A Spark Student Apprentice from Presidio Middle School works in the medical field with an Apprentice Teacher.

 

By The Spark Team

When education budget cuts threaten to decrease funding and other resources for already struggling public schools throughout the Bay Area, it’s important to develop creative problem-solving strategies and explore untapped resources. Spark does this by leveraging what was before a largely underutilized supply of individuals who can volunteer at their own workplaces. In the Bay Area, and in cities throughout the country, there are thousands of people who can fill in the gaps left by a struggling economy.  These people are me, you, and everyone we know—working individuals who have followed a career path, and can share that experience with a young person struggling in school. Spark recruits and trains these willing community members, connects them with students, and, in the process, draws new volunteers into the education system. Our volunteer Apprentice Teachers play an important role in motivating at-risk students in our community to see school as a vehicle for setting and achieving positive goals.

 

We connect adults working in every imaginable field with at-risk students who are struggling to understand the relevance of their education. Meet Gloria and Erica, a Spark Apprentice and Apprentice Teacher pair who underscore Spark’s ability to engage and inspire young students while tapping into the vast resource of professional volunteer mentors in the Bay Area.

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The Apprentice
The most important thing I learned during Spark is that no one can ever tell you that you can never work at your dream job.  School has changed for me because now I work harder to get to my dream job as a person in the medical field.  The thing that surprised me the most about my apprenticeship was how much people welcome you and how much they care about what you want.

My mentor Erica talked to me about what she did in college and what I have to do if I wanted to specialize in the medical field. I think that if I try hard enough I will be able to achieve that dream.

Gloria – 7^th Grade Spark Apprentice, Presidio Middle School

The Apprentice Teacher

“I work as a nurse practitioner at San Francisco General Hospital in orthopedics.  I love my job, I love teaching, and I love being around youth.

I was personally drawn to Spark because, growing up, I had all kinds of ideas in my head as to what I wanted "to be.”  I was lucky to have opportunities to enroll in classes and camps to figure out who I was. Now that I am "grown up" I can look back and see how important all those experiences were in molding me into the individual that I am today, one who’s content and finds much passion in my work. I really wanted to contribute that same "spark" to a student, and help mold him/her into the person they will become.

I really had a very positive experience with my dear student, Gloria. The experience was manageable and rewarding.  A few hours a week is nothing in influencing our future generation to excel and set positive life goals. Gloria and I still keep in touch. Sometimes I think I learned more from her...

Erica Eshoo – Spark Apprentice Teacher, Fall 2009

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Are you interested in mentoring a student through a one-on-one apprenticeship? To learn more about opportunities to be an Apprentice Teacher, check out www.sparkprogram.org or email spark@sparkprogram.org.

Do you have experience mentoring a student in your professional field? Share your story with us.

 

Spark is a youth empowerment program that addresses the dropout crisis by re-engaging at-risk students in their education with hands-on, individualized apprenticeships in their “dream job.” In 2010, the organization will work with 300 students in the Bay Area and Los Angeles. Spark has received the prestigious Ashoka and Draper Richards Fellowships.