Park Avenue Youth & Family Services

 

Tronix Team Associate Director

Position: CTEP Academic Achievement Member
Program:  Community Technology Empowerment Project
Partner Agency: Park Avenue Youth & Family Services
Location(s): 3400 Park Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55407
Name of Site Supervisor and Title:  Mark Hvizdak, Fund Developer     
.
CTEP Program Description
.
The AmeriCorps Community Technology Empowerment Project (CTEP) bridges the “digital divide” for new Immigrants and low-income communities in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Join AmeriCorps CTEP and help make the information age accessible to all.  CTEP is a project of Saint Paul Neighborhood Network (SPNN).
.
Site History and Mission
The mission of Park Avenue Youth & Family Services is to build up and support urban youth and families in the Minneapolis community. For 25 years, Park Avenue has provided services and growth opportunities, including a free legal clinic, free health care, middle school science enrichment, an Internet Café, and an after-school tutoring program.Tronix Team, a program of Park Avenue Youth & Family Services, works to eliminate the achievement gap in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) by providing hands-on electronic projects to diverse, underserved adolescent groups. These practical applications of STEM concepts empower students to build their own technology and instill a vision of post-secondary education. Tronix Team creates the desire, skills, and confidence that students need to pursue the exciting futures that exist in those fields. In 2010, we served 530 youth in the Twin Cities metro. In 2011, we plan to focus our outreach efforts to the Central Neighborhood area of South Minneapolis, involve adolescents in computer classes, and standardize our curriculum to fulfill state science and technology standards.Preferred Site Schedule for Member

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: 9-5
Monday and Tuesday: 12-8

In addition, members attend professional development days with their fellow CTEP members to enhance service-readiness skills, personal attributes at the service site, and citizenship skills.  These Corps days take place twice a month on the 1st and 3rd Fridays from 9 AM to 4 PM, and these trainings are mandatory.  Members also attend statewide AmeriCorps events, such as the Martin Luther King Day celebration, and/or serve on the statewide InterCorps Council.

Site Specific Responsibilities

• Develop curricula, project ideas, and teach Tronix Tuesday classes to middle school youth
• Aid in applying the 8th grade science and technology standards to the program
• Coordinate and teach classes for Tronix Team and local adolescents in the computer center, focusing on typing, media, website design, audio, and computer science/engineering
• Present the program to local schools, engineering firms, community organizations, corporations, and science teachers
• Meet with local teachers to discuss achievement of students and curriculum in schools
• Schedule after-school sessions off-site, in coordination with the Tronix Team coordinator and instructors
• Implement Tronix Team events, such as a science fair, family night, and volunteer recognition
• Order supplies for the program and aid in obtaining in-kind donations
• Assist in grantwriting and donations for Tronix Team
• Recruit volunteers for the in-house and off-site program, as well as the computer center
• Aid Tronix Team coordinator in tracking contracts, surveys, and data

Unique Qualifications Sought

• Fluency in Spanish desired, but not required
• Ability to work with youth
• Able to work in a team and individually on projects
• Knowledge or skills in computer applications for youth (media, typing, programming, web design, etc.)
• Volunteer coordination experience
• Knowledge of south Minneapolis community

Site Environment

The CTEP members will be at Park Avenue Youth and Family Services for the majority of time and will work primarily in the computer learning center, the Tronix Team classroom, or the administrative offices. On occasion, the CTEP members will travel to a an offsite location for meetings or presentations. Primary equipment to be used include: computers, copy machines, printers, soldering irons and drills (for Tronix Team), and fax machines.

The PAYFS office is an open-walled environment. Cubicles are non-existent, and we encourage members and staff to collaborate on sessions, social issues, family/youth problems, curriculum, and schedules. Due to the neighborhood’s large Latino population, Spanish-speaking parents or youth are involved in programming and visit the offices.

How to Apply

Apply online at my.americorps.gov and click on “Apply to Serve” (be sure to enter 06ACHMN0010008-0 as the “Program Listing ID,” or search for the Community Technology Empowerment Project).  Contact: Joel Krogstad, joel@technologypower.org, 651.556.1384

We are committed to recruiting and engaging individuals without regard to disability, gender, race, religion or sexual orientation.  Reasonable accommodations will be made upon request.  Alternative formats of this document are also available.