Sonoma Serves

In creating a school-based academic and social enrichment program model for after school, would you like to see a connection between the program, students, and teachers throughout the regular and after school day? Would you serve underrepresented youth in need of academic assistance? Would you use field-tested and teacher approved curriculum? Would you engage in partnerships with the community and volunteer service organizations? Would you incorporate field trips for after school youth? Would you facilitate parent involvement and opportunities for parent enrichment? Above are some examples of the Sonoma SERVES model.

The Sonoma SERVES program, housed at Sonoma State University, began in 1998 with a reading enrichment program in Santa Rosa schools. The program provides one-on-one reading instruction four times weekly during the school day to students who are not reading at their grade level. In 1999 the after school program began which provides homework assistance, academic and social enrichment during out of school time. Even more recently, Sonoma SERVES has launched their Family Literacy program. This program was created through a partnership with the local Santa Rosa Jr. College ESL department and operates from the hours of 6:00pm – 8:30pm. During this time there are classes offered for adults and children. As many families in the Sonoma Serves program are Latino, adult family members are offered classes in English and Spanish Literacy to increase native language development and the acquisition of English language skills.

The Sonoma SERVES program is funded primarily through the ASES grants received by their partnering schools and through the AmeriCorps national service organization. The Sonoma SERVES program is a free school-based after school program that runs 5 days a week and serves 1,000 students in eight Sonoma County Schools. The program provides academic assistance as well as academic and social enrichment programs. They incorporate the KidzLit literacy enrichment curriculum, SPARK cooperative recreation and physical education curriculum, and they use TRIBES to arrange classrooms and enhance character development. The after school program employs teachers from the regular school day to act as mentor teachers who provide continuity, modeling, and support for the program and communicate to the rest of the teachers about the after school program.

As many students who participate in after school programs do not have the opportunity to play organized sports, the Sonoma SERVES program began to incorporate intramural sports. Under this model, after school sports teams form in schools and have the opportunity to travel to other schools to compete. The program also utilizes the skills of current staff and the interests of the students. They offer choices of Friday clubs that students can join to learn new skills. For example, in one of these clubs students were learning to crochet and they decided to make hats for babies that were in a nearby clinic. The students also decided to copy and laminate books for the babies. This service learning project culminated in an after school field trip to the clinic where the students gave away the hats and books to the babies in the clinic. On other field trips they have taken students to natural areas, museums, the fire station, and Sonoma State University. Julie McClure, Program Director of Sonoma SERVES has no doubt that the interaction with college students as well as field trips to the college open the minds of many elementary students to the possibility of a future college career.

Sonoma SERVES employs college students in their programs who commit a year to work for a monthly stipend and an educational award to be applied toward college tuition or student loans. All mentors in the Sonoma SERVES program receive college credit. Through their University connection Sonoma SERVES is able to offer a service-learning component where college students can receive 24-28 Liberal Studies units serving full time for a year with the program. During this year of service students take supplemental classes online and one class on the Sonoma State campus each semester. College students in the program feel greatly enriched by their experience. One student said, “Participating in the...program has been one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my college career thus far. I have learned more about teaching and child development/psychology from this experience than I have from all of the child related classes I have taken.” Another student noted, “The reason I chose to be a teacher was my experience with [Sonoma SERVES and] AmeriCorps last year.”

Many of the Sonoma SERVES college students do go on to become teachers. The program is not only helping to shape future educators as many of the Sonoma SERVES college students go on to become teachers, it is also helping to shape the next generation of college students. One former SERVES member who went on to teach high school in the area noted that one of her high school students was a particularly motivated freshman taking classes above grade-level, including one class at the local JC in hopes of attending Stanford University. This student stated that she did not have much help at home and her motivation came from within. She fondly remembers the support she received fromher mentor in Sonoma SERVES. Seven years later this high school student was able to recall the name of her mentor and the experience of pride she felt in being able to read the third grade level reading book she was given for her birthday when she was in second grade. This is only one testimony of how effectively the Sonoma SERVES program educates and serves elementary and college level students who aspire to great things.

The information in this account was obtained through an interview with Sonoma Serves Director Julie McClure, the Sonoma Serves website. Student testimonies were received from Sonoma Serves.

If you have any questions about the Sonoma SERVES Program, visit www.sonoma.edu/cihs/serves/ or contact Sonoma SERVES Director Julie McClure at julie.mcclure@sonoma.edu