• Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Linkedin

Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service

Your neighborhood. Your News.

newsMilwaukee NNSMilwaukee NNSSearch
Subscribe to NNS today!
Advertisement
  • Home
  • News
    • Arts and Recreation
    • Community
    • Economic Development
    • Education
    • Health and Wellness
    • Housing
    • Public Safety
    • NNS Spotlight
    • Special Report
  • Posts From Community
    • Submit a Story
  • Community Voices
  • How To
  • Multimedia
    • NNS Local Video
    • Photos
    • NNS on Lake Effect
    • NNS WGLB 1560 Radio
  • Subscribe
  • Donate
  • About
    • Staff
    • Partners
    • News 414
    • The neighborhoods we cover
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service

Diederich College of Communication, Marquette University

You are here: Home / Home / Carousel / Student returns to alma mater as mentor, role model

Student returns to alma mater as mentor, role model

May 15, 2012 by Sarah Hauer Leave a Comment

Share this...
Share on Facebook
Facebook
Pin on Pinterest
Pinterest
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
Share on LinkedIn
Linkedin

When Paola Felix-Encarnacion graduated from South Division High School on Milwaukee’s south side in 2007, she knew she wanted to return.

She tried setting up a Latina mentoring group at South Division while she was a student at University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, but it did not take off.

Now, as a City Year AmeriCorps member, she is finally able to help out her high school alma mater as a tutor, mentor and role model.

City Year is an education-focused, nonprofit organization that partners with public schools to help keep students in school and on track to graduate. City Year AmeriCorps members commit to a full year of service in the schools.

“I saw that one of the schools they had was (South Division High School) and that really called to me,” Felix-Encarnacion said.

Felix-Encarnacion did not hear of City Year until she attended a job fair at University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee during her final semester. At the time, she was waiting for a placement in the Peace Corps.

“It was a done deal – Peace Corps after graduating from college,” Felix-Encarnacion said. She graduated with a degree in community education.

“I saw all these people with their red jackets and I was like, ‘What are they doing?’” Felix-Encarnacion said. After talking with the recruitment director at City Year Milwaukee she decided to apply for the program.

(Photo by Sarah Hauer)

“I really didn’t think that I would be placed at South Division because it is my alma mater,” Felix-Encarnacion said, but she was and could not be happier.

“(South Division) has its challenges but I love it,” Felix-Encarnacion said. “I love the fact that I am here and can see my old teachers.”

At South Division, Felix-Encarnacion tutors students in English and math with eight other AmeriCorps volunteers.

“I know I am making a difference,” Felix-Encarnacion said.

Felix-Encarnacion takes pride in the progress of her students.

“One ninth-grader didn’t know how to multiply,” Felix-Encarnacion said. The two have slowly gone through the multiplication tables and are now working on fives, sixes and sevens.

“I remember the day that she finally learned the table five. For her to be able to go five, 10, 15 and get it, that was the happiest moment,” Felix-Encarnacion said.

She said the student is now more confident in her academics.

“She will scream her answers and always wants to perform problems on the board. She now has an A in her math foundations class and a C in Algebra, while before she was flunking both classes,” Felix-Encarnacion said.

Eva PenzeyMoog works with Feliz-Encarnacion at South Division High School through City Year Milwaukee. PenzeyMoog said Felix-Encarnacion has a great relationship with her students.

“She’s really good at talking to (the students) on their level in a way that is effective,” she said.

Jason Holton, executive director of City Year Milwaukee, said he has noticed Felix-Encarnacion’s connection with the students while observing her tutoring groups.

“She was effectively using the tutoring model,” Holton said.

Holton said the students tutored through City Year are struggling but just need a little extra help. “We can be most effective with (C or D students),” he added.

City Year has been working at South Division High School for two years.

“We have been thrilled with the results we’ve seen,” Holton said. There have been increases in attendance, standardized test scores and fewer behavior problems.

Holton said City Year members are sometimes the only consistent adult presence through the course of a student’s day.

“(AmeriCorps) is part of the solution to the nation’s most pressing problems,” Holton said. “We’re building leaders for life.”

Felix-Encarnacion plans to spend a second year at South Division High School with City Year Milwaukee. She would like to return there as a teacher one day. She said she has a passion for working with Latina students and an advantage because she is Latina and was born in Puerto Rico.

“(Latinas) have a difference in seeing things that sometimes people really don’t understand,” she said.

Share this...
Share on Facebook
Facebook
Pin on Pinterest
Pinterest
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
Share on LinkedIn
Linkedin

Filed Under: Carousel, Education, Home, Neighborhoods, News

Avatar

About Sarah Hauer

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advertisement
Advertisement

How To …

How to avoid stimulus check scams

A new round of stimulus checks will likely also bring out a new round of scams. Here’s what to watch out for.

More "How To" articles

Advertisement

Recommended Reading

A Vaccine Reality Check

The Atlantic

UWM study on the state of Black Milwaukee describes the city as ‘the epitome of a 21st century racial regime’

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Videos Show How Federal Officers Escalated Violence in Portland

The New York Times

These mayors want to fight Covid-19 and the recession with one big idea: A guaranteed income

Vox

The World John Lewis Helped Create

The Atlantic

News

  • Arts and Recreation
  • Economic Development
  • Education
  • Health and Wellness
  • Housing
  • Public Safety
  • NNS Spotlight
  • Special Reports
  • Multimedia
    • NNS Videos
    • Photos
    • NNS on Lake Effect Radio

Engage with us

  • Posts from Community
  • Community Voices
  • Submit a Story

About NNS

  • Staff
  • Partners
  • News414
  • The neighborhoods we cover
  • Internship opportunities
  • Careers
  • Terms of use
  • Advertise

Connect with us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS feed

Communities

Contact

mailing address
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Diederich College of Communication
Marquette University
1131 W. Wisconsin Ave.
Johnston Hall 430
Milwaukee, WI 53233

email
info@milwaukeenns.org

phone & fax
PHONE: 414.604.6397 FAX: 414.288.6494

Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service is a project of Diederich College of Communication and Marquette University.
© 2020 Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service. Terms of use.
1131 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee WI 53233 • info@milwaukeenns.org

Copyright © 2021 · News Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in