435-797-0633 (VISTA) or 435-797-5720 (RSVP) • pspvista.ut@gmail.com

6505 Old Main Hill Logan, UT 84322 • www.publicschoolpartnership.com

WELCOME, VISTA SUMMER ASSOCIATES 22 Summer Associates Join the PSP Team

Every year, the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) grants a few short-term, summer-service positions called “Summer Associates” to AmeriCorps VISTA projects across the country. Summer Associates are unique in that they, unlike full-term VISTA Members, engage in direct service activities such as running summer camp groups and teaching English to children. This year’s Summer Associate sites include Adams Elementary, Cache Makers, Cache Refugee & Immigrant Connection (in partnership with Ellis Elementary), The Family Place, The Logan Family Center, Mountain Crest HS, Stokes Nature Center, and USU’s Center for Civic Engagement & Service Learning (in partnership with Utah Conservation Corps).

This is PSP’s largest group of Summer Associates – we hired 22 highly motivated individuals to serve alongside our full-term VISTA members and community partners for the next 10 weeks. On May 30, we also visited the CNCS State Office in Salt Lake City for the annual Summer Associate training, where all Utah-based Summer Associates took the oath of service, vowing to “get things done for America.”

RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS Recent Grads and Newly Accepted Students

Throughout the month of May, many of PSP’s VISTA Members celebrated college graduation or received an official letter of accepted into a higher education program. PSP VISTA Member and new

graduate student Stacie Denetsosie even recognized her VISTA service for helping her get into the English graduate program and receive an assistantship at USU –

“I’ve gained valuable experience serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA at The Family Place. I help with resource generation, grant writing and reporting, and program implementation. This work, along with my BA in English, has given me the necessary experience to instruct in an undergraduate classroom.”

Congratulations to these PSP VISTA Members on this incredible accomplishment:

• Stacie Denetsosie - New student Fall ‘17, pursuing master’s degree in English at Utah State University

• Aubree Thomas - New student Summer ’17, pursuing master’s in Social Work at Utah State University)

• Shayley Warner - New student Fall ’17, pursuing training certificate in Substance Abuse Disorder Treatment at University of Utah

• Karen Washburn - New student Fall ’17, pursuing PhD in Education at Utah State University

• Rachel Busenbark - Graduated Spring ’17, bachelor’s in Family, Consumer, and Human, Development from Utah State University

• Dani Gilsdorf - Graduated Spring ’17, master’s in School Counseling from University of Phoenix

SUMMER CONFERENCES & PRESENTATIONS

PSP VISTA Members and Staff at Upcoming Conferences

Here at PSP, we place a lot of emphasis on the importance of professional development during VISTA service, and we encourage VISTA Members to attend and/or present at conferences. This summer,

The Public & School Partnership’s Monthly Newsletter

Summer 2017 Kickoff!

2017 SUMMER ASSOCIATES IN SLC ON MAY 30T H

Summer, 2017

The Public & School Partnership (PSP) is an educational nonprofit organization based at Utah State University in Cache Valley, UT. The PSP accomplishes its mission to eliminate poverty through improving education by building partnerships

between schools, parents, and the surrounding community in northeastern Utah.

several PSP VISTA Members will present at the annual Utah Multi-Tiered Systems of Support Conference in Provo, UT, including: Wes Andrew, Cameron Brewer, Rachel Busenbark, Dani Gilsdorf, Megan Hansen, Jason Jensen, Jaclyn LeBlond, Monique Marsh, Karen Washburn, Dawna Webb, Megan Williams, and Melissa Yardley. They will present on topics such as coordinating a systemic intervention project and Native American student support.

Also, PSP staff Rikki Wheatley-Boxx and Shonna Ferree will host two presentations at the 2017 Points of Light Conference on Volunteering & Service in Seattle, WA. They will present on best practices for National Service collaboration as well as characteristics of a strong National Service leadership team. This is the second year that Rikki and Shonna have been invited to present at this conference.

In addition, Rikki, Shonna, and Melani Hogan-Cephas, PSP VISTA Member with Advocates for School Trust Lands (ASTL), will attend the ASTL Conference in July. Finally, several PSP VISTA Members will attend school counseling conferences and professional development trainings in resource generation and volunteer mobilization.

VISTA MEMBER RECOGNITION Thanking VISTA Members for Their Service

• The Above & Beyond Award for the VISTA who puts in extra effort for PSP, their site, or a struggling student.

• The Good Role Model Award for the VISTA who exemplifies what it means to be a National Service volunteer.

• The Outstanding Outcomes Award for the VISTA who makes big impacts on their site and their community.

• The Determination Award for the VISTA who rises to face challenges and overcomes them unyielding tenacity.

Karen Washburn, Northern Utah Native Connection

The Good Role Model Award

Karen truly serves as an example of the values, attitudes, and behaviors associated with being

an AmeriCorps VISTA Member. Karen is an advocate and is very enthusiastic about serving her community, and she has served as a role model for her fellow VISTA Members, PSP staff, coworkers, and hundreds of students for the past year. Her fellow VISTA Members admire her for her persistence, genuine commitment, and kindness. Karen has taught many members of the PSP team the importance of leading by example and the value of taking the time to understand and care for the people around her. Karen will end her service in August, and we are truly grateful for the lessons she has taught us and her commitment to service over the past year.

HERE IS WHAT WE HAVE COMING UP…

UPCOMING EVENTS

• June 14: PSP Quarterly Training

• June 19-21: 2017 Points of Light

Conference

• June 21-22: 2017 UMTSS Conference

• June 30: Pancake Breakfast @ Von’s

Park

• July 7: Monique’s Birthday!

• July 13: Wes’s Birthday!

• July 21: Summer Service Project

• July 26: PSP Annual Banquet (keep an

eye out for an invitation)

• July 31-August 3: New Member PSO