August 7, 2020

Sango's Story

This fall, Burlington High School sophomore, Sango, was struggling to understand her classes. Sango was born in Somalia and her first language is Swahili. She was having trouble structuring sentences in English and using the metric system.

In September, Sango’s teacher referred her to the Help Desk in the school library. Since then, Marelyn, our Multicultural Youth Program (MYP) AmeriCorps staff member, has given Sango support with both her math and English classes as well as encouraged her to ask for more help when she needs it.

“The Help Desk was launched at the request of the Burlington School District,” says Marelyn, “when they found that several students from refugee families were dropping out of high school due to the challenges they faced at school and at home.”

MYP has Help Desks in Burlington, Winooski, and now Essex High Schools, staffed with help from the Association of Africans Living in Vermont, Vermont Refugee Resettlement Program, and the Community and Economic Development Office. We also provide support out of school through organized community activities, an afterschool space for extra assistance, and an annual Youth Leadership Conference.

“For students new to the US, understanding what is going on at school can be difficult, to say the least,” says Daimeyon Williams, the MYP Manager at Spectrum. “The Help Desks are really there so our staff can provide on-site assistance with any challenge that a student who identifies as multicultural might be facing, whether that’s academic, at home or work, or out in the community”

“My teachers were the ones who told me about the Help Desk and then I met some of the help desk guys. I’ve now come at least ten times to get help with my work,” Sango says.

Since Sango began getting help, her grades have improved and she is able to understand more in her classes. Most importantly, she now has the confidence to ask for help when she needs it.

February 07, 2020

Ariel's Story

We recently interviewed Ariel, one of the youth staff at Detail Works, Spectrum’s car detailing business. Here is Ariel’s story:

I came from family that wasn’t exactly the smartest or the nicest. No matter where you come from or what you have experienced—good or bad—it all adds up and you just grow from it. You can't let it tear you down, even if you don’t have parents. That’s what I’m trying to do.

I used to live at my grandmother's and then an opportunity fell in my lap and I was able to rent a room. That's where I got my stable living situation.

Living on my own has shown me what I can really do. I'm learning about myself every day, just like in this job. I love this job.

I didn't really have much of a mother growing up and my dad wasn’t around, but I don't need my parents. I've been through the court system. I was abused in many different ways—physical, emotional, and verbal.

I now have some mental health problems. When I was younger, they got in the way a lot. Now I'm realizing that things can be much different. I like ‘me’ now compared to my past ‘me.’

I found this job because my cousin was working at Detail Works and she told me about it. Detailing cars seemed easy to me. You know, I'm very good at cleaning. So I called them and asked if there was an open position and—BAM—I was in!

Detailing was difficult at first, things are usually difficult in the beginning, right? But as I started coming here every day, doing the work, and learning new things, I just started to get it.

Before I came to Detail Works, I used to be a cashier. I had a lot of different jobs, actually. This is the longest I’ve ever had a job.

In three months after working here, I had gotten two promotions and became a trainer. I like managing people around my age. I know some things that they don't know, and I can teach them and offer them advice.

I also really like the learning process. I've learned how to do headlight restoration, use the buffer, to wax, and I’ve learned how to use lacquer thinner which takes tree sap off the outside of the car.

All of the other jobs I’ve had got me to where I am today, but the difference between all of my other jobs and working at Detail Works is the way that we are treated here.

I'm just proud that I get my butt out of bed every day. I came to work today and continue to do that every day of the week. It is the beginning of everything. You have to take a step forward in order to keep walking.

It is the workers that make Detail Works special. We've all had hard times, but because of Spectrum and the Drop-In Center and Detail Works we’re able to learn and grow. They’re teaching us what we need to know so we have the skills for our future. We’re stronger and better because of it.

Life is hard. It's going to throw stuff at you, but it's what you do with that stuff that matters—and how you do it."

