Public Health AmeriCorps Member--Lewiston High School Aspirations Labs
Start Date: 09/06/2024
End Date: 08/07/2025
Term Date: 09/06/2024 - 08/07/2025 - Note: Start and end dates flexible. Full and part-time opportunities may be available.
Location: Lewiston, ME
Focus Area: Public Health, Youth
Lewiston High School’s Aspirations Program works with all students to get them interested, excited, and motivated to develop a plan for after high school, while encouraging students to continue their learning after high school. Throughout their four years at Lewiston High School, students will go through many activities that will allow each individual student to discover themselves as a learner and identify their specific strengths and opportunities. We have programming that facilitates self-discovery, career discovery/ exploration, and college discovery/exploration. With over 50% of our students receiving free/reduced lunch, many “new Mainers” attempt to make sense of the culture and the educational system. Our district has demonstrated a strong commitment to ensuring that all students are prepared for post-secondary learning opportunities. Public Health AmeriCorps program places members with community organizations in Maine to address CDC-determined public health needs for the most underserved populations. Goodwill’s PHA program specifically places 20 members in schools and nonprofits to support youth who have been impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences. PHA members work with community partner agencies to develop and carry out localized, evidence-based interventions, directly serving youth while increasing organizational capacity. Throughout their service, members gain the experience and training needed to prepare them for entering the public health and youth development workforce.
AmeriCorps members will work closely with students in the post-secondary planning process. They will help plan and attend college field trips, FAFSA nights, and college and career fairs. The member will also help with the Aspirations online platform through our website and social media. The member will be in contact with Bates college to help plan and schedule college tutors and mentors at LHS. Members also support students with academic success planning, monitoring students’ achievement to ensure successful completion of high school requirements and standardized test preparation. In addition, members work towards increasing capacity by helping to design intentional program delivery systems for long-term youth engagement; developing a skilled network of caring mentors; applying a comprehensive approach to youth development strategies; creating a caring community support network; and utilizing validated assessment tools to promote youth social-emotional development.