Summer School and Tutoring

I am currently enrolled in summer school. I will not only be taking PAF 484:Internship, but I am also taking PAF 460: Public Ethics as well. For summer session B, I'm enrolled in PAF 340: Contemporary Policy Issues. So, I am a bit worried about my time management. However, I have completed my first week at America Reads and I will meet the children enrolled in our summer program next week. America Reads has several site partners that host the program and ASU students go to the sites to tutor. My site is the Salvation Army Kroc Center in South Phoenix. The kids and staff will do group activities to get comfortable with each other and then we decide the two kids we want to tutor. I hope the students I tutored in the spring will be in the summer program. 

The two students I tutored in the spring were in third and first grade. They both were girls and it was easy to connect with them, since I'm a girl too. I loved creating 'girly' learning activities. My first grader loved princesses and I had her wear a Burger King crown that I decorated while she summarized and 'acted out' the princess story we just read together. She loved the crown. I am excited about tutoring and sad because this will be my last semester with America Reads. My classes for next semester are during the evening hours and interfere with the tutoring hours. So, I will make this summer count with America Reads and plan to have the most fun with my co-workers and 'tutees'. 

A Typical Day

My duties and responsibilities vary each day. However, this is what my typical day is:

8:30AM: Arrive at TRIO Downtown office
9:00AM: Staff Meeting-Update of projects and brainstorming session (staff helps each other and shares concerns or troubles)
10:00AM: Replying to emails
10:20AM: Researching coach models from ASU Tempe SSS and First Year Success Center
11:30AM: Assigned a task or review comments from staff of shared document given at meeting
12:15PM: Lunch- I usually work while eating
12:30PM: Preparing for meeting with TRIO Devils
1:00PM: Continue research and organizing notes for coach handbook
1:30PM: TRIO Devils meeting
3:00PM: Continue organizing notes and start writing coach handbook (not much)
4:30PM: Give documents pending approval to staff member responsible for approval and prepare to go home
5:00PM: Done for the day

Every day is different, but this is how my schedule was for a day last week. This past week, the application for the student advisory board was completed and was approved by my supervisor. So, one of my responsibilities/assignments is partially completed. Now, I must advertise this board to current TRIO students, review submitted applications, interview perspective candidates, and finalize selections by June 20th. The deadline for the advisory board application is June 6th. Currently, I am researching and writing the coach model handbook. I plan to have a draft of the handbook completed by the end of this week (by Friday, May 30th). I plan to present the handbook at the next staff meeting.

About ASU TRIO Downtown SSS

TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) is a federal program and institutions of higher education compete for grant funding to host TRIO programs. ASU has seven TRIO programs: Upward Bound, Veteran's Upward Bound, three Student Support Services, SSS-Disability, and SSS-STEM. The purpose of all TRIO programs is to assist those with disadvantaged backgrounds to attend and graduate college with a bachelors degree. The target population for TRIO SSS are individuals who identify as low-income, first-generation college students, and those with disabilities. TRIO Downtown SSS offers tutoring, free printing, availability to computers, cultural programs, and academic workshops (such as; studying skills, time management, etc.). The program at ASU Downtown serves 150 students attending the campus.

During my internship, I will be creating and implementing programs to increase student participation and assistance. I will create a tutor/coach model to assist incoming students, a student advisory board, enhance workshops into a professional development series, and assist with the student organization, TRIO Devils.

Hello! My name is Tessa Otero and I will be a senior for the 2014-2015 school year. I am majoring in Public Service & Public Policy at Arizona State University's School of Public Programs and hope to graduate Spring 2015. This summer, I will be interning for the TRIO Downtown Student Support Services (SSS) office in Phoenix, Arizona. I am very excited about this opportunity.

More information about me:

• I am the oldest of three. My little brother is 16 years old and my sister is 13 years old.
• I work part-time at the City of Phoenix Burton Barr Central Library in downtown Phoenix.
• I will be a summer America Reads tutor at the Salvation Army Kroc Center.

During my internship at TRIO Downtown SSS, I am responsible for creation and implementation of these new programs:

• Creating a tutor/student coach model for the program. I must create a student coach handbook, evaluation process, and I will be part of the hiring process.
• Developing a student leadership board that will advise staff about potential and future TRIO services and programs to enhance student experiences.
• Assist the student organization, TRIO Devils, to grow and maximize its impact for TRIO students.
• Assist and learn about grant writing.

I am happy to be interning at TRIO Downtown SSS and all the opportunities it will bring!