Embracing the Community

 Exploring Starlings Volleyball Club 

http://starlingsvolleyballcola.org/

Over the past 2013-2014, I had the unique opportunity to witness a very special organization that is doing it's part to provide students with a volleyball club that aids in the growth and development of student athletes. Starling is a non-profit organization that started in San Diego in 1996 and has since grown nation wide. The Los Angeles chapter "provides girls from diverse lower socio-economic environments the opportunity to play club volleyball. Starlings Volleyball encourages teamwork, positive life skills, and academic achievement." I accidentally came across the club, one day after I met up with a teacher at West Adams High. What I witnessed, was remarkable. Coaches and staff worked together to hold a try-out for girls of varying ages at West Adams High. The students were so enthusiastic about the opportunity and all of the them worked really hard during try-outs to impress the coaches to participate in a full season of volleyball. After implementing my CIP (Community Inquiry Project) I feel this program is not only another asset to add to the community map, but also an organization that I could see myself participating in as a coach. Over the summer, Starlings will be holding a summer clinic every Wednesday and I strive for everyone (teachers and students) to take a look at their website and come out if your looking to sweat a little bit while building the community of our Los Angeles youth. 

 Community Inquiry Project

As a social justice educator, I have made it my responsibility to play an active role in the community in which I teach. After teaching a couple of weeks at John Muir, I saw that there was a need to provide the students with more extra-curricular activities in and out of school. A lot activities in the Los Angeles community are around but most of the students were just unaware that they existed. For this reason, a fellow student-teacher, Joseph Choi, and myself developed an interacted brochure and map for each of our students that provided them with insight on different activities that they could access after school or on the weekends. The activities ranged from sporting clubs to museums and to libraries. Overall, I found that the students have really enjoyed having the brochures and I have received feedback that some students are utilizing the activities listed on the brochure.