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
  • Human-Centered Design
  • Photo Gallery

Loreal Burnett- Reaching Out and Lifting Up

3/25/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Hello, my name is Loreal Burnett. I am a first-year VISTA serving with Atlantic Impact in Detroit. Atlantic Impact is an education and travel based organization that provides a college readiness program as well as youth workforce development. With the Our World program, the organization combines SAT Prep, college tours, FAFSA assistance, and mentorship with a study abroad experience for high school juniors. In contrast, the Our Town program provides high school seniors with skilled trade exposure through a series of hands-on field trips along with career advising.
 
Trying to explain the many programs and services offered by Atlantic Impact could take more time than this blog post permits, so I'll focus on my role as Outreach Coordinator. I mainly serve with the Our Town program, reaching out to potential school partners as well as maintaining the relationship with existing partners. Early in my VISTA year, I helped establish relationships with 5 of the nine local high schools we are currently partnered with, serving over 150 youth. I also help organize our monthly skilled trade field trips with each school by being the contact person between the schools and Atlantic Impact. These field trips are my favorite part of serving because I get to see first-hand how important and impactful our program is for the students. Helping the student learn about alternate career paths that are not always advertised as a viable first option for recent graduates has been a rewarding experience in itself. Not to mention hilarious watching some of the students using the many tools for the first time.
 
I also developed a monthly meeting for students of the Our World program following the study abroad trip. Atlantic Impact previously focused solely on the junior year leading up to the study abroad trip in the summer. I thought it essential to develop a program to help support the seniors during the college application process to ensure post-secondary enrollment. We now have a monthly meeting for the students, which started last fall that provides them with additional SAT prep for seniors interested in retaking the test, connecting students with college admission representatives for the schools they are interested in attending, help to complete college and scholarship applications. Our goal is to make sure that all of the students who participated in the study abroad program not only get accepted to a post-secondary institution but that they also have all of the resources needed to attend.
 
So, far in my VISTA year, my main challenge had been getting new partners on-board. When I first started at Atlantic Impact in August, I reached out to 64 local high school counselors and principals to market our program, and of that number, I had ten schools respond, and only five signed on to participate. Yet, with the unprecedented impact of COVID-19, I, like all of us, am now facing a new challenge of adjusting to this new work environment and brainstorming ways to continue serving our communities and host sites.
 
While I am unsure as to what the remainder of my VISTA year will look like exactly, I am glad to have had the opportunity to serve with my host site and our students. I have high hopes for the completion of our programs and seeing our hard work come to fruition. 
Picture
In This Photo: ​Students sitting on a bench they built at Emerging Industries Training Institute carpentry workspace. 
Picture
In This Photo: Students using stimulators in the learning lab at LIFT Manufacturing.
0 Comments

    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
    Lindsay Regalado
    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
    Mitch Port
    Molly Swisher
    Morgan Benham
    Naomi Coleman
    Natalie Boag
    Neil Anderson
    Nicole Justian
    Pam Ill
    Pat Brewer
    Phaedra Wainaina
    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
    Schuyler Pruis
    Schwartzen Jarmond
    Sean Mattice
    Shakita Billy
    Shalyn Stack
    Sheena Threatt
    Shelby Smith
    Sheryl Zukowski
    Sophia Mackoul
    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
  • Human-Centered Design
  • Photo Gallery