know that student service teams

normally serve between 3-5 different

organizations each summer. Teens love

the variety of project options and non

profit missions. They feel they have a

better sense of the community by

interacting with so many stellar groups.

However, many of our youth are unable

to articulate the overall mission and

strategies of any given organization and

could only speak to their specific service

project details and outcomes.

We couldn’t think of a

more comprehensive,

equipped and ready

group than MPFS to

take on 60+ kids to

enhance current

services and

resources while

developing knowledge-

able teen ambassadors for such an

important local cause.

THANK YOU just isn’t enough for all of

the staff time, resources, & welcoming

spirit MPFS provided. SPECIAL THANKS

to Marshall Curry for his support! This

was one of our best summers to-date.

—Laurie Shaw-Casarez,

Youth Development, City of Salem

A collaborative project

of the following:

A service-learning

leadership camp

empowering teens

to create positive

community change

through:

Peer-to-Peer

Advocacy

Youth-Adult

Partnerships

Individual Skill

Development

Personal and

Community

Goal-Setting

Service-

Learning

Projects

Why wouldn’t we want to join

the fight to end hunger?

Because we’re too young?

Many of us have experienced a bare

fridge. Many of us have received a food

box. Many of us are enrolled in the

Free and Reduced Meals Program in

school and camp. And if we haven’t

faced hunger in our lives, then we know

someone who has.

We can be a part of the solution now!

These collective statements were

expressed during CAREcorps before

students ever stepped foot onto Marion-

Polk Food Share (MPFS) headquarters.

The idea of serving people beyond the

Salem-Keizer area was exciting and our

teens couldn’t wait to get started on

learning & serving.

For the 2015 year, the collaborative

partners sought to hone in on just one

social/environmental issue and ideally

partner with only one non profit. Camp

is filled with self-discovery and team-

building activities, skill development,

project planning and implementation,

leadership opportunities and AVID

concepts. In order to elevate our

mission to the next level, it would

require intentionally building stronger

bonds between students and the

causes and organizations we serve.

If you’re familiar with CAREcorps, you’ll

July 2015

We observed a

stronger, more

unified Corps as a

result of our sole

focus on ending

hunger.

2015 MARION-POLK FOOD SHARE PROJECTS:

SEED SHED BUILD at the MPFS headquarters.

YOUTH FARM ENHANCEMENTS at Oregon School for the Deaf.

HAMMOND COMMUNITY GARDEN DEVELOPMENT at Hammond Elementary School.

ACCESSIBLE GARDEN CREATION at the MPFS headquarters.

YOUTH AMBASSADOR FOOD DRIVE PLAN for local high school participation.

S ERVICE -L EARNING I S A TEACHING & LEARNING STRATEGY THAT INTEGRATES

M EANINGFUL COMMUNITY SERVICE WITH INSTRUCTION

AND REFLECTION TO ENRICH THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE ,

TEACH CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY , AND STRENGTHEN

COMM UNITIES . WWW . SERVICELEARNING . ORG

Teen

Leaders

9th

grade

10-12th

grade

% of students who

AGREE/STRONGLY

AGREE

% of students who

AGREE/STRONGLY

AGREE

I think freshmen

should return to

CAREcorps as

10th graders.

Youth can help

change an issue

in school or the

community for

the better.

How Camp Works...

2 service projects captured on film thanks to CCTV.

Go to youtube.com. Search: “CAREcorps 2015”

13 paid positions were created for (5) high school upper-

classmen leaders, (6) team mentors and (2) teaching

staff. (5) Volunteer student leadership roles were also

filled.

61 students participated representing the Salem Keizer

Public School District’s 6 traditional high schools, 1

non traditional. Up from 51 in 2014.

74 hours of approximate volunteer time provided by

community members to student service projects.

267 volunteer hours provided by service teams past camp

hours.

595 in cash donations were received through youth

solicitations and the South Salem Connect Challenge.

6810 dollars in donated items, in kind services and

borrowed equipment were secured by youth from 36

local businesses, civic groups & individual donors.

1. 8th & 9th grade students in the Salem Keizer School

District apply for camp through their school’s AVID

Program before the school year ends.

2. In late Spring, CAREcorps provides an INTERVIEW DAY

followed by several evening orientations with 1 or more

partnering non-profits. In June, TRAINING WEEK is

held for paid and volunteer leadership positions for

11th and 12th graders.

3. High School Leaders select service projects presented

by the partnering non-profit. Representatives share

potential projects and needs and request teen support.

4. In July, youth lead volunteer teams of rising 9th-12th

graders (both new & returning members) in pre-

selected projects.

