September 2015
Welcome, Andy!
A message from our new VISTA:
Hello! My name is Andy Dessel, and I am excited to serve as the AmeriCorps PACC VISTA/Together for Tomorrow Coordinator for the 2015-2016 school year! In my role, I will be working collaboratively with the action teams at Downey Elementary School focused on improving student achievement. I will help to facilitate and sustain the strong relationship between Downey and Messiah College.
As we enter year three of the Together for Tomorrow Partnership, our guiding principal focuses on building the long-term sustainability of the initiative. By the end of this year, we envision the faculty, staff, and greater Harrisburg community moving the work of Together for Tomorrow forward for years to come. We hope you are just as excited to continue working towards advancing this goal!
Prior to serving as the Together for Tomorrow Coordinator, I graduated from Penn State University Schreyer Honors College with a degree in Public Policy. In my graduate work at Penn State, I had the opportunity to serve as the President of the Graduate-Professional Student Council, Alternative Spring Break Coordinator, and a Graduate Assistant. I hope to bring my experience working with Wilson College, United Way, and Senator Robert Casey to this new opportunity. Outside of the office, I am a huge baseball fan!
I am looking forward to learning more about the great progress at Downey and working with a diverse range of dedicated community members and the faculty and staff at Downey and Messiah College. Please feel free to say hello!
Thank you, Jaylene!
The entire Together for Tomorrow community would like to recognize Jaylene Nissley for all her of her dedicated work during her 2014-2015 VISTA term of service. Jaylene strengthened the connection and helped build the foundation for a sustainable structure between Messiah College, Downey Elementary, and the Harrisburg community during the past year.
Her work has played a vital role in moving the work of Together for Tomorrow forward towards sustainability. She will now be working with Pennsylvania Counseling Services in Lancaster County. We thank her for her dedication and wish her all the best in her future endeavors!
Alison French (Year One VISTA) and Jaylene worked to build the foundation for Together for Tomorrow. Their efforts have helped facilitate major progress at Downey by building community capacity and moving TFT towards the goal of sustainability during year three.
Into the Streets Day!
On Friday, August 28, over 200 Messiah first year students participated in the annual Into the Streets service initiative.
Students worked collaboratively with teachers and staff getting to know the Downey community while working on a variety of projects both inside and outside the school. Messiah students were introduced to the Together for Tomorrow initiative by school principal, Mr. Travis Peck, and learned about future opportunities for staying engaged with Downey.
Students helped complete a mural design in the cafeteria that features bright colors, fun patterns, and important reminders about working as a leader as part of the Leader in Me Program.
Students were also busy completing several outdoor projects including trash removal around the building, weeding, and placing new mulch throughout the playground.
The Messiah volunteers also helped to reinvigorate the music room with new, fresh paint and hung “speech bubbles” throughout the building that the children created that features their names and a future career goal.
All of these projects were identified to help create the most positive learning environment for the Downey leaders.
The service initiative helps to engage first year students and shows them the impact of service with their new community as part of their orientation to Messiah College. The day represented a special opportunity to strengthen the bond between Downey and Messiah as students got to spend time learning about the Downey community and Together for Tomorrow! Into the Streets is an annual one-day service event organized by the Agape Center at Messiah College.
Every year, around 800 first-year and transfer students wake up on only the second day of their college careers to serve in the greater Harrisburg area.
Upcoming Events!
September 10 President's Conference
Educators and community partners from around the country will come together for the Fifth Annual President’s Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge Gathering at Howard University in Washington, DC.
The Gathering offers an opportunity for students, staff, and administrators to share experiences, learn from experts, and meet White House and Department of Education officials who share a commitment to community service with an interfaith engagement component.
An important part of the program is celebrating all the work that is happening on campuses across the country to provide students with opportunities to develop lifelong skills in interfaith cooperation and community service. Participants will have opportunities to tell stories about what is happening on their campus, learn about best practices, and celebrate ongoing work so that they will return to their campus inspired to take the President’s Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge to the next level.
This promises to be an important opportunity to share how our Together for Tomorrow partnership has not only made a national but international impact!
September 10 Downey School Open House 3:45 PM - 6:00 PM
Join us at this informative gathering for an opportunity to meet teachers and staff and learn about ways to get involved at Downey. Visitors will also have the chance to meet with Harrisburg Smiles, and take a tour of the building. Refreshments will be available. Join us to see the great work happening at Downey and for a chance to win prizes including an electric scooter and a new bike!
September 25 Habit 1 Dress Up and Incentive Day
After School Programs
Extended Program of Learning Opportunities and Recreational Experiences
What is E.X.P.L.O.R.E.? E.X.P.L.O.R.E. is an after-school program operated by the Harrisburg School District. The mission of the program is to extend challenging, vibrant, and relevant learning opportunities to Harrisburg School District students. E.X.P.L.O.R.E promotes youth development by assisting students in identifying and reaching their full potential.
Ms. Tracy Lechthaler and Ms. Jessica Dalinsky, two of Downey's teachers, will be serving as this year's program directors.
Students also have the opportunity to participate in a varety of other after school programs and activities hosted by a number of community organizations including the Boys and Girls Club, Bethesda Mission, Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra, Partnership Planners "Maker Space", the Salvation Army, and other after school team partners. We look forward to working with our community partners as they help provide a safe, productive, and enriching set of after school activities.
Action Teams Launching!
The start of a new school year also means the launching of our Downey Action Teams for the new school year!
The action teams focusing on Academic Improvement, Socio-Emotional 21st Century Life Skills, and Culture of Leadership will begin meeting in early September to design and develop initiatives that support student attendance, positive behavior, course completion, college accessibility, and employability.
Do You Want to Learn More?
“Like” our Facebook page for constant updates
and pictures!
www.facebook.com/tft.downey.messiah
School District website
http://www.hbgsd.k12.pa.us
Agape Center at Messiah College website
http://www.messiah.edu/info/21015/agap%C3%A9_center
We are always open and listening to suggestions for new ways to connect you with information.
Any questions or comments please contact: Andy Dessel, Together for Tomorrow Coordinator at: tftcoord@messiah.edu