We are grateful to have volunteers who not only support students in the classroom, but also support our daily operations. The post below is written by Alyssa Ha, our Placement Coordinator who is an AmeriCorps VISTA. VISTA volunteers dedicate one year of service to support non-profit organizations all over the nation. Alyssa has dedicated her year to improving our placement and mentor matching systems.
I am so fortunate to be serving as an AmeriCorps Volunteer in Service to America (VISTA) at Boston Partners in Education. As the placement coordinator, I am provided amazing resources, supervision and guidance, which are not always common in the non-profit world. The opportunity to gain professional skills while simultaneously working to improve the education of Boston Public Schools students is such a fulfilling experience. I always strive to serve to the best of my ability because I know the outcome of my work affects others, namely the thousands of students that benefit from our services!
Without question, my favorite part of the day is interviewing potential volunteers. Each person has an interesting and unique story as to what interested them in Boston Partners’ volunteer opportunities. The most exciting part of conducting interviews is that I never know what type of person I will be meeting next. Our volunteers come from diverse backgrounds and bring a variety of experiences; often I am not simply screening potential volunteers, but also learning valuable life lessons. I am so optimistic about the impact we make within the BPS because of my constant interaction with our amazing volunteers.
I also volunteer through Boston Partners myself. I am a Math Rules! volunteer at the Mendell Elementary School and a School Volunteer Program Aim High volunteer at Boston International High School. I enjoy helping students in both placements, and am glad to experience two different Boston Partners programs. Working with 5th graders in Math is a far different experience than helping English Language Learners prepare for the English Language Arts MCAS test. I believe my personal volunteer experience in our programs allows me to better address the questions and concerns of the hundreds of volunteers that I will place into the schools this year.
Alyssa working with her math mentees
I am so thankful to be part of such a great organization. While my service here is only for this year, I know I will do my best to make the most of it!