Office of Engaged Learning | WEEKLY
253 Luther Bonney Hall, Portland Campus
207-228-8091 | community@usm.maine.edu
www.usm.maine.edu/oel
Students, Staff & Faculty: Explore the opportunities highlighted below to stay updated and get involved.
Announcements:
USM's America Reads Program is Recruiting – PAID! Education Majors Encouraged!
America Reads is a program that pays USM students to read to kids in local elementary schools. This is great if you like to work with youth, are looking for a resume booster, networking opportunities, and flexible hours to fit around your school schedule. Must have work study and reliable transportation. If interested, please email Rachel.Hasty@maine.edu for more details. Education Majors are encouraged to apply.
Volunteer Opportunities
Wicked 5K in Kennebunkport to benefit Partners for World Health - Sunday!
The 5th Annual Wicked 5K (Sunday, Oct. 19 at 1pm) has become the race to run in October! With amazing prizes and give-a-ways, most everyone leaves with something! The runners dress in fun and spooky costumes and run through a challenging course along the beautiful Kennebunkport roads. Race fees contribute to the Partners for World Health, based in Scarborough, ME. PWH helps to reduce medical waste while improving global health. Participants are encouraged to bring unneeded medical supplies: walkers, crutches, canes, surgical gloves, sealed syringes, BandAids, clean linens, skin care items, lotions, and diapers. At least five volunteers are needed to collect these items. Please contact Jill Babcock as soon as possible at jill@partnersforworldhealth.org if you are available, and she will get back to you with more details.
Parkside Neighborhood Center-- King-Parkside Collaborative
The Center works in collaboration with community partners such as Portland Adult Education, Spiral Arts, and Head Start to serve residents of the Parkside neighborhood through programming, housing, organizing, and advocacy. The King-Parkside Collaborative is an afterschool program providing academic support for 7th graders, offered twice a week. Volunteers are needed to provide homework help once a week on Wednesdays from 1:30-3:30pm at Parkside or Thursdays from 2:30-4:30pm at King Middle School. Volunteers who can commit for the full academic year are preferred, but a minimum commitment of three months is possible.
Contact: Joe Kosnow (joseph.kosnow@opportunityalliance.org)
Maine Youth Action Network - 4th Annual Maine Youth Leadership Summit
Oct. 26th-28th – Augusta Civic Center
The Maine Youth Leadership Summit is a two day event working toward supporting and energizing Maine's youth. This is an opportunity to network with youth and adults interested in supporting youth voice. The days consist of workshops, presentations and activities. Volunteers are encouraged to share their skills and strengths including customer service assistance, taking pictures, setting up workshop technology, offering support to youth and providing first aid. Travel expense assistance is available. Please sign up by completing a volunteer survey. Contact Beth with any questions at beth.yvonne@opportunityalliance.org or 207 553 5915.
More info: http://www.myan.org/call-volunteers/
Volunteer survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/7N8F76B
Upcoming Events
Iris Network's White Cane Awareness Walk
Sat, Oct. 18th (10am) – Monument Square
The purpose of the walk is to increase awareness of blindness and vision loss in Maine. The walk also serves as a fundraiser for the agency so the Iris Network can continue to provide a variety of vital services to Mainers who are blind and experiencing vision loss throughout Maine. All proceeds provide training, education, and support for people with vision loss and blindness. Registration cost is $15/adult and $5/children under twelve. If you have questions call Terri at 207-518-5003.
More info: http://www.theiris.org/news-events/2014-white-cane-walk-for-independence
GrowSmart Maine Summit 2014 - The Dollars and $ense of Smart Growth
Tues, Oct. 21st (8am-5pm) – Augusta Civic Center
There will be over 500 folks from across the state to inform, discuss and inspire towards improving Maine's economy, revitalizing our downtowns and conserving our working and natural landscapes. If you are currently enrolled in a Maine College or University you can attend at a student rate of $25 with the discount code. Free registration is also offered in exchange for volunteering. Please contact Kim if interested in volunteering at 207 699 4452 or email info@growsmartmaine.org with any questions. More info: http://usm.maine.edu/oel/growsmart-summit-2014
Registration: growsmartmaine.org/summit
Student discount code: EDUCATION
(Please bring ID or proof of enrollment to the event)
STEM Exposition
Mon, Nov. 10th (9am-4pm) - Ocean Gateway Terminal, Portland
This exposition will feature videos, displays, and interactive demonstrations focusing on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) topics presented by Portland Public School students, post-secondary students, and members of the business community. Exhibitors will be allowed to set up beginning at 7:30am. Open flames, explosions, and aerosol chemicals are prohibited. Lunch, snacks, and water will be provided for all exhibitors.
If interested in presenting an exhibit, contact: Kathy Cole (colek@portlandschools.org)
Featured Community Partner:
Hardy Girls Healthy Women
Website: www.hghw.org
Contact: Lida Holst – lida@hghw.org - 207-861-8131
Hardy Girls Healthy Women's (HGHW) mission is to provide girls with services that help them experience equality, independence, and safety in their everyday lives. HGHW is looking for volunteers to run Girls' Coalition Groups in the Greater Portland area. Following an evidence-based curriculum, Girls' Coalition Groups offer a space where girls can feel safe, free to express themselves, become allies, and dig deeper into issues that are relevant to their lives.
How you can help: Be a "Muse" – Coalition groups, usually comprised of 8 to 10 middle school girls, are run by two co-facilitators (Muses). A muse is someone who supports and listens to the girls, without judging, and nurtures their learning and critical thinking skills by providing an open and safe environment. It is a strengths-based, rather than needs-based, approach, and is a mutual relationship of solidarity.
Responsibilities:
-Attend a three hours Muse orientation
-Co-facilitate girls' groups, which meet 1 hours/wk during school hours
-Participate in ongoing support from HGHW staff at least 3 times/semester
Emily Mitchell
AmeriCorps*VISTA
STEM Partnerships Coordinator
Office of Engaged Learning
251 Luther Bonney Hall
University of Southern Maine
P: (207) 780-4537
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