Ricky D.
Preston, Campus Compact AmeriCorps member,
Serving at Springfield College
Springfield, MA
DeBerry & Springfield College
Background
❖ Springfield College has been
working with Deberry Elementary
in a partnership to serve
th
low-income youth in the 4
grade.
❖ The goal of this VISTA project is
to help the students at Springfield
College as well as the students at
DeBerry Elementary get to know
each other and form a beneficial
partnership.
❖ This project benefits the SC
community as our students learn
to work with children, become
leaders and mentors. They also
gain practical experience that can
be used in many ways in future
careers.
❖ It also benefits the Deberry
community as their students gain
a college mentor and get to work
on their Math/English skills as
well as social and emotional
support.
Anti-Poverty Anti- Poverty Capacity Building
One goal that the VISTA project Another goal that the VISTA The VISTA member supported the
project focused on was
focused on was recruiting program by
Springfield College students as following and embodying
★ Performing capacity building
volunteers to work with the the mission statement of
services
youth at DeBerry Elementary. The Springfield College, which is
the focus on Spirit, Mind ★ Coordinating the program to make
necessity for student mentors
and Body for leadership in sure everything is running smoothly
and tutors quickly raised as the
service to others. ★ Supervising to make sure proper
COVID-19 pandemic began
conduct is followed
affecting the youth more.
★ Facilitating the program to keep
everyone on task as well as help
COVID-19 support the Springfield College
volunteers between the youth and
Springfield College volunteers
★ As well as acting as the connection
between the two organizations to
help maintain sustainability.
Causation Causation
Challenges/COVID-19
★ Transition from in person programing
to fully remote
★ Having to adapt to using Zoom on a
regular basis
AmeriCorps Vista Need for educational ★ Struggling to Connect with students
and emotional over remote learning
★ Positive outcome being that the
support program was easier to access
★ Students were able to get more one
on one time with DeBerry youth