Commonwealth Corps
2011 Summer Programs
The Bernon Center for Public Service at Babson College
Be the Change: An Introduction to Civic Engagement and Social Entrepreneurship
Lisa Hellmuth Thomas
781-239-5354
thomasl@babson.edu
Josh Stevenson
781-239-5565
jstevenson@babson.edu
Babson College is pleased to submit a proposal to host the Be the Change: An Introduction to
Civic Engagement and Social Entrepreneurship program, which will serve 30 middle school
children from low-income families living in public housing in Needham and Wellesley.
Building on an established afterschool program that Babson coordinates with the two housing
authorities, this summer program will utilize three Corps members and include a mix of
academic tutoring, an entrepreneurship venture, physical activities and community service
experiences. Program objectives include helping participants further develop their academic
and leadership skills, learn new entrepreneurial skills, learn about the importance of “giving
back” and gain a better understanding of how to build positive relationships with the
community.
Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence
Summerfest
Kerry Wiersma
978-683-2747 x 116
kwiersma@lawrencebgc.com
Amanda Hinchcliffe, Director of Program Services
978-683-2747 x 129
ahinchcliffe@lawrencebgc.com
Katie Reissfelder, Merrimack College
978-837-5125
reissfelder@merrimack.edu
The Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence (BGCL), in partnership with Merrimack College, proposes
to host six Commonwealth Corps Members to serve as youth counselors for Summerfest.
Summerfest is a seven week, full-day program for youth operated by the BGCL. Members will
play a key role in meeting the goals of the program including: 1) Providing a safe place where
youth can find caring, supportive adult role models. 2) Providing enrichment activities that
support increased academic achievement and exposure to new opportunities. Members will
serve as youth counselors for upper elementary and middle school teams. The Members will
also plan and lead two three-week initiatives; one focused on Arts and Culture and one focused
on Science and Technology. Each initiative will include 12 hours of engaging, experiential
instruction and a culminating serve learning project.
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Commonwealth Corps
2011 Summer Programs
Bristol Community College
Be Enriched Summer Program
Mary Zahm
Mary.Zahm@bristolcc.edu
Jennifer Boulay
508-678-2811 x 2853
Jennifer.boulay@bristolcc.edu
The Be Enriched Summer (BeES) program is hosted by Bristol Community College’s (BCC)
Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) and the Fall River Public School (FRPS) System We will
recruit twelve Commonwealth Corps Members from BCC students to serve as Youth Leaders
for 48 academically at-risk middle school students from the Morton Middle School summer
program. BeES participants will become familiar with the BCC College Campus and gain an
introduction to the careers and programs they can pursue at the college level. The program will
offer service learning, career exploration and hands-on activities with an emphasis on learning
about the local community. Topics will cover: Sustainability and Science; Robotics and
Engineering; Computers- Games and More; Fall River Stories- History Literature and Art; and
Our Lives- Community Health and Helping Roles. The goal of the program will be to expose
students to the college campus as well as to the careers, knowledge and fun offered through
college programs.
City of Cambridge, Agenda for Children (AFC) Out-of-School Time (OST) Initiative
Shared Youth, Shared Strategies; Middle School Network
Susan Richards, AFC OST Initiative Coordinator
617-349-6200
srichards@cambridgema.gov
Susie Flug, Child & Youth Services Planner
617-349-6223
sflug@cambridgema.gov
Robert Bridgeman
bridgemanrobert@gmail.com
The City of Cambridge Agenda for Children Out-of-School Time (OST) Initiative seeks 8
Commonwealth Corps members with an interest in helping middle schoolers succeed. Through
the Shared Youth, Shared Strategies initiative, in partnership with entities from across the city,
Corps members will educate students about OST opportunities, help place them in programs,
support a smaller cohort in preparing for success, lead service learning projects, and work
closely with students at a specific summer program. With training and support, they will help
middle schoolers build connections with adults, understand the importance of OST and
planning for the future, and increase their OST participation, while empowering students to
impact the community. Our partners include Lesley University, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, Phillips Brooks House Association, and the Cambridge Public Schools.
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Commonwealth Corps
2011 Summer Programs
College of the Holy Cross
Middle School Success Institute
Ed Augustus
508-793-3905
eaugustus@holycross.edu
The College of the Holy Cross will sponsor the Middle School Success Institute, which extends
and enhances existing programs and partnerships and targets middle school students. We
project that the four members, working in collaboration with Federal Work Study students from
Holy Cross, will serve 28 middle school students at three sites. Program Activities: Service in
three neighborhood parks, tutoring and academic preparation, workshops and activities to
promote college awareness. Anticipated outcomes: Academic readiness for the 2011-2012
school year, a focus on the importance of academic achievement and post-secondary education,
an understanding of basic employment skills, a sense of community responsibility and
stewardship over public resources.
