Encouragement

My trainees are always wonderful at the end of a long day of learning about the program, and many of them say something like "I have been to a lot of trainings in my career, and I actually enjoyed this one!"  I'm guessing I am more enjoyable because I am not an expert and I KNOW I am not an expert, rather I see myself as a helper of sorts.  I know a little bit more about a tool than most people, and I have resources and practice in presenting it.

Training and public speaking are both skills that play a huge role in my position, and I've discovered that I actually enjoy the challenge and differentiation that trainings bring.  It's always an exhausting day because I have to play so many different roles: educator, speaker, technical help (my last training I spent the better part of running around switching out short-term batteries and troubleshooting internet connections), but I would rather do this than have a cookie cutter position any day.  Most trainings are at different locations across Central Ohio, and there is always a different mix of people.  I get the most joy when the trainees are engaged, excited, and ready to actually use the tool to help their community.  Below is an email I received from a trainee in Clark County, it made my day. 

Encourage the people around you.  Even if you have to sit through a potentially boring training (not mine, of course. Mine are never boring.)  A little bit of positive feedback goes a long way.

Thank you for the lesson at (training location) and I am looking forward to helping others get help thru myself cause of this certification that I will receive after today. I hope that we can keep in touch in the future for I am growing with (two awesome organizations in Central Ohio he is working with). I would like to be able to have and acquire the knowledge and have information to help those less fortunate than I. I have learned a lot of things so far working with these groups on a lot of things. I wish I would have known when I needed help. Now, I am able to direct others in the direction for them to receive assistance. Again Sarah, Thank You Very Much for your time and knowledge that I have acquired today.  God Bless you in all you do and achive in you journeys.

Tax Clinic Set-up

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Don't make fun of me.  I made this in paint.  Currently taking donations of any program from the Adobe Suite.

P-16 Education Conference

Let me introduce you to the Ideacenter at Playhouse Square in Cleveland. They pipe NPR in while you are using the Ladies Room. How wonderful is this place?

I traveled there last week to attend a P-16 (think pre-k through college) Education Conference. It's a growing movement in the United States, creating collaboratives in communities to integrate business, non-profits, and other community entities to wrap around a student until they are solidly in the work force. It truly does take a village to raise a child. They need to see opportunities in the labor force, have mentors to create dreams and self worth, and understand the value of service.  

There aren't many successful P-16 collaborative around the state. At least they aren't very public about their efforts and there is no centralized database, so I can't find any in my region. There are a few successful efforts up in Northeast Ohio, so that is where Senator Brown hosted the conference.  Plus it's his district. Here he is, speaking to the group (really bad cell phone picture on left)

 Most of the conference was built off panels of stakeholders and policy makers, all taped and live streamed over the Internet.  I found it particularly funny they proudly proclaimed that since it was online, it was visible all over the state, and even all over the country!  Oh, the wonders of technology.  On the right is what the studio and one of the panels looked like.

There actually was a unique technology application that TurningPoint Technologies brought: clickers! (which you can see sitting on my folder on the left).  Conference participants responded to survey questions the organizers created and posted on screen in the front of the room.  They were simple requests for input, like what is the most valuable topic we would want cover or hear from the panelists.  We had 30 seconds to respond, then the results of the over 130 responses were displayed in a bar graph on the screen. It was pretty cool to shape the conference as we moved along and then have an outlet for immediate feedback, especially when one of the panels shifted their prepared remarks based on what the conference goers submitted as responses.

Someone from the U.S. Department of Education flew in from Washington DC to help give a picture of what the Department is currently working on and what direction they are heading.  His panel was also joined by members of the Ohio Department of Education.  Educators at the conference had a golden opportunity to bring up concerns and submit input straight to the policy makers.  It was encouraging to hear the US Dept of Ed representative affirming that their direction is exactly the direction of the P-16 mindset: collaboration with universities for high schools, getting kids in local businesses for experience, and providing resources and mentors for a community ans service based wrap around education, all beginning before they even start kindergarten and lasting until they have graduated post-secondary education and have entered the job force. 

