Yevola Peters: At 86, Still Dedicated to Helping Annapolis Youth and Families
Yevola S. Peters has been working to combat racial and economic disparities and mobilizing people in the Annapolis community for over half a century. At 86, she is serving a new generation with the same passion that she had in the 1960s when she was at the forefront of desegregating education there. She began as a music teacher in local schools, but her firm, calm, humble, and warm approach led her away from her career in education and into the leadership of the nonprofit Community Action Agency of Anne Arundel County. From that position and others to follow, she played a critical role as a force for local change and as a mentor to rising Black leaders– all the while making time to play the piano at church every Sunday. Now, with an Annapolis street named after, her commitment to service and to mentoring others is as strong as ever. She is a living legend and a great example to the next generation of community leaders. She was born in Orangeburg, South Carolina to two teachers at Claflin University. Peters had the unique experience of growing up in the presence of young adults. She would go to church with them, run behind them on the campus, and even play the piano for them. She watched her parents empower the next generation through their teaching and, unbeknownst to her, Peters would find herself doing the same thing. Although she enjoyed her childhood, Peters knew that after her second year of college she needed to leave the nest and attend a school where her parents had no chance of being her teacher. So, she traveled 500 miles north to Morgan State University. Though she was out of the deep south, she learned quickly that her Blackness still came with a price. “I was so shocked… I come to Baltimore, you can’t even go in the store, in order to buy clothes. So that’s when I call my father, I say ‘Daddy, you know you can’t go in the store?’ he said, ‘You certainly didn’t study your geography because you below the Mason Dixie line.’ “ Despite the racism that she faced in Maryland, she would ultimately settle there after graduate school with a degree. Her plan was to take this degree to teach music. However, she would face a hurdle standing in her way. “I applied for a teacher position in the school system and the only openings were in all-white schools. That was when I realized that integration actually hadn’t taken place yet,” she said. “They weren’t hiring Black teachers in predominantly white schools.” So, it wasn’t until three years later, in 1966, when Peters was given the opportunity to teach in a predominantly white school. “The children had all of the impressions that their parents had taught them.” Her white students, who didn’t know any Black people personally, believed Black people were inferior to them. Their parents taught their children these bigoted values and they trusted them. However they also trusted Peters, so she started to teach her students about African history through music. The students were incredibly receptive and she received no negative feedback from parents. As the school continued to desegregate, Peter’s focus would shift to her new Black students who needed an advocate. The Black students boycotted their school because of a lack of diversity and some would even face expulsion. Once again, Peters was there. She would help to reinstate some of the students, all the while, balancing her teaching and personal life. Her work would eventually begin to shift out of the classroom and into her community. Peters started working as a volunteer for the Community Action Agency which aimed to provide the necessary resources for children and parents in low-income communities. Here, it is where she was able to use her knowledge about the educational system in combination with her natural leadership skills to mobilize her community. Though she is modest about her impact, just this month, she received a letter from someone who worked with her in the late ’70s thanking her for her support. Today, Peter’s work is centered around combatting the systemic challenges that Black people face today. “The low self-esteem of our children and the struggles of households and families and the deterioration of families… Mass incarceration things that separation of families, all these things really play into where we are today,” she said Peters also heavily emphasized the importance of straying from individualism and buying into collaboration in order to help advance our communities. “Getting other community people to be mentors to both, not just the children, but the whole family. Once people feel good about themselves and have very good self-esteem… then attitudes and behaviors change. It is going to take that to overcome what the system is throwing at you anyway, if you don’t have strong faith in yourself and now you gotta deal with the system you are starting off in a deficit.” Peters has seen different systemic disruptors infiltrate her community and has recognized that over time, it has created overt discouragement amongst the people in her community. Attacking issues that have blossomed into generational shortcomings, at the root, is fundamental in creating generational growth. Yevola S. Peters is the definition of a servant leader. She sees a gap and fills it, or trains someone else to. Her work is ever-evolving, yet her mission has stayed the same for over 50 years. She has trained up young people, who are now training their own young people. Her impact is unfathomable, her passion is resilient, and her wisdom is immeasurable.