Crossroads for Kids, Inc.
C5 New England Teen Leadership Program
Ben Palmer
781-834-2700 x35
ben@crossroads4kids.org
Joanne Fay
joanne@crossroads4kids.org
Crossroads for Kids is applying to host 5 Corps Members to introduce 25% more youth to our
C% leadership program. Members will serve as mentors to 25 rising 8th graders, delivering
leadership curriculum and leading community service projects. Crossroads’ C5 program
provides at-risk youth with 100+ days of leadership training, 100+ hours of community service,
a college tour, cultural events, and workshops on finances, college, employment and public
speaking. The outcomes are that each youth: 1) respects human diversity, 2) forms and
maintains positive relationships, 3) makes positive contributions to the community, 4)
graduates high school and pursues college education or meaningful employment, and 5)
develops leadership and navigation skills in the areas of: self-awareness, communication, group
effectiveness, organization, decision-making and problem solving.
Framingham State University
Science and Technology, Service-Learning, and College Awareness
Mary Liscombe
508-626-4056
mliscombe@framingham.edu
Dawn Mendelsohn
Framingham Public Schools
508-626-9115
dmendels@framingham.k12.ma.us
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Commonwealth Corps
2011 Summer Programs
Framingham Public Schools (FPS) and Framingham State University (FSU) will host the
summer program for Framingham’s middle school students, “Science and Technology, ServiceLearning, and College Awareness.” Ten pre-service teacher interns from FSU will constitute the
Corps members. Up to 140 FPS middle school students will engage in enrichment activities
related to STEM education, service learning, and college awareness at three sites in the
Framingham community, the FSU McAuliffe Challenger Center, Framingham Cable Access TV
(FPAC-TV) station, and Framingham High School. Eighty percent (80%) of the middle school
students will show a 10% increase in learning skills, behavior, initiative, and improved relations
with adults and peers. The Corps members will show an increase in professional development
measured through staff observations and daily reviews of their participation in their
preparation as teachers and their understanding of community service learning.
Holyoke Community College
Holyoke Summer Commonwealth Corps Program
Melany Mendoza
413-552-2471
mmendoza@hcc.edu
Janice B. Carmichael, Health Careers Opportunity Program
413-552-2026
jcarmichael@hcc.edu
Sarah Spence, Assistant Director, 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program
508-523-9078
spence.holyoke@gmail.com
HCC will host eight Commonwealth Corps members in summer programs for Holyoke youth.
Building on the successful model at Mount Holyoke, college-age members will be recruited
from area higher education institutions. Partners will include members of the Peck ACCESS
committee of the Peck Full Service Community School, including the Skills, Training and
Enrichment Program, the Pioneer Valley Health Careers Opportunity Program, the Connections
21st Century Community Learning Centers program of the Holyoke Public Schools with the
Enchanted Circle Theater, and the Student Bridges Program of UMass, Amherst. Over 130
middle school youth will be involved in enrichment activities including service-learning,
academic support, and college awareness.
Massachusetts College of Art and Design
Voices: Partnerships in Teaching and Learning
Liz Rudnick & Ceci Mendez
617-879-7174
Liz.rudnick@massart.edu; Cecilia.mendez@massart.edu
Massachusetts College of Art and Design will sponsor eight Commonwealth Corps members to
work with Boston middle schoolers in its Artward Bound youth program. The Corps
experience consists of rigorous orientation, 2 week teaching apprenticeship I n the Creative
Vacation youth program, and civic engagement project with Action for Boston Community
Development/Parker Hill Fenway (ABCD) through MassArt’s Center for Art and Community
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Commonwealth Corps
2011 Summer Programs
Partnerships. Corps members will be recruited from MassArt and other local colleges to work
with 30 rising 8th and 9th grade students for 300 hours over 10 weeks. Artward Bound is a new
year-long college access program in the visual arts for Boston teens launching this summer.
Goals are to give Boston teens a solid foundation in the arts, academic studies, and arts-based
community work.