This is all very helpful for my work, as I'm getting a feel for who is involved in the education field.  I had no idea before this job of all the extra entities: ESC, FCFC, community groups like P-16 and mandated initiatives like FCE coordinators. I want the buy-in from administrators but the action and passion from people like guidance counselors who will actually use my program. I thought this would be an easy job compared to my high pressure sales-oriented job from you-know-where a couple summers ago, considering my job now is "selling" a free service that benefits families and supports the community. I'm finding it's a lot harder that just telling people about the great program. I still have to sell it, and sell it to the right people. And keep selling it.

It was refreshing and a definite encouragement to get out of the office and participate in a conference where I could both learn and have a say in the P-16 movement in Ohio.

Happy Birthday Dad!

Have you ever failed at something, even with the best intentions?  My sister and I spent a Sunday afternoon in the Short North in early January shopping for our Dad's birthday. Upon coming up empty handed, concluded we would go home and strategize the best and most meaningful, wonderful gift for him.  We had over three weeks for goodness sakes!

Then two days ago, I sat up with a huge gasp of realization.  Three weeks had marched by and Dad's birthday passed announced and un-acknowledged by both myself and my sister.  "Oops" doesn't cover it, but I thought perhaps a blog post would!

This blog's title declares that I am "starving to serve," and my Dad is someone that helped cultivate that hunger.  

The heart for service didn't come from years of him preaching kindness or scripture or plugging inspiration.  It came from watching his interactions with strangers.  It's a testament on how to raise your children: show them.  Live it out.

My Dad was a pastor, so perhaps that added to the likelihood that people in need would show up on our doorstep.  They didn't show up often, but when they did they were attended to.  The man with the huge white beard that sat on our porch while Dad spoke with him to hear his story, the skinny lady walking across the country who shared a meal with us and slept on a church pew, the guy who was trying to make it to a better life and all he needed was a tank of gas and a meal. They didn't get handouts, they weren't subjected to paperwork or a program.  They were offered a listening ear, someone to help validate their journey and take care of their immediate needs before they could move up the ladder.

I want to find out where people came from, why they are where they are, where they are going, and help them get there.  Or help them figure out the next step, with the expectation that I can learn from them as much as they learn from me.  Goodness knows I haven't any idea what my next step is anyways...

Lastly, Dad taught me a phrase that his grandpa taught him that doesn't necessarily plan into my motivations, but it definitely helps me be successful.  This piece of family wisdom is three simple words: "Don't kid yourself."  This ties into a theme I uncovered at the Working Out of Homelessness Forum I went to (that I hope to write about soon).  Change cannot and will not be affected in individuals until they realize change needs to happen.  Every single homeless person on the panel I saw named "self worth" as a barrier to getting back on their feet.  If you are at the end of your rope, don't kid yourself into thinking it's not that bad, and on the other hand don't kid yourself into thinking there is no hope.  Face reality and take a step forward.

Happy Birthday to a great man and dad who has influenced my life for the better.  Rest assured, your special day is now solidly marked on my GoogleCalendar.

IRS Communications

And you thought the IRS was inaccessible and scary.  Well, perhaps that's just me.  Now that I am getting multiple emails from them every day, I am conquering the intimidation of a previously confusing process (filing taxes) and agency with KNOWLEDGE.  In this case at least, knowledge really does equal power.  Or at least confidence.  

This is an example of an email I got from the IRS today, check out what they are doing in the realm of media and mobile devices!  I know you will all be scrambling to follow them on Twitter, as I can testify that the entirety of their communication are just as enthralling.

I'm also encouraged that they developed an Android app as well (which I promptly downloaded).  iPhones are not the "end all be all" of smart phones, and I breathe a sigh of Apple-monopoly relief when companies simultaneously develop for both platforms.

IRS Launches the IRS2Go App for iPhone, Android; Taxpayers Can Check Refunds, Get Tax Information

Video: IRS2Go: English
WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today unveiled IRS2Go, its first smartphone application that lets taxpayers check on their status of their tax refund and obtain helpful tax information.