5. Service teams are trained and then research, plan &

implement projects all within a 3 week period.

6. CAREcorps celebrates student efforts by inviting the

community to service team presentations the last day

of camp.

7. Members receive a certificate of achievement at the

event and are eligible for Letters of Recommendation.

“The way we help and serve our community in

CAREcorps has helped me realize that I can do so

much for so many people in such little time.

—Genesis Ocegueda

10th Grade Member

McKay High School

I saw there was a connection

between the love I have for

science and the love I have

for helping others. CARE-

corps has helped me narrow

down my future career goals

by allowing me to learn my

love for serving others.”

—Jessica Martinez

11th Grade Leader

West Salem High School

“I have woken up early on

summer mornings to Make

[SALEM] Better for two years

now and the impact it has

had on me is more than

words can say. I have

created good memories,

stayed focused on my goals

and have created a better

outlook on life….I have had

more support in the base-

ment of the IKE Box Café

[camp base] than anywhere

else. It has changed my

life.”

—Elizabeth Garibay

10th Grade Member

McKay High School

“I liked being around people

who care as much about

helping as I do. I learned

that no matter what stereo-

types are out there, we

don't have to stay in them,

we can be better and make

the world a better place. I

kept showing up because I

was given an opportunity to

help others and I wanted

to. Although I enjoy being

lazy sometimes, it's also

important to do what you

can to make someone's life

better.

—Rebecca Nash

9th Grade Member

West Salem High School

2015 Highlights...

Reinforces key AVID components for all

members.

Networks teens across school campuses

and fosters friendships across socio-

economic and racial lines.

Creates a bridge for incoming 9th graders

to positively connect with upperclassmen

from shared high schools.

Provides “real world” skill development

activities to improve college & workforce

readiness.

Provides upperclassmen leaders & 2nd

year members a City of Salem letter of

recommendation for college portfolios and

resumes upon request.

Provides a (.5) community service elective

credit after completing 2 years of camp;

the equivalent of 1 semester of class.

Links members to activities, to camp staff

and to resources throughout the upcoming

school year & beyond.

9th

grade

10-12th

grade

Teen

Leaders

I feel we

accomplished what

we set out to do.

Participating in this

project helped me

develop & practice

skills for real life. (note-taking, budgeting,

teamwork, leadership,

public speaking, project

planning)

% of students who

AGREE/STRONGLY

AGREE

% of students who

AGREE/STRONGLY

AGREE

CAREcorps...

*53 of 61 campers submitted post-camp evaluations.

Dorothy Patch

Community

and

Educational

Achievement

Award

2011

HASBRO Community Action Hero

Grant & Honors

1 of 10 out of 14,000 entries world-wide

“CAREcorps feels like a

2nd family of teens from

all the Salem-Keizer high

s c hoo l s…. I thou gh t

[camp] would be boring

but CAREcorps made me

feel different about

myself. I had fun while I

w o r k e d b u t m o s t

importantly, I got to know

other teens [too]. I

learned different ways of

helping the community

and I could feel proud of

myself for making a

difference!”

—Melony Cabrera

10th Grade Member

South Salem High School

Youth Ambassador Food Drive

After spending my 1st

summer with CAREcorps

and returning to school, I

realized that I myself

could have influence over

what happens in my

school. [ECHS] lacked a

Student Government.

With the knowledge,

skills and resources I

had, I did everything in

my power to instigate

change...that would

impact the entire student

body.

As a result of [my re-

search] and meetings

with faculty, I formed [it].

[This] is pretty noteworthy

because I’m usually a

quiet person who just

minds their own business

and only focuses on my

own wellbeing.

However, CAREcorps has

taught me that I should

not only look in [my] lane

but should pay attention

to how the road is

structured as well as to

the other people in

different lanes.”

—Tapiwa Kapurura

11th Grade Leader

Early College High School

“What I miss most from camp [already] is having fun while learning

and helping the community.”

—Oscar Figueroa

9th Grade Leader

McKay High School

Seed Shed Accessible Garden

Learning Gardens Youth Farm

2012 2013

MPFS September

Garden Tour:

West Salem

Community Garden

Service Project Highlighted

2013

SKEF/MPFS Fall

Ribbon Cutting:

Aquaponics

Greenhouse

Service Project Highlighted

Pictured: McKay Campers with Senator Peter Courtney.

