Over the past year, The Forsyth Promise team had the honor of serving our community alongside two Americorp VISTAs. As their time with our team draws to a close, we asked them to reflect and share some highlights of their experiences.
Victoria Latham
Why did you decide to commit to a year of service as an Americorps Vista?
I went to undergrad at Wake Forest University and was involved in many different programs that revolved around community service and non-profit work and once I graduated I felt that I still had more to give to the Winston community. My choice to serve for a year as an Americorps Vista really centered around the fact that I could do it here in Winston. I have really enjoyed learning about how to organize a community around education and all that is involved in keeping families and children engaged especially during a year like this with Covid.
Which projects have you worked on as a VISTA with The Forsyth Promise?
This year I spent a lot of time during the school year helping work with the CARES teams to organize any donation requests needed for the schools, help get students and families connected to resources they may need and help run some programming and special events for the schools. For The Forsyth Promise I helped start our monthly newsletter with Sunny and we have been putting out a monthly issue for a while now. This was a really exciting project to help create something new for TFP that will be able to continue long past our time here.
What has been your favorite part of being a VISTA?
This year I really loved working with the schools on their CARES teams and acting as the liaison between the school district and local non-profits. Helping TFP promote the school’s needs and finding more local resources and available programs has been amazing and is a skill that I can take with me in all of my future endeavors.
What are your plans for next year?
Next year I will be starting graduate school at American University’s School of International Service. I am really looking forward to being able to take the professional skills and insight into community development and organizing that I have learned this year and bring it to my studies and research.
Sunny Calhoun
Why did you decide to commit to a year of service as an Americorps Vista?
I was interested in serving as an AmeriCorp VISTA to get engaged in the Winston-Salem non-profit community. Working in a non-profit position alongside support from the fantastic WSCAC VISTA cohort provided a great opportunity to mindfully enter local non-profit and education work.
Which projects have you worked on as a VISTA with The Forsyth Promise?
I worked with the WS/FCS Inspire340 schools to support local student needs through fundraising, parent engagement, and community and business partner outreach. I also focused on building communications for The Forsyth Promise, including the monthly newsletter and other digital initiatives.
What has been your favorite part of being a VISTA?
My favorite part of being a VISTA has been making connections in the local community. It has been an incredible opportunity to collaborate with education and non-profit partners and to see the work happening to support students. Especially during the challenges of maintaining high quality education through the pandemic and remote learning, working as a VISTA this year has taught me so much about community organizing and the power of committed community members.
What are your plans for next year?
Next year I plan to continue focusing on digital communications and to join the team on a cause-oriented digital marketing agency. I’m also looking forward to getting involved in a new community as I relocate to Wilmington, North Carolina.