January 03, 2020

A Mentor's Story

Written by Spectrum Mentor, Bob Wheel

In February 2012, I received an e-mail from Dee Johnson, the mentoring coordinator for Spectrum Youth and Family Services saying that she had a young man who was looking for a mentor. And, since we both liked baseball, she thought that we would make a good match.

I had indeed been involved with baseball teams at various levels including a local Legion Baseball team as well as the Vermont Expos & Lake Monsters. I shared some skepticism with Dee, though, that I wouldn’t have the time necessary to commit to such an undertaking. No worries she said, we only require a commitment of one hour per week.

A couple of weeks later I met my young mentee, a 12 year old young man who I found to hold his cards pretty close to his vest. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust people, he just wasn’t real eager to take chances.

Years later, I asked him how he ended up getting a mentor, and he said that he asked his guidance counselor to hook him up with one. That was a pretty bold step for a young man who wasn’t real comfortable with getting too close to people that he didn't know.

We hit it off right out of the gate, but baseball wasn’t an option, there was 3 feet of snow on the ground! Bowling was our first venture, and became a fairly regular event for a number of years.

The first real big connection though was on the mountain at Bolton Valley.

It had been a few years since I had skied, and after a quick trip to the ski shop for a tune up, we were on the mountain.

For years to come, we would hit the mountain for night skiing, often 2 or 3 times per week. I was always a “safe” skier (you can read that as chicken, that’s okay). It didn’t take too many trips to the mountain before he was challenging me to take some side trips into the woods, as well as out onto some of the tougher trails. The mentee becomes the mentor as you would have it!

Winter gave way to spring, and baseball began. My young friend was eager to help me with announcing the games for the high school team that I worked with. He even skipped the party at school following his 8th grade graduation to help me to announce a high school game. Baseball has played a huge part in our relationship. After a few years of announcing with me, Ryan was old enough to play for one of the summer teams that I worked with. Those summers included some overnight travel, and the boys even won the league championship one year.

My young friend was eager to help me with announcing the games for the high school team that I worked with.

Baseball continues to play a big part in the time that we spend together. For a few years he helped me to announce at Little Fenway, last year he put a team together with his co-workers and they won the minor division championship.

We’ve made dinner for various on duty shifts at the Fire Department that I used to work for.

Life just isn’t about baseball and skiing though. We’ve made dinner for various on duty shifts at the Fire Department that I used to work for. Ryan was able to pass the test and obtain his boating license, and now pretty much skippers the boat any time that we are out. From the moment he got his learner’s permit, he’s taken over all of the driving duties, was able to drive my 5 speed Mustang convertible before he finished driver’s ed, and got his driver’s license with no problem.

His work ethic is unlike any of his peers. He works long hours and isn’t afraid to get dirty.

There is that 4 letter word of life “WORK”. School was not my young friend’s favorite activity. He did slug through it though, and graduated on time with his friends. When he turned 15, he went to work. And work he did. His work ethic is unlike any of his peers. He works long hours and isn’t afraid to get dirty. He has proven his worth to his employer, and was recently promoted. At 20 years old, he’s a store manager overseeing 34 employees. He still gets dirty and isn’t afraid to work the less desirable shifts when needed.

Our friendship has developed miles beyond mentoring though.

Ryan has become one of the family. After his first taste of salt water at Hampton Beach early in our friendship he has become hooked. He joins my own family as well as an extended family of about 25 other friends for our annual week at Hampton.

It’s become a friends and family thing.

Life has its ups and downs. I helped him and drove him to the Emergency Room when he hurt his back snowboarding, he helped me and drove me to the Emergency Room when I dislocated my shoulder skiing. It’s become a friends and family thing.

My thanks go out to Dee Johnson, for introducing us and her support in the early years and to Mark Redmond, Le Ann Donner, and Stephanie Ball of Spectrum Youth and Family Services. They have supported my relationship with a lifelong friend, someone who has certainly become a part of the family. All because we both like baseball.

And, oh yeah. That one hour a week that I was afraid that I couldn’t find? In the past 8 years we’ve spent over 2,700 hours together.