Community Experience (CE's)
Each Wednesday during the course of the school year, our students volunteer in the Boulder Valley and Denver communities. They are learning about their community, contributing to it, exploring broad issues of concern, learning work place skills, and creating positive partnerships between adults and high school youth.
Developing a personal "Path" is an essential part of each student's schooling at New Vista. Community Experience serves an important role in the formation of "Path" for students. It is a structured and supported opportunity for each student to explore his or her way of interfacing with, contributing to, and, being in the world of adult work.
To meet the diverse interests and needs of our student body, we would like to offer a wide range of volunteer internship opportunities. Opportunities can vary in type, length of time, and depth of the experience. We are looking for one quarter, two quarters, three quarters or yearlong experiences on Wednesday afternoons for about four hours (other times by special arrangement).
To support mentors and students in their Community Experiences, and to integrate the off-site activity with school based learning, an agreement is crafted between the site, the student and New Vista. During a student's Community Experience, New Vista will communicate on a regular basis with the Community Experience site. Upon receipt of an agreement, The Community Resources Coordinator will mail calendar, attendance, and problem solving information to the Community Experience mentor. Evaluation forms will be mailed to mentors at the end of each quarter. Students will receive school credit based on mentor evaluations and time spent at a site.
Worker's Compensation coverage is sometimes a concern for businesses. Boulder Valley School District's policy covers students enrolled in a school-approved activity, which is not for pay, such as Community Experience, as long as appropriate policies are followed.
What we ask of mentors:
v That our students fill a real need in the organization.
v That there will be a regular time commitment.
v That there is an adult, not related to the student, 21 years old or older, who is knowledgeable in the CE content area, who will be the mentor-supervisor for our student.
v That there will be a job description for our student.
v That the mentor works with the student to set goals and fills out a New Vista CE Agreement form with the student and school at the start of the placement.
v That the mentor be available from time to time to communicate with New Vista staff or parent volunteer about a student's progress.
v That the mentor completes a NVHS Student Evaluation form in a timely manner.
v That a mentor has a genuine interest in working with high school age youth.
In return, NVHS staff will offer the support and resources necessary to foster a successful Community Experience for both the student and mentor.
For more information contact Cheryl McBay, 720 561 8730 or email at Cheryl.McBay@bvsd.org
Community Experience Definitions
Volunteer/Service is an experience where the student will clearly be volunteering his/her time in the community to help or to provide a service in some way, usually in a “not for profit” setting.
Volunteer Internships are experiences in the community where the student receives supervised practical training and or educational information from a mentor or mentors. The student in turn provides some voluntary service connected with his or her placement.
Community Experience Expectations & Evaluation
Student Evaluation Forms will be mailed to mentors a week before the end of each quarter. Students must keep track of their hours. We ask that you and your student meet to review her/his Community Experience and that the student return the completed evaluation and record of hours to NVHS.
Grading is Satisfactory/ Unsatisfactory. Students will be evaluated on some of the following:
· Punctuality
· Attention to tasks
· Positive and willing attitude
· Ability to function independently
· Demonstration of initiative
· Problem-solving skills
· Acceptance of suggestions with a positive and open mind
· Establishment of a good rapport with co-workers
· Attempt to increase knowledge about the agency and/or skills involved in this placement
· How well the tasks/expectations set out in the CE Agreement were met
Thank you for your consideration of our program,
Cheryl McBay
Community Resource Coordinator
New Vista High School