AVID: Advancement Via Individual Determination*

For More Information: Laurie Shaw Casarez, City of Salem

(lshawcasarez@cityofsalem.net

503 540-2321

Krina Lee, Salem-Keizer Education Foundation

krina@skeducationfoundation.org

503 932-3201

Mark Bulgin, Isaac’s Room, Inc. (Ike Box -Ike Quest)

mark@ikebox.com 503 581-6154

CAREcorps’ Families

Individual Donors &Vols

13th Street Nursery

Ace Hardware (W. Salem)

Ace Hardware (SE Salem)

Action Pallets

Barbara Bamford

Family YMCA of Marion and Polk Counties

Freres Lumbers (Mill City)

Home Depot (SE Salem)

Ike Box Café

Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Store

JW Hartzer Carpet Installation

Keizer Nursery and HydroGardening Center

Ken Eatwell

CAREcorps Members &

Upperclassmen Leadership

2015

Early College High Susana Munive 11th grade

Tapiwa Kapurura, Jr.* 11th grade

Rosa Emilia Gonzalez Enriques 9th grade

Flor Maciel 9th grade

Andrea Auina Cervantes 9th grade

Ariel Juarez 9th grade

Yenedith Quintero* 11th grade

McKay High Gabriela Santoyo 11th grade

Jhoanna Barragan 11th grade

Roberto Garcia 12th grade

Esther Ceron 9th grade Janet Flores 9th grade Shaylee Lathrop 9th grade Cesar Ramirez 9th grade

Antonio Muñoz 9th grade

Dorion Bell 9th grade Angelica Brown Vidaña 9th grade

Marco Morales 9th grade

Oscar Figueroa Ponce 9th grade

Jasmin Ramos 9th grade

Stephanie Warren 9th grade

Valerie Garibay 10th grade

Xiunelly Concepcion Nicolas 10th grade

Citlalli Casteneda Ruelas 10th grade

Lizabeth Castenda 10th grade Elizabeth Garibay-Diaz *10th grade

Genesis Oceguedo *10th grade

Jessica Daggett* 10th grade

Jacqueline Castillo 12th grade

McNary High Jaret Brown 12th grade

McKenize O’Dell 12th grade

Rachel Ross 10th grade

North Salem High No representation.

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Lowe’s Home Improvement

Marion Polk Food Share

Marty Tomberg Charitable Fund

Marshall Curry

NW Greenlands Recology Company

Parr Lumber Company Salem

Rick Retzman

Salem First Presbyterian Church

Salem Keizer Schools (AVID Program)

Salem Leadership Fdn

Salem Printing & Blue Prints

Sherwin Williams (Keizer)

Sherwin Williams (S. Salem)

Star Rentals

Western Interlock

High School

Graduation Rate Of

Salem-Keizer AVID

Students in 2015.**

Percentage Of Local

AVID Graduates

Accepted Into A 4-Year

College/University. **

teens in the past 4

years have earned

the high school

community service

elective credit (.5)

thru CAREcorps.

students have completed

at least one year of camp

since its launch in 2011.

South Salem High Gardenia Valdez 11th grade

Benvolio BourqueValente 9th grade

Ariel Juarez 9th grade

Dylin Farrior 9th grade

Andrew Nguyen 9th grade

McKenzie Ellis 9th grade

Molly Steel-Miller 9th grade

Juan Vargas 9th grade

Elizabeth Varela 9th grade

Melina Gomez 9th grade

Tiffanie Eaton 9th grade

Deanna Chavez 9th grade Melony Cabrera* 10th grade

Leslie Hernandez* 10th grade

Sulema Medina* 10th grade

Christy O’Connor* 10th grade, Non AVID

Janeth Hernandez 10th grade

Leslie Calderon Villa *10th grade

Mayra Victoria Guijon* 10th grade

Sprague High Skylar Lopez 9th Bryce Oakes* 10th grade

Jestin Ulin 11th grade

West Salem High Irene Esther-Comer 11th grade

Jessica Martinez*11th grade

Rebecca Nash 9th grade

Hannah Wakefield 9th grade

Kerissa Butler 9th grade

Hailey Tipton 9th grade

Toan Ngo*10th grade

The AVID Student

AVID targets students in the academic middle - B, C, and

even D students - who have the desire to go to college

and the willingness to work hard. Typically, they will be

the first in their families to attend college, and many are

from low-income or minority families. AVID pulls these

students out of their unchallenging courses and puts

them on the college track: acceleration instead of

remediation.* *www.avid.org

**http://www.salkeiz.k12.or.us/inside24j

Thank you South Salem Connect for creating and susta in ing the “SSC CHALLENGE” for 3 of our 5 years of programming. SSC provides $100 to each service team for projects with the caveat that campers find donation matches. What a difference it makes when seeking support.

THANK YOU THANK YOU Partners & SupportersPartners & Supporters