders. The highlight of his Jumpstart experience was getting to see his team of 5 corps members win Team of the Month at an All-Corps meeting.
Jacob still has his CO paper plate award from March of 2015! During August CO Student Leader training that year, he was standing in the front of his line for a massive tug-of-war game that got super competitive. “We were all pulling so hard,” he says, “that the rope just snapped and half of it came and whipped me in the face. It happened so fast. One moment I was pulling my hardest and the next, I was sprawled out on the ground. There were professional staff members in my face asking if I was okay and the other student leaders were doubled over laughing.” He says that neither side won (and that he personally lost) the game!
According to Jacob, something unique about him is that he, in his words, wasn’t a great undergraduate student. He doesn’t think he ever had a professor who knew who he was, and he once purchased a PlayStation and a TV in the middle of a psychology lecture. He explains that he simply strongly preferred coming to CO and making what he considered to be a real impact now over going to class to talk about making an impact in the future.
Jacob was offered a full ride to the University of Notre Dame to pursue a Masters in Education, largely, he thinks, based on the value of his Jumpstart experience. Though he didn't end up deciding to earn that degree and become a teacher, it left an impression on him of just how much people respect the Americorps service students in the Jumpstart Corps. He is excited to work with the students in UConn CO and see what kinds of doors we can open for them during and after their term of service.
As a digital media consultant for a leading digital marketing firm, Jacob was recently commended in writing by his staff mentor to the VP of sales for improving the internal communication process used to collaborate on finding new small businesses with which to partner. He has mastered the art of tele-fundraising, bringing nearly $90,000 in 15 months into a faith-based non-profit.
If you are a CO alumn who would like to be featured, email us at uconn.co.comm@gmail.com!
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Jumpstart
Team Leaders and Corps Members are continuing their sessions, which are now 100% in person! Jumpstart appreciates all their hard work :)
Jumpstart is actively looking for Team Leaders and Corps Members for next semester, and it encourages any students reading this newsletter to check the information below if they are interested.
For team placement, students must have one of the following time slots available:
Mon/Wed: 8:30am – 12:30pm OR 2:30pm – 6:30pm
Tues/Thurs: 8:30am – 12:30pm OR 2:30pm – 6:30pm
Jumpstart is currently accepting member applications for 2022-2023! To apply, students can go to www.jstart.org/apply. If students have any questions, they can reach out to uconn.co.jumpstart@gmail.com. Join Jumpstart in making a difference in the community!
As always, Jumpstart is working toward the day every child in America enters school prepared to succeed. Jumpstart partners college students around the country with preschool children for the academic year to promote the development of their social-emotional skills and language and literacy skills. Jumpstart UConn has been a part of Community Outreach since 2007. Each year, it selects 80 dedicated UConn students to participate in its program.
Soribel Torres-Jiminez, UConn Jumpstart Co-Coordinator
Interested in Jumpstart? Learn more here
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Special Olympics
Special Olympics Assistant Coaching just finished helping out West Hartford with their basketball teams. Everyone had a great time, and Special Olympics is looking forward to the upcoming spring season!
Brittany Tagg, Special Olympics Assistant Coaching Program Director
Interested in Special Olympics? Learn more here
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Youth Development & Education for Adolescents
YDEA is doing well! Student Leaders and Coordinators are working hard to make sure programs are running smoothly. YDEA recently had to say farewell to one of our community partners, Danielle, from Mansfield Youth Services. She got a wonderful opportunity to work elsewhere, and YDEA wants to recognize that she was an amazing community partner and worked hard with CO Student Leaders. Everyone is sad to see her go, but excited to see what she does in the future! To student leaders: Nathan Hale Homework Club is always looking for more participants. Other than that, YDEA is continuing to go strong!
Jessica Wang, Youth Development and Education for Adolescents Student Coordinator
Interested in YDEA? Learn more here
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Community Service Days
CSD events are in full swing with Friday, Saturday, and Sunday events every weekend for the rest of the semester! As always, students can sign up as individuals or groups through the CSD UConntact.
Above, students are pictured volunteering at the Spring Valley Student Farm!
Brian Fox, Program Director for Community Partner Relations
Interested in CSD? Learn more here
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America Reads
All America Reads sites, including Kinsella Elementary, Kinsella High, Willington Elementary, Chase Elementary, and asynchronous work, are running smoothly! During these next few weeks, America Reads will be focusing on reflecting with their volunteers about direct service and how that work connects to larger CO values, such as reciprocity, collaboration, accountability, diversity, and meaningful service. America Reads looks forward to improving its program for next year!
Though Spring 2022 applications have closed, students can feel free to reach out to uconn.co.americareads@gmail.com to get involved in Fall 2022. America Reads still needs to fill multiple Site Manager positions, so whether students have experience with the organization or not, America Reads encourages them to apply to be Student Leaders through Community Outreach and join the team!
Amy O’Rourke, America Reads Student Program Director
Interested in America Reads? Learn more here
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