Middlesex Community College
Camp GEAR UP
Colleen Winn
978-656-3401
winnc@middlesex.mass.edu
Tiffany Currie, GEAR UP Coordinator
978-884-4900
curriet@middlesex.mass.edu
Middlesex Community College will expand a four-week summer camp to serve 50 at-risk 8th
graders participating in GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate
Programs). The Commonwealth Corps members will work with Camp staff to design and carry
out activities, including the service project to be undertaken with Lowell National Historical
Park. Members, drawn from a variety of student groups, will experience professional and
leadership development. Camp attendees will be low-income, at-risk students from Lowell
who will be introduced to high school level course content, increase their academic skills,
become aware of the many opportunities for future college enrollment, and engage in
citizenship building activities.
Mount Wachusett Community College
Summer UP
Kristin Sweeney-Moore
978-630-9323
K_sweeney@mwcc.mass.edu
Rebeccah Sonn
978-630-9248
RSonn@mwcc.mass.edu
Mount Wachusett Community College (MWCC) proposes to host 10 Commonwealth Corps
members in north central Massachusetts through its existing Summer Up program. Summer
Up, provides safe, paid summer work experience leadership/citizenship skills training and
exposure to college to at-risk middle school students. Ten members will work with 50 at-risk
middle school students to operate a recreational program for elementary school students at
public parks. Members assist middle school students in implementing daily craft, sports, and
reading activities. Each Friday, members facilitate college field trips and leadership/citizenship
workshops for students. The objectives are to increase leadership, citizenship and college
readiness skills for middle school students and to ensure a safe, healthy, summer experience for
at-risk children.
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Commonwealth Corps
2011 Summer Programs
Northeastern University
Beach Sister
Carole McCauley
781-581-7370 x 321
c.mccauley@neu.edu
Lena Crowley, Girls Inc. of Lynn
lecrowley@girlsinclynn.org
The Beach Sister program will help to pave the way for middle school girls living in an
environmental justice community to develop scientific inquiry and citizenship skills, and to
learn about studies and careers in marine science. It will do so through classroom and field
investigations, leveraging community expertise, and engagement in a service-learning project
based on a local environmental issue. The program’s goals are to promote environmental
literacy in middle school students and to foster interest in marine sciences and related careers.
The outcomes are that middle school students will have a basic understanding of the local
marine environment, have the skills to investigate environmental issues, feel empowered to
take personal responsibility to address those issues and have positive attitudes about marine
sciences and related careers.
Phillips Brooks House Association, Inc. (PBHA)
Middle Up: PBHA’s Summer Urban Program
Maria Dominguez
617-496-8620
mdoming@fas.harvard.edu
Phillips Brooks House Association’s Middle Up is a new initiative that combines educational
enrichment and service-learning with college access to meet the needs of middle school
students for all three. A diverse group of 10 college-student Corps members will each teach a
class of 10 low-income Boston middle school students (100 in all) from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday
through Friday, for seven weeks, implementing a self-designed curriculum incorporating
academics, service learning, and college access, complemented by field trips and workshops.
Middle Up will prevent summer learning loss; increase their community awareness; guide them
through the high school transition process; and enhance their college aspirations.
Sociedad Latina, Inc.
Sociedad Summer Pilot
Jimmy Wyman
617-442-4299
jimmy@sociedadlatina.org
Desiraé Simmons, Simmons College
simmons@simmons.edu
The Sociedad Summer Pilot, on Simmons College’s campus, stems summer learning loss for 60
at-risk middle school students. Through integrated academic and enrichment activities focused
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Commonwealth Corps
2011 Summer Programs
on numeracy, literacy, and 21st century skills, youth develop into engaged citizens, young
entrepreneurs, and college-bound students. SSP is designed for Latinos and English Language
Learners, who have the greatest need in our community. Instruction is delivered by certified
teachers, while enrichment activities focused on entrepreneurship are led by professional
consultants. After a summer at SSP, youth show increases in test scores. Commonwealth Corps
Members assist in day-to-day operations, and lead college access and community service
activities.
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
LEADS Summer
Dr. Matthew Roy
508-910-9052
mroy@umassd.edu
The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (UMD) in collaboration with the Fall River Public
School Department proposes the Leadership for Educational Attainment Developed through
Service (LEADS) Summer program. The program will be held Monday through Thursday for
eight weeks and be run by six teacher/university student (Commonwealth Corps) pairs who
will educate middle school students about leadership, civic engagement and educational
attainment through community service-learning projects. The goals of the program are threefold: increase leadership knowledge and skills, increase civic engagement in the students and
corps members, and increase students understanding of aspirations to higher education. The
goals will be measured through a survey of participants and reflection journals will supplement
survey results.
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