K-Pop and Volunteering … How I came to Become a DCTMI Intern
With COVID-19 crippling Fall 2020 plans and in-person schooling, I did not have much luck with my internship hunt. I was grappling for opportunities with big name companies to jump-start my professional development, but received few calls back and was ghosted by countless interviewers. After expressing this disappointment to a friend, she referred me to DCTMI, striking a personal chord within me. In my first year of high school, my mother forced me to volunteer at our local library. I despised shelving books and organizing CD disks for an hour every Wednesday, thinking it was a waste of time. I would always think, “ this better look good on my resume.” But as the months and eventually years passed, I returned each season with increasing enthusiasm. I befriended other volunteers and was sent Christmas cards from the staff. Every March there was a party hosted specifically to celebrate the volunteers with cake, free books, and bingo. And during every shift, folks young and old would politely ask me to help them find the picture book section or where large print text was. A set of exchanges that I will never forget was with this young woman who frequented the library. During the period that I volunteered, my music taste was very uncommon but a very big part of my life. I loved Korean pop music, most specifically EXO and BTS. I would stay updated with the bands on social media, watch their live streams, and buy their albums. But I never met another person that shared this passion, especially considering how popular American pop and the Top 40 Hits were in my small town. When I saw the woman watching videos of the Korean bands on the library’s public computer, looking just as fascinated as I was, I approached her. We gushed over the music and the idols then we parted ways. This went on for months. We would cross pathways as I was shelving books and she would slip me sheets of paper scrawled with songs that she recommended to me. Eventually, she stopped coming to the library and I ran out of new tracks to listen to, but the bond that we had over this band was something special; so special that I did not even need to know her name. When senior year rolled around, I was asked to speak at the high school’s National Honors Society’s induction on volunteerism because I had the most volunteer hours in my graduating class. As I addressed the audience that night, I stressed the importance and simple beauty of genuine community interaction and cross generational connection—volunteering is more than a resume section to check off. Meeting and developing relationships across interests and generations, I learned a lot about unique individuals in my area. I also learned a lot about my own values, one being my passion for volunteerism. With DCTMI, their emphasis on civic leadership and community engagement greatly aligns with my personal beliefs and builds on my previous experiences. As a York, Pennsylvania native and DC transplant for college, I did not have many opportunities to become more involved in the local DC culture as a full-time student. But now with all classes moving online, I want to dedicate my energy to inspire and show others the beauty of volunteerism and community building, even if it is from a computer 80 miles away.
The Power of an Hour
By Gabrielle (Gabby) Wszalek We take it for granted the impact an hour can make. We carve out specific hours in our day to workout, meditate, cook, spend time with others, the possibilities are endless. While many hours are spent on ourselves, we find that many hours of our weeks are spent with others, playing with our kids, having a meal with family members, or taking a walk with a spouse. While these hours may be taken for granted spending an hour to improve the lives of underprivileged kids is never taken for granted. Tutoring and mentoring for as little as an hour a week can make a huge impact on the lives of others and your community. We have a responsibility to improve the lives of our future generations, to ensure that they are shown love and are cared for. An hour a week can do just that. We all lead busy lives, our hours are full of stressful activities, volunteering is a proven remedy. Studies have shown that volunteering for as little as an hour a week helps boost self-esteem for you and your mentee, reduces stress, and combats depression. University of Pennsylvania business professor Cassie Mogilner has done extensive research on this topic. Her research has shown that people who volunteer their time feel as though they have more of it. “The results show that giving your time to others can make you feel more ‘time affluent’ and less time-constrained than wasting your time, spending it on yourself, or even getting a windfall of free time.” People who gave their time were more likely to continue volunteering regardless of time constraints. It is as simple as an hour a week to enhance young lives. Our time is enriched when it is spent serving others. We have a responsibility and privilege to give to our communities. When we give our time for the benefit of others, our hours never go to waste. [1]Giving Time Gives You Time
“Students Learn From People They Love”: Joanna’s Reflections
Growing up I had severe ADHD and I would often find my name always on the red section on the behavior chart… However, in fourth grade, I had a great teacher, a teacher who didn’t believe I was a “bad” child.
