Pathways to Employment AmeriCorps VISTA Program
  • About
    • AmeriCorps VISTA
    • Contact
    • FAQs
  • Blogs
    • Blogs
    • Blog Schedule
  • VISTA Resources
    • Program Calendar
    • Important Documents
    • VISTA Toolkits
    • Program Webinars
  • Supervisor Resources
    • 2018 Supervisors' Orientation
    • 2018 Recruitment Webinar
    • 2019 Supervisors' Orientation
    • 2020 Supervisor Orientation
  • Photo Gallery
  • Human-Centered Design

Ben Poirier - "It's about the Outcome"

3/30/2016

1 Comment

 
Picture
Hello all! My name is Benjamin Poirier and I am the Civic Engagement AmeriCorps VISTA at Pinckney Community Schools. My focus here is education and bringing service-learning into the classroom. Overall, since my last blog post, things have been very sporadic, but rewarding! There have been some serious successes as far as service learning projects and some serious failures to raise anything. Although both are teaching points, especially for students, they also help raise my own awareness of my position with Pinckney. The VISTA’s service here is somewhat in a transitional phase to becoming more and more college-based instead of service learning based. So, for me, that means part of my responsibility is to make the transition for the next VISTA much easier. That makes my service a little confusing at times, but believe me, that does not mean I am not involved!

When I spoke of successes earlier, one of them was undeniably the “Fresh Water for Flint” drive. The project began as a Facebook discussion among faculty members and within a week turned into one of Livingston County’s biggest water drives. In four short hours, students unloaded an estimated 3,000 cases of water (around a $20,000 value) from drivers passing by and loaded it onto three twenty-four foot U-Haul trucks. These trucks were then driven to Flint and water was dropped off at a local center called The Mission of Hope. Overall, that experience was very heartwarming and humbling to be involved in. I was in charge of getting food, cider, and other various snacks donated for the volunteers—mostly kids—to keep them warm and in good spirits. And even though it was only a small part of the project, it made me feel welcome not only as a VISTA service member, but as a member of the Pinckney community. And to top it off, all of this was done the weekend before MLK Day, making it a perfect teaching point for students.

Service projects aren’t the only thing I have been involved in. I decided to volunteer some of my time as a football coach with the high school team. We’ve had many great moments, most notably from an autistic boy scoring a touchdown in his final game. To see such sportsmanship from high school teams was truly a thing of beauty. However, my favorite part of being a part of the football team is being involved in their leadership development. I began my VISTA year initiative when the offseason came along which was comprised of an organizational development geared towards student-athletes. So far, it has been successful with the 5 students I have enrolled in the program and the head coach has agreed to enroll the students in the program next semester (Fall 2016) that are on the edge of becoming ineligible. Just last week, and perhaps the most rewarding part of my service year, I had an older brother of a student athlete come up to me directly after practice and say this: “I just wanted to say thank you for getting my brother focused on his academics. You have no idea how much that is going to help him become a better person in the long run.”

I suppose those small influences we have as a part of the communities in which we serve are the reasons why we choose to serve. In the words of the VISTA catchphrase master himself, Jim Southard, “It’s not about the income, it’s about the outcome.”

1 Comment
Jim Southard
4/13/2016 08:08:03 am

I'm glad you find my words of wisdom helpful. I hope are enjoying your experience.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Blog ​Archives

    January 2020 
    December 2019 
    November 2019 
    October 2019 
    September 2019 
    August 2019 
    July 2019 
    June 2019 
    May 2019 
    April 2019 
    March 2019 
    February 2019 
    January 2019 
    December 2018 
    November 2018 
    October 2018 
    September 2018 
    July 2018 
    June 2018 
    May 2018 
    April 2018 
    March 2018 
    February 2018 
    January 2018 
    December 2017 
    November 2017 
    October 2017 
    September 2017 
    July 2017 
    June 2017 
    May 2017 
    April 2017 
    March 2017 
    February 2017 
    January 2017 
    December 2016 
    November 2016 
    October 2016 
    September 2016 
    August 2016 
    July 2016 
    June 2016 
    May 2016 
    April 2016 
    March 2016 
    February 2016 
    January 2016 
    December 2015 
    November 2015 
    October 2015 
    September 2015 
    August 2015 
    July 2015 
    June 2015 
    May 2015 
    April 2015 
    March 2015 
    February 2015 
    January 2015 
    December 2014 
    November 2014 
    October 2014 
    September 2014 
    June 2014 ​
    Each blog post was written by one of our VISTAs!

