We've been really busy in the Office of Service-Learning...I imagine it's been the same for all members. Our biggest task has been RECRUITMENT. Not just recruitment for vacant AmeriCorps positions...but for the Asset Mapping project, getting community partners and students to start using SL Pro and recruiting trainers for the rest of the service year. Finally the posters should be close to ready and we should get them posted in the next week or so. The process of creating the poster, brochure and flyer has made me realize how difficult it is to define exactly "what" we are...are we primarily a campus organization since most of us are students? How significant is our relationship with the United Way since they are our primary sponser? Then there have been the hoops to jump through to get the posters printed and approved!!...but I'm not going to go there.

At our last member training, Lisa from the United Way gave us a better idea of exactly what the United Way is and how it fits with each of our positions. Cristine gave us a run-down on using SL Pro so that we can share our progress and also find other ways to finish hours. We'll start posting opportunities for additional hours soon! Hanging our new posters will definately be one :~) I always look forward to trainings because we all get the opportunity to hear the thoughts and ideas of one another...and the food is a nice perk, as well!

As much as I love writing and sharing what I'm doing and my perspectives on things...I really hope that the other members will start posting! Not to put any pressure on...ok, maybe a little pressure! The blog is a great way to reflect on your experiences while letting the rest of us have an idea of what you're doing either the same or different than the rest of us. The facebook group was created with the intention of sharing ideas, especially in how we can involve the rest of the campus and community. If we could come up w/ some ideas for events to sponsor, this would be a great way to clock in some extra hours. These are my thoughts for now, hope to hear from you all soon!

Going on week 3 of my time with AmeriCorps and the Office of Service-Learning, I have learned a thing or two:

• Issues of absolute and relative poverty: around the world and right here in Kearney

     -1.35 million children experience homelessness in the US every year
     -1/6 of the world's population lives under conditions classified as "extreme poverty"---living off less than $1 per day
     -The Pine Ridge Reservation (just to the north of us) is one of the poorest areas in the US

• Service-Learning is not (I repeat: NOT) the same as Community Service!

     -When doing community service or volunteer work, people choose their activities and do not have an academic connection
     -In service-learning, students fulfill a community-designated need which then reinforces their academic experience

• I am not as tech / internet savvy as I had once believed myself to be

     -wikis, nings, Google Calendars & Maps...even this blog...it's all new to me!

• Gerry Stirtz loves babies (good thing Steven J. has a brand new one!)

• We (I) need to figure out how to get more people involved in our asset mapping project

     -Dr. Cook-Fong is already on-board and has done a TON of research with her practicum students!
     -I am investigating a possibility of correlating the asset mapping project with the Undergraduate Research Fellows program which pays students a stipend
     -Hopefully, I will soon be meeting with professors in Social Work and Sociology about the possibility of integrating the asset mapping project with more classes
     -Always looking for suggestions!

   Either I volunteered or was appointed to start a blog (I guess it doesn't really matter) for sharing experiences with AmeriCorps here at UNK and in the Kearney, NE vicinity. I'll begin with a little blurb about myself: My name is Rachael and, as of yesterday, I have survived 24 years of life. I feel too young and too old all at the same time. I have a daughter who will turn 5 soon (making me feel quite a lot older than I am) and I am a student at UNK (does this mean I can still be young?). I have a BA in Studio Art with a minor in Women's Studies and I am also working on a BS in Social Work...and there is talk of me finishing a long-lost minor in Graphic Design if I can convince myself to take that one last class! When I graduate in May 2010 I will receive 2 degrees...exciting! I've lived in Kearney since 2005 and I love when I can get out and do some traveling. 

   I just started with AmeriCorps so I'm still feeling my way around. So far I have managed not to cause any catastrophes and I think I'm beginning to get the hang of things. I will mostly be working with the Asset Mapping project...which is great because I'll be working with many of my favorite professors from UNK and other great people who are students or active community members.

   I have "blogged" before...mostly on MySpace...so I think this will come somewhat naturally. The hardest part is finding a balance between personal vs. professional. I'm not planning to do this newspaper editorial style (that's what enewsletters are for) because I want it to be open and honest. Hopefully we'll see other members begin to also share their experiences!