Yuka’s Story “Everything you achieve comes from something you attempt”
If you knew me when I first studied abroad in Canada, you would be surprised that since I came back from Canada, I have studied abroad in Ireland for a year and now am in Washington DC, doing the internship. I studied abroad in Canada because I wanted to change myself. I was the kind of person that always compare myself to others and got disappointed with myself. My mom was worried about me and suggested that I study abroad and see a totally different world. I remember the day when I met my tutor Emily for the first time. That was my first day of school in Canada. Emily was a school assistant and became my tutor because at that time I could not speak English and I needed academic help. I was fortunate enough to have great teachers and a host family, but I felt like nobody would listen to me because of my bad English. For the first couple of months, I was always alone in class with nobody to talk to. Initially, I thought that Emily was going to give me a lecture, but the first thing she asked me to do was call her by her first name. I met with Emily every day and instead of her giving me English lectures, we read books together as well as finished my homework. Sometimes we even practiced how to start talking to classmates, too! I told Emily that I was very scared of talking to someone. What if people reject me? What if people make fun of me? I always hesitated to ask questions and talk to people because I thought nobody wanted to talk to a person who had no confidence in English like me. One day we were reading a book about Martin Luther King and after we finished reading, she said to me, ” Even though you feel like nobody listens to you, if you keep telling your thought and your story with your own words, there is always someone who will listen to you and stay by your side.” She made me realize that I didn’t have to be perfect. As long as I tried to tell my story from the bottom of my heart, there would always be someone who would listen to me and cared about me. Whenever I needed help, Emily was always there for me. Her words of advice kept me going. “Never think that you are not good enough to try. Everything you achieve comes from something you attempt, so make the attempt.” That reminded me why I came to Canada and made me think what I have to do to change myself. After a lot of meetings with Emily, I joined some sports clubs such as basketball and dance at school and started to talk with classmates and my host family. As I started talk to them, I noticed that they were really friendly and always happy to talk to me. I spent such a great time with my friends and host family while I was in Canada. At the end of my stay, I received a student of the month award as well as an outstanding performance award for the international students in Manitoba. The impact Emily has had on me as a tutor will forever be something I am grateful for and my stay in Canada would never have been the same without her. I want every child to have someone that they can trust and rely on. It has been four years since I left Canada, but I still keep in touch with Emily. When times get tough and I need someone to talk to, I always ask Emily for advice. Now, I want to give something back to society. Thinking back on my life, I have never done anything for my society or country. All the things I have done are for myself. In the world, there are a lot of children who do not have access to education. I want to do something for those kids who need help just like Emily did for me. That’s how I connected to DC Tutoring & Mentoring. Sometimes things get tough and I wonder if I am good enough to make a change in the society, but I am reminded of what Emily told me: Everything you achieve comes from something you attempt. I strongly believe that if I want to change the world, I have to be the change that I wish to see in the world.
CivicFest 2018: Here comes the sun!
After several days of heavy rain and overcast weather, Meridian Hill/Malcolm X Park came alive during CivicFest 2018! Last Saturday, DCTMI was joined by over 30 nonprofits – from tutoring and mentoring organizations, to environmental advocates, to fitness groups. Throughout the day, attendees learned about the critical issues facing our community and the work that needs to be done to build a safer, more equitable, and more compassionate DC. Many reported signing up for multiple volunteering and advocacy opportunities. “We ran out of [promotional] literature, which is a good problem to have,” reported one empty-handed partner organization. In addition to learning about local nonprofits, attendees picnicked under the trees, chatted with fellow community members, and visited the Kids Zone to see “the world’s best face painter” (according to one confident six-year-old). On the perimeter of the park, CivicFesters munched on sweet and savory crepes, pizza slices larger than their faces, and several different kinds of chicken. “Holy crepes,” in addition to being the name of one of the food trucks, was a common utterance among satisfied customers. This civic movement was set against the backdrop of Heal & Release DC, led by DeepJust, Aphrosoul, and Jahsonic. (DeepJust expanded Heal & Release to DC last year from New York, Boston, and Atlanta with the help of Aphrosoul.) Heal & Release combined wellness activities such as reiki, yoga, and qigong (tai chi) with “an eclectic blend of deep metaphysical alternative dance music that fed the soul.” To Aphrosoul, the connection between CivicFest and Heal & Release DC was clear: “In the words of the late Michael Brody, ‘If we can dance together, we can live together.’” Participants sang, danced, and sweat together in temperatures that topped 90 degrees. DCTMI hopes this shared experience – humid as it was – will support its long-term goal of getting people to work together across class, race, and ideology.