    Blog ​​​Authors

    All
    Abby Isacson
    Abby Samotis
    Adam Freed
    Adam Stock
    Alejandra Gomez
    Alexa Girouard
    Alexis Farrell
    Allyson Hubbell
    Alyson Ramirez
    Amtheyst Floyd
    Amy Fox
    Andrew Green
    Andy Straub
    Anita Moore
    Ann Roboski
    Ashley McCloud
    Ashley Seals
    Ashlyn Dotson
    Asmara Wheeler
    Assiatou Jallow
    Bashar Dimitry
    Becca Marcott
    Ben Erickson
    Ben Martinson
    Ben Poirier
    Betsie Schoedel
    Bianca Butler
    Billie Patterson
    Branden Dyer
    Brian Church
    Brianna Beaulieu
    Brianna Wilkins
    Britney Underwood
    Brooklyn Granowicz
    Caitlin Fey
    Carisma Ayala
    Carla Valpeoz
    Chelsea Clark
    Chelsea Hart
    Christopher Castle
    Cyerra Haywood
    Damona Platt
    Danielle Congleton
    Danielle Duffie
    David Christensen
    Delesiya Davis
    DeVante McCullom
    Diane Jarvi
    Dimitar Jakimovski
    Dylan Davids
    Ebone' Worthey
    Elizabeth Flanagan
    Emily Swearinger
    Emma Gregory
    Erik Krieger
    Ethan Daley
    Ethan Duffield
    Gabriela Sullen
    Hakeem Weatherspoon
    Hope Dokho
    Jackie Hubbard
    Jack Wong
    Jacob Pollock
    Jake Jermac
    Jarrell Brackett
    Javier Jimenez
    Jaylen Harris
    Jeanette Devito
    Jennifer Burger
    Jennifer Musser
    Jernard Collins
    Jessica Ayoub
    Jessica Foster
    Jim Southard
    Jordan Crandell
    Jordan Meeth
    Jordyn Appel
    June LaVernway
    June Urdy
    Junia Scartezini
    Kaitlyn-dougherty
    Karly-koggenhop
    Kat DeRemer
    Katelyn Kovalik
    Kay Davis
    Kelly Williams
    Kevin Cunningham
    Kim Ellerthorpe
    Kurtis Edwards
    Kye Bright
    Kyra Smith
    La'Shawnda Mansfield
    LaToya Dirrell
    Lauren Raycraft
    Lauren Zlotecki
    Lee Xiong
    Leslie Warren
    Loreal Burnett
    Maddie Poindexter
    Madeline Kahl
    Makayla Whitney
    Malina Clements
    Mara Hazen
    Marcella Fox
    Marc Tyler
    Marisa Tear
    Marissa Relitz
    Marlee Schilbe
    Mary Bryson
    Mary Rose
    Matt Sehrsweeney
    Maya Faison
    Megan Lendman
    Megan Rochlitz
    Meghan Thorndike
    Meg McElhone
    Melissa Gonzalez
    Meridith Murley
    Mia Mahanery
    Mia Mahaney
    Missy Wright
    Mitchell Emery
    Molly Swisher
    Morgan Benham
    Natalie Boag
    Neil Anderson
    Nicole Justian
    Pam Ill
    Pat Brewer
    Rachel Blomer
    Rachel D'Alio
    Rachelle Rice
    Rachel Miller
    Rick Gould
    Rini Parekh
    Rita Hockemeyer
    Robbie Metcalf
    Ryan Thomas
    Sabrina Gambill
    Salancia Crowley-Picard
    Samantha Rudelich
    Samuel Howard
    Sandra Anderson
    Sarah Pilson
    Schwartzen Jarmond
    Sean Mattice
    Shakita Billy
    Shalyn Stack
    Sheena Threatt
    Shelby Smith
    Sheryl Zukowski
    Spenser Warren
    Stacey Johnson
    Stephanie Awalt
    Stephanie Muringer
    Suzanne Melin
    Tessa Wiles
    Treandra Thomas
    Treya Swords
    Trish Sanders
    Tyler Augst
    Walker Kelly
    Zekiye Salman

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • About
    • AmeriCorps VISTA
    • Contact
    • FAQs
  • Blogs
    • Blogs
    • Blog Schedule
  • VISTA Resources
    • Program Calendar
    • Important Documents
    • VISTA Toolkits
    • Program Webinars
  • Supervisor Resources
    • 2018 Supervisors' Orientation
    • 2018 Recruitment Webinar
    • 2019 Supervisors' Orientation
    • 2020 Supervisor Orientation
  • Photo Gallery
  • Human-Centered Design