This fall, a group of five Hamilton Students will begin their work as the second group of Bonner Leaders at Hamilton College. Bonner Leaders is a program of the Bonner Foundation, committed to "intentional opportunities for students to develop as thoughtful, engaged citizens of our national and global community." The five Hamilton sophomores, who attended a three-day orientation to prepare for their positions, include Robyn Gibson, Kidecia King, Mariam Ballout, Stephanie Tafur and Leide Cabral.
Each student was placed with a different community organization where they will engage in individual projects that promote the objectives of the Bonner Foundation. The main goals of the foundation are to "strengthen student development, community impact, and campus infrastructure while promoting civic engagement, community building, diversity, international perspective, spiritual exploration and social justice."
Bonner Leaders spend a minimum of 240 hours (10 hours a week) at their community organization. They make a two-year commitment between their sophomore and senior years at Hamilton, allowing for a semester or year away and a choice of at least one summer of service.
Robyn Gibson is assigned to work with the Girls Inc. Program at the YWCA in Utica. As part of her project, Gibson will evaluate the function of the Girls Inc Program in the Utica community,, examine the membership needs of the Girls Inc. participants and communicate their interests and requests to the administration at the YMCA. She'll also be coordinating "program days" at the YMCA and may assist in writing grant proposals. One of Gibson's primary goals is to create a stronger bond between Hamilton College and the Girls Inc Program.
As a program assistant with Catholic Charities, Kidecia King will work with Kernan Elementary School in Utica. At Kernan, King's duties will be alternating between office duties and active involvement in the planning of recreational and educational after-school activities for elementary and middle school children. King's office duties will include basic administrative work and assistance with grant writing. She'll also help to organize and produce recreational and educational projects for young children.
Also helping to coordinate after-school programs for children in Utica, Mariam Ballout is assigned to work at the Municipal Housing Authority. The Municipal Housing Authority is an organization in which most of the children are refugees or immigrants who have relocated to Utica. Ballout plans to initiate various programs that will include homework help, basic preparation for college applications for older youth, and fun Friday activities. Her main objective is to build relationships with the children that will transcend cultural boundaries and language barriers, and eventually influence the adult community as well. In a housing project community where people from various cultural backgrounds co-exist, Ballout hopes to help create an atmosphere in which people interact with each other more openly and are more willing to integrate into the larger community.
Stephanie Tafur is working at the Family Treatment Court as an assistant to the coordinator and the case manager of a new program in the Oneida Family Court. The Family Treatment Court is an organization that serves parents who have neglected their children due to their own substance abuse. As part of her position, Tarfur will help to track the outcomes for the children of parents in the program, valuate the overall well-being of the affected children and assist in finding them permanency in stable households.
Finally, Leide Cabral has been assigned to work with Safe Schools/ Healthy Students, Inc., an after-school program at Donovan Middle School in Utica. At Donovan Middle School, she'll tutor and mentor children and co-facilitate workshops and sessions. Cabral will also be responsible for contacting parents when their children do not attend school. Her project should allow her to learn the skills necessary for non-profit management, with the added benefit of connecting with middle-school students on a one-on-one basis.
In addition to these five students, six returning Hamilton juniors will continue their work as Bonner Leaders at various community service organizations. The group includes Emma Stewart, working with the JCTOD Outreach Program where she'll help to produce a newsletter. Amanda Levin is continuing her work with "For the Good" Inc. and Rachel McReynolds is assigned to work at MLK Elementary School. Jesse Stromwick is working with Thea Bowman in a child care setting and Colin Forwood will be working with The Cosmopolitan Center in Utica on youth programming.
-- by Lauren Foley '08
Each student was placed with a different community organization where they will engage in individual projects that promote the objectives of the Bonner Foundation. The main goals of the foundation are to "strengthen student development, community impact, and campus infrastructure while promoting civic engagement, community building, diversity, international perspective, spiritual exploration and social justice."
Bonner Leaders spend a minimum of 240 hours (10 hours a week) at their community organization. They make a two-year commitment between their sophomore and senior years at Hamilton, allowing for a semester or year away and a choice of at least one summer of service.
Robyn Gibson is assigned to work with the Girls Inc. Program at the YWCA in Utica. As part of her project, Gibson will evaluate the function of the Girls Inc Program in the Utica community,, examine the membership needs of the Girls Inc. participants and communicate their interests and requests to the administration at the YMCA. She'll also be coordinating "program days" at the YMCA and may assist in writing grant proposals. One of Gibson's primary goals is to create a stronger bond between Hamilton College and the Girls Inc Program.
As a program assistant with Catholic Charities, Kidecia King will work with Kernan Elementary School in Utica. At Kernan, King's duties will be alternating between office duties and active involvement in the planning of recreational and educational after-school activities for elementary and middle school children. King's office duties will include basic administrative work and assistance with grant writing. She'll also help to organize and produce recreational and educational projects for young children.
Also helping to coordinate after-school programs for children in Utica, Mariam Ballout is assigned to work at the Municipal Housing Authority. The Municipal Housing Authority is an organization in which most of the children are refugees or immigrants who have relocated to Utica. Ballout plans to initiate various programs that will include homework help, basic preparation for college applications for older youth, and fun Friday activities. Her main objective is to build relationships with the children that will transcend cultural boundaries and language barriers, and eventually influence the adult community as well. In a housing project community where people from various cultural backgrounds co-exist, Ballout hopes to help create an atmosphere in which people interact with each other more openly and are more willing to integrate into the larger community.
Stephanie Tafur is working at the Family Treatment Court as an assistant to the coordinator and the case manager of a new program in the Oneida Family Court. The Family Treatment Court is an organization that serves parents who have neglected their children due to their own substance abuse. As part of her position, Tarfur will help to track the outcomes for the children of parents in the program, valuate the overall well-being of the affected children and assist in finding them permanency in stable households.
Finally, Leide Cabral has been assigned to work with Safe Schools/ Healthy Students, Inc., an after-school program at Donovan Middle School in Utica. At Donovan Middle School, she'll tutor and mentor children and co-facilitate workshops and sessions. Cabral will also be responsible for contacting parents when their children do not attend school. Her project should allow her to learn the skills necessary for non-profit management, with the added benefit of connecting with middle-school students on a one-on-one basis.
In addition to these five students, six returning Hamilton juniors will continue their work as Bonner Leaders at various community service organizations. The group includes Emma Stewart, working with the JCTOD Outreach Program where she'll help to produce a newsletter. Amanda Levin is continuing her work with "For the Good" Inc. and Rachel McReynolds is assigned to work at MLK Elementary School. Jesse Stromwick is working with Thea Bowman in a child care setting and Colin Forwood will be working with The Cosmopolitan Center in Utica on youth programming.
-- by Lauren Foley '08
