How to Adapt

By: AmeriCorps Promise Fellow Julia Mantey, serving at Youth First Community of Promise

"If this position as a Promise Fellow has taught me anything during the second trimester of the year... It is how to adapt. Our school district shifted into every form of distance, hybrid, and in-person learning possible. Asynchronous days shifted, the number of students allowed in schools changed almost weekly, the ability to run after-school programs went from none to entirely open. Not only has this time forced me to think quickly and adapt to the changes, but what amazes me most is how well the students have been willing to try and adapt as well.

It has been an entire year of this new learning experience and even though many students struggled with distance and hybrid learning, most, if not all, were willing to try and work to make some sort of change to improve themselves both in and out of school. I had over half of my students really turn a 180 with their work ethic the last 3 weeks of the trimester when they realized that they would be able to go back 4 days a week starting in trimester three. Students who wouldn’t respond to messages or emails started reaching out to me asking if I had time to work with them and catch up on missing assignments. If we couldn’t find time in school, we made the change and created time after school to get work done and connect.

I am so incredibly proud of the students' abilities to make it through all of these incredibly difficult circumstances and so glad that I was able to be there and watch them make these changes, many on their own behalf. I am so excited for trimester three and seeing the continued growth of all of these students now that many of them will form their new permanent routine and be around friends again. I am so lucky to be part of their experiences!"