Round 2 - Still Getting Things Done!!

So I'm back in South Florida! In the middle of last year, I decided that I wanted to do a second year with the Literacy AmeriCorps program down here. It was a difficult decision, as I ended up turning down an opportunity to serve with the Peace Corps, but there was just something about this program that made me come back. So far, it seems to be the right decision!

The new members started moving down and into their new homes in Las Ventanas at the beginning of August. After slowly meeting them a couple of days before training started, it was determined that this is going to be a pretty good group. Two weeks of orientation came and went. A lot of the trainings were the same as last year, so that was a bit of a drag, but we made it through.

One of the highlights of the training was definitely the a version of the reality show The Amazing Race that I had conjured up at the end of last year. I am a huge reality show fan and The Amazing Race is definitely one of my favorites of all time!! The new members were divided up into 8 teams of 4 and raced around the Boynton Beach and Delray Beach area, completing various tasks at some spots that could become popular hangouts over the course of the year. Congrats once again to the Yellow Team (Sara S., James, Priscille, and Brittany P.) for a great job in coming in first!

The wrap-up of orientation signaled the start at our sites for this year! I'm so excited to be serving at EdVenture Charter School for this year! This school serves students between the ages of 15 and 22 that have behavioral, academic, and/or social issues and have not been able to find success in the regular public school system. I work with another teacher in a Language Arts classroom and am helping low level readers improve their confidence in reading. We also have two small classes of students that are on track to take the GED and Carly (my co-teacher) and I are working with to help get them ready for the Language Arts portion. (I'm going to write a more in-depth post about my site in a few days)

So far everything is off to a great start! The new members are adjusting to life in Florida. The returning members are readjusting to having a routine again and getting to know everyone in the group. I'm pumped to see where this year will take me! To another great year with a new AmeriFam!!

The Literacy AmeriCorps group for 2013-2014!!