Let’s Get Civic
#letsgetcivic By Cassondra Meadows Lets get civic! It sounds great and catchy, but is it more than just a phrase to sling around? Absolutely. Being civic-minded means thinking about our city, Washington, D.C., first. In my experience, thinking “civic” means taking action on issues D.C. faces. Communities are made up of many people with different experiences and backgrounds, not just one person. Taking civic action should not fall to one individual; it should be tackled by the community as a united group. When something is wrong or hurts our community, we should all feel compelled to act on it and correct the wrong for the betterment of all of us. But, it’s okay, someone else will make that change. Unfortunately, that’s not as likely as you might think. Don’t be afraid to take the first step towards getting to know your neighbors, finding the solution for a local problem, or even just researching an issue. We’re not saying that everyone should jump head first into complicated issues by themselves. What we are saying is that it takes a community to make real change, and it starts with one voice speaking out on behalf of a community, backing them. Here at the DC Tutoring & Mentoring Initiative, we have an inspirational example of this right across the street at the historic Meridian Hill/Malcolm X Park. For many years, this was considered one of the most dangerous parks in the area. The park acquired a negative reputation within the surrounding neighborhoods that deterred community members from visiting this park. Until a group decided to take the park back. Steve Coleman was one of the leading voices in their campaign. Coleman is the Executive Director and President of Washington Parks and People. Coleman led his local neighborhood crime patrol, which evolved into Friends of Meridian Hill. He developed a volunteer patrol to get to know people in the area and help deter crime after a tragic crime. A young boy was shot and killed in front of his house. The neighborhood gathered attempting to make sense of the situation. The police were saying to stay inside, but the group knew that something had to be done. The neighbors established the volunteer patrol because they believed in thinking beyond themselves. They wanted to see real change within their neighborhood, so they took a stand. From being labeled as one of the most unsafe parks to being a hub of community activity, the park has come a long way because a few committed individuals decided to make a change. This group would go out at night on strolls to meet the people in the park. They modeled their approach after two grandparents from the Southeast who took to the streets to fix the crime in their neighborhood. The grandparents had one rule: Say hello to everyone. Coleman and his group adopted this rule along with two others: “Never carry a weapon or something that could resemble one” and “Travel and work in multiracial groups.” Coleman remarked that approaching strangers at night was not easy, but it was what was best for the community. He also found that “these people, although they seem intimidating to approach, were phenomenal assets.” These small patrols eventually evolved into a larger group that would lead community cleanup days, host performances, and sponsor other fun activities. As the group started working to bring the park back, they encountered many people who cared deeply about Meridian Hill. As the group dove deeper into the park’s history, its members uncovered different stories and reasons about why the park mattered so much to people. Coleman said, “We set about trying to bring that story back to life, to give both the memories and dreams a new chance at being real.” The group embodied a civic mindset and created real change by transforming the park into a place where community events are held and families go to spend the day. Walking into this park now, people are walking their dogs and children are squealing in delight as they play. We invite you to come out to Meridian Hill/Malcolm X Park on Saturday, July 21st from 12-8 pm! Find out more and get tickets at civicfest.us! Join us as we say “Let’s get civic!”
