Volunteer Spotlight: Nancy

Name: NANCY TAN

Volunteer Since: FALL 2006

What you do as a volunteer: I TRY TO HELP WITH HOMEWORK, AND I EVEN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN A FEW SOMALI WORDS ON OCCASION...

How I found out about the center: VANDERBUDDIES at VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY

My favorite part about being a volunteer is...KNOWING THAT I'M PLAYING A SMALL ROLE IN THE STUDENTS' SUCCESS...AND ALL THE COOL PEOPLE I'VE MET OF COURSE!

My least favorite part about being a volunteer is... STRUGGLING TO ENCOURAGE INDEPENDENT THINKING AND HIGHER LEVELS OF LEARNING WHEN SOME STILL HAVE NOT MASTERED THE FUNDAMENTALS YET.

My favorite memory is... HAVING A CLASS OF SECOND GRADERS TEACH ME SOMALI SONGS AND DANCES AND THEN REALIZING I CAN'T DO EITHER.

I would encourage someone else to take the leap and volunteer because... THE KIDS ARE ALL WONDERFUL, AND THEY WORK REALLY HARD. KNOWING THAT WE CAN HELP THEIR ABILITY TO FUNCTION AND SUCCEED IN AMERICAN SOCIETY IS ESPECIALLY REWARDING.

Class Profile: Predators Room

This week we are highlighting our "Predators Room" in our afterschool program. This room is made up of seven students in kindergarten and first grade.

We asked them what they enjoy most about school and these are their answers:

Aisha said, "math."

Hussein said, "reading a book."

Fatuma said, "going to centers."

Muna said, "playing outside."

Mohamed said, "writing.

Amina said, "reading my books."

Ayuub was home sick this week, but we know there are many things he likes about school!

This week, our Predators Room painted pumpkins in celebration of fall! The pictures came out so well, we wanted to share some with you!

A History Lesson

This week we’d like to give you some history about the center. Many of you, our friends, are new to the center and we would love for you to know a little more about where we came from.

In 1996, representatives of the CWA Plaza Apartments, the Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency (MDHA), the Nashville office of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Martha O’Bryan Center formed what is now known as the CWA-Cayce Learning Center. The Learning Center is part of a national collaboration called Neighborhood Networks. Neighborhood Networks is an initiative of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that was originally established to provide technology in areas where technology was historically limited (i.e. HUD-assisted, and insured properties). To date there are more than 1,200 centers across the country, however, no two centers are alike. Neighborhood Network centers are about getting out into the community, speaking with residents, and providing programs that meet their stated needs. Never do we assume to know what our community needs. Our residents are the experts in this neighborhood.

In 2005, Neighborhood Networks unveiled a program to classify it's centers. While no two Neighborhood Networks centers are alike, more than 10 years of successfully delivering technology access and other resources to America’s communities have revealed a number of factors that lead to center sustainability and success. The standards used for Designated, Certified and Model status are based on review and analysis of those factors. By following the classification guidelines, centers will be more likely to experience success in both aiding residents and increasing market value of their property. Shortly after the classification process began, our learning center became the first in the nation to earn Model Status, the highest level of achievement.

You can read about our success in NetworkNews on pages 4 & 5.

Volunteer Spotlight: Heather

Name: Heather Williams

Volunteer Since: September 2006

What you do as a volunteer: I started out with after-school Homework Club, helping the kids with their homework, and doing educational/enrichment activities with them when homework was finished. On Fridays during last school year, we had Karate Class and I worked with the kids, teaching them some fundamental skills such as kicks and punches; as well as some simple self-defense techniques. This school year, I am doing the Reading Tutor Program, helping the kids to improve their skills and hopefully learn to enjoy reading!

How I found out about the center: I saw an ad in the classifieds of the Rage newspaper.

My favorite part about being a volunteer is… being a part of these kids' lives on a regular basis. I have learned so much about their culture just from being around them once a week. They're such amazing children, very bright and full of personality! They really make me laugh -- mostly at myself but that's OK.

My least favorite part about being a volunteer is… not having as much time to spend with the kids as I would like.

My favorite memory is… Gosh, that's a hard one! The first thing that comes to mind is our "Dance-Off" at the end of school this summer. We adults might have had more fun than the kids!

I would encourage someone else to take the leap and volunteer because… there's no way to describe the "warm fuzzies" you get when a room full of little faces light up when you walk in the door -- or when you help a 4th grader FINALLY figure out that tricky long-division problem. Taking the time to get to know the kids and understanding what the Learning Center is about has been one of the most rewarding experiences for me.