Pam Ill- First Year of Service

​Hello all, I am Pam Ill and I am doing my AmeriCorps VISTA service in a rural high school (Vassar) in the Thumb of Michigan. I am helping to design a system for 1st Generation and low-income students to be successful in their next steps (college, getting licenses, apprenticeships, skilled jobs and/or military).  Full disclosure, I have lived in the town where I am doing my service for more than twenty years!  One of my favorite movies in the whole world is Forrest Gump because in a very earthy way it talks about the realities of life and how to deal with them in a most positive manner.  My service year so far makes me think of the most famous line from that movie:  “Life is like a box of chocolates – you never know what you are going to get”.   For me, my year of service is my box of chocolates.  Because I have lived here most of my married life, I never faced the reality of the poverty and inconsistent family life that is part of my town’s culture.  I now see it head-on as I help to pack grocery bags for weekends and Christmas presents for some of our most needy students.  I help take care of the clothes closet that makes sure all students have warm clothes, prom dresses and current fashions that allow them to fit in. 
 
I also thought that I would be a solo worker trying to make a difference on my own and that too is exactly the opposite of what my service is like. I am serving as part of a large team that includes a Community Liaison to our School Improvement Grant, an MCAN adviser helping with the next step plans, and a MI Works teacher/adviser helping with technical and internship opportunities.  The first few weeks were tough for all of us as we jockeyed for our spots and tried to figure out how our piece of the puzzle “fit”.  We are now very comfortable as a team and I clearly see my role is to connect with students recently in college and the community and hook them to our juniors and seniors so everyone gets support, but especially those just beginning their next steps.  The MCAN Adviser and MI Workers adviser are helping students to find their dreams; I am working to help students implement them. 
 
One of the largest joys of my service was an ensemble evening we put together for students and parents called the Next Step Palooza.  We had food, a craft project, 5 military and college advisers and a financial aid officer all together at the school.  We were told parents and students would not come.  We had the largest gathering of juniors and seniors and their families for a college-style event in many years, perhaps ever.  We can savor our service victories this year because life is peaks and valleys.  While you never know what kind of chocolate you are going to have on a given day, you know some of them will be wonderful!  I truly believe I am getting more from my service at Vassar than I am giving.

In these Photos: Prizes and winners from the Next Step Palooza at Vassar High School.