It Takes a Village
It Takes a Village By Rob Sanford “The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” Coretta Scott King (2000) I remember my dad playing catch with me when I was 7, and my mom walking me through multiplication tables when I was 10. I remember older Boy Scouts teaching me leadership skills when I was 13, and the many moments my English teacher gave me guidance when I was 15. When I applied for college, a counselor at my school walked me through every difficult step. When I arrived at college, many more counselors appeared in the form of professors, upperclassmen, and employers. I’m the benefactor of fantastic communities, communities different in appearance but identical in purpose: providing support to one another. I would not be where I am today without the help of those named, in addition to many more unnamed relatives, neighbors, and friends that supported me. If you know what I’m referring to – if you, like me, can pinpoint the people that taught you those invaluable lessons that stick with you today – then you are among the fortunate ones. As it happens, however, there exists a population of people here in D.C. who are not as fortunate and lack that kind of support. According to results of the 2017 edition of the PARCC, a standardized exam given in DC public schools, 82% of white students are on course to go to college and begin careers, while only about a quarter of black and Latino students can say the same. 60,000 D.C. students are not reading at grade level, and over 850, or 27%, of DCPS high school seniors failed to graduate last year. “Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.” President John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address (1961) In a city known for politics, it’s tempting to point fingers at the government. As politically engaged individuals, we can criticize city officials for inept actions or lack of any actions at all. But there’s a difference between political engagement and civic engagement. The former is respectable; born in our founding documents, it asks that first we listen closely before choosing wisely at the ballot box. But the latter is extraordinary. It asks not for passive attention, but demands that we roll up our sleeves and take things into our own hands. At DCTMI, we believe it’s on us to forge relationships, construct communities, and reach out to those in need. We believe that if each of us took an hour out of their week to be that tutor, that mentor, that counselor that plays a priceless part in someone’s life, the city would be a more compassionate and equitable place for all. Join us and our numerous partner organizations for CivicFest on Saturday, July 21st to learn how you can play a valuable role in our community. Connect with nonprofits doing the long-term work that needs to be done in education, the environment, reproductive rights, and social justice. Find out more and get tickets at civicfest.us!
Leaping Over Hurdles to get Volunteers in Schools
Leaping Over Hurdles to Get Volunteers in Schools By Erika Heddesheimer The expectations placed upon teachers in our current educational system are overwhelming, especially at schools where a majority of students are struggling with fundamentals. In D.C. specifically, two out of three kids are reading below grade level. During the 2016-2017 school year, only around 30% of students scored Level 4 or 5 on the end-of-year Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) math and English language arts assessments. Level 4 and 5 represent the students who are considered “college and career-ready,” which means that two-thirds of students lack the skills and knowledge they need to thrive. Students require more one-on-one or small-group support than teachers alone have time to provide. Reading Partners, a organization that provides tutors for students throughout the city, reported that in the 2016-2017 school year, 90% of kindergarten-2nd grade students who went through its program mastered key foundational reading skills needed to read at grade level. Meanwhile, 83% of the 11,257 Reading Partners students met or exceeded their primary end-of-year literacy growth goal. The Reading Partners program is just one example of how volunteers can play a vital role in lessening the burdens placed upon educators and helping students catch up. For schools that do not have access to programs like Reading Partners, though, recruiting and managing volunteers presents a substantial hurdle in bringing in extra help. Jay Mathews, a writer for The Washington Post, explored the hurdles for teachers in his June 11th article, “Retirees would be ‘dream’ volunteers, but few schools seem to want their help.” Mathews talked to teachers and retired educators throughout the DMV area, all of whom had difficulty bringing volunteers into the classroom or serving as volunteers themselves. The hurdles are of two types. First, the current restrictions and regulations for new volunteers present a problem. In Washington, D.C., it is required that all volunteers either get one-time clearance through a clearance exception from District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) or get a background check from DCPS. The background check includes fingerprinting and a recent tuberculosis test. This clearance is essential for the safety and well-being of the children, but acts as a deterrent for volunteers. Time commitments and cost become hurdle two and three towards volunteering in DCPS. D.C. has the sixth highest number of cases of tuberculosis (TB) in the United States, and children – especially children of color – run the highest risk of contracting TB. However, the Center for Disease Control reported only 3.7 cases for every 100,000 people. While clearing all volunteers for TB seems like the safest choice, it appears to have more negative implications than positive. TB tests and readings can cost around $70 at clinics in D.C., making them inaccessible to volunteers with financial limitations. This further marginalizes any community member who hopes to make a positive impact in a child’s life. Neighboring counties such as Fairfax County in Virginia and Montgomery County in Maryland do not set as rigorous a standard for volunteers. In Fairfax County, only a background check is required for volunteering in public schools. In Montgomery County, Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect online training and background checks are required for volunteers who are with students for extended periods of time. Similar requirements exist in Prince George’s County, Maryland and Arlington County, Virginia. This is the first hurdle for new volunteers getting in the door. A second hurdle is the ongoing management and support for volunteers to ensure that they are showing up on time and on a regular schedule and that they are working effectively with their students. What can traditional public or charter schools do to get the support they need for volunteers? Some have tried giving teachers a stipend to assume the added role of volunteer coordinator but this seems to be a recipe for failure in schools where the teachers are already overwhelmed. A better approach could be teaming with a nonprofit community group that specializes in working with volunteer tutors and mentors and that can embed one or two volunteer coordinators in a school. Garrison Elementary School in Ward 2 is a perfect example. Garrison works with DC Tutoring & Mentoring Initiative (DCTMI) partner organizations -– Everybody Wins and Project Northstar -– and their parent-teacher organization (PTO) to bring in tutors and mentors for students. DCTMI can help close the gap between people who want to help and students who need help. DCTMI helps recruit and organize volunteers – including retired educators – and places them with one of the myriad tutoring and mentoring organizations across the city, a process which can be daunting for an individual unacquainted with the field. Communities in Schools, Higher Achievement, Reading Partners, and many of DCTMI’s partner organizations have volunteer coordinators in place to fill the gap between volunteers and schools and ease the on-boarding process. DCTMI is able to pair the skills of volunteers with the needs of our 44 partner organizations in order to create a partnership in which both the students and mentors succeed, while also lessening the burden on volunteers and teachers.
Northstar Tutoring
Living in a family with low income can be difficult for any child, especially if the child wants to be successful in school and in a career. There are many academic support programs for students in the DC area, but if the student comes from an underprivileged family the student won’t have the finances to pay for that support. That is why Northstar Tutoring provides tutors who will help these kids achieve academic success, as well as be there for them as a mentor. Located at the Latin American Youth Center in Columbia Heights, Northstar offers free one-on-one tutoring to underprivileged kids from Pre-K through 12th grade. When students arrive, they receive help with their homework and are given folders with math and reading worksheets. At the end of the day, based on what subjects the students need improvement in, the tutors indicate what materials the student needs in the folder for the next week. Tutoring sessions occur for an hour and a half from 6:30pm to 8:00pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. 85% of the kids who come to the tutoring sessions attend on both days, Director of Northstar Jen Townsend said. However, some tutors can only come once a week, so a student could receive help from two different people. Tutors at Northstar also act as mentors for the kids. Being a mentor for a student makes the tutoring sessions easier because both the mentor and the student get to learn about each other and figure out how to work efficiently together. It helps with student attendance to the sessions as well. “The more they get to know each other, the more they don’t want to let each other down by not showing up,” Townsend said. One of the responsibilities that comes with mentoring is taking the student on a daytrip once every month, visiting places like museums on the National Mall, the movies, or Nationals Park. The tutors plan this daytrip so it fits into their schedules. Another part of being a mentor is being involved with the student’s life. Some of the students’ parents do not speak English, so the tutors will go to school meetings or doctor appointments with the parents. Kellsie and Minerva, two of the students at Northstar Tutoring, said the tutors make it easier for them to understand their homework and the practice materials given to them. They get to know the tutors better after working with them every week and going with them on the daytrips. They both agreed if they were to ever participate in a tutoring program at their schools, they wouldn’t get the same experience as they did at Northstar because they have formed special bonds the tutors there. Northstar provides a computer lab and library at their facility, which are necessary for the students’ educations, Townsend said. Some kids don’t have access to computers and many are given assignments that require the Internet or other computer programs. The library provides books to kids who are excited about reading but don’t have books at home. Tutoring at Northstar gets people involved with the DC community and young students’ education in the district. “The kids are desperate for someone to guide them and make a big impact on their lives,” Townsend said. “You will never regret helping out a kid in need.” In the future, Townsend hopes to open up more locations, especially in Southeast. She doesn’t want to increase the variety of programs that Northstar offers, but wants to broaden the scope of what they are already doing, which is tutoring and mentoring. To learn more about Northstar Tutoring, visit northstartutoring.org. If you are interested in volunteering, you can fill out the online sign-up form.