"This new smart phone app reflects our commitment to modernizing the agency and engaging taxpayers where they want when they want it," said IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman. "As technology evolves and younger taxpayers get their information in new ways, we will keep innovating to make it easy for all taxpayers to access helpful information." 

The IRS2Go phone app gives people a convenient way of checking on their federal refund. It also gives people a quick way of obtaining easy-to-understand tax tips. 

Apple users can download the free IRS2Go application by visiting the Apple App Store. Android users can visit the Android Marketplace to download the free IRS2Go app. 

"This phone app is a first step for us," Shulman said. "We will look for additional ways to expand and refine our use of smartphones and other new technologies to help meet the needs of taxpayers." 

The mobile app, among a handful in the federal government, offers a number of safe and secure ways to help taxpayers. Features of the first release of the IRS2Go app include:

1. Get Your Refund Status - Taxpayers can check the status of their federal refund through the new phone app with a few basic pieces of information. First, taxpayers enter a Social Security number, which is masked and encrypted for security purposes. Next, taxpayers pick the filing status they used on their tax return. Finally, taxpayers enter the amount of the refund they expect from their 2010 tax return. For people who e-file, the refund function of the phone app will work within about 72 hours after taxpayers receive an e-mail acknowledgement saying the IRS received their tax return. For people filing paper tax returns, longer processing times mean they will need to wait three to four weeks before they can check their refund status. About 70 percent of the 142 million individual tax returns were filed electronically last year.
2. Get Tax Updates - Phone app users enter their e-mail address to automatically get daily tax tips. Tax Tips are simple, straightforward tips and reminders to help with tax planning and preparation. Tax Tips are issued daily during the tax filing season and periodically during the rest of the year. The plain English updates cover topics such as free tax help, child tax credits, the Earned Income Tax Credit, education credits and other topics.
3. Follow the IRS - Taxpayers can sign up to follow the IRS Twitter news feed, @IRSnews. IRSnews provides the latest federal tax news and information for taxpayers. The IRSnews tweets provide easy-to-use information, including tax law changes and important IRS programs.  IRS2Go is the latest IRS effort to provide information to taxpayers beyond traditional channels. The IRS also uses tools such as YouTube and Twitter to share the latest information on tax changes, initiatives, products and services through social media channels. For more information on IRS2Go and other new media products, visit www.IRS.gov.

Related Item: IRS Goes Mobile With IRS2Go

Welcomed at Molina

Check this out!  I did a presentation to case workers at Molina so when their Medicaid clients call in with social needs other than medical assistance, they can direct them to a Benefit Bank site.  When I walked into their office, they had this lovely welcoming sign.  I feel so official!

What it's about

Looking at my first pay direct deposited paycheck of the new year brought a little surprise for my bank account.  Instead of a Christmas bonus, my stipend was cut 15 dollars.  Not much to many people, but it adds up by the time my service ends.  And this means that I now only have 35% of my paycheck left after all my bills.  It stinks, and it stinks that it happened without any warning.  But if I’ve learned anything so far in my 23 years of life, I’ve learned that bitterness imprisons life; love releases it.  Perhaps Mr. Harry Emerson Fosdick said that last poetic bit before I did, but I concur. 

My life is not about making money.  My life isn’t even about living for myself.  It’s about serving a God with a plan bigger than I can fathom and accepting the blessings I’ve been given, since I can fully acknowledge I’ve been given way more than I could do anything to deserve.

So what do I have? 

An AmeriCorps placement at a supportive and groundbreaking organization

A compassionate supervisor who I know always has my back and has been a great joy to work with

A car

A warm apartment and a trustworthy roomie friend

A past that has offered me lots of birthday and Christmas presents that included fleece blankets

Hot chocolate

A daily hot shower.  Two, if I want.

(can you tell it’s cold outside?)

An immediate and extended family that has proven time and again that we are in it together for the long haul, and shown amazing feats of forgiveness and love towards each other.

A boyfriend who has loved and supported me for over 6 years, from hours away

Oreos.  6 of which are in my stomach.

Perhaps I shouldn’t be watching Extreme Makeover Home Edition whilst I write my blog.  I may make Mom cry twice in one night after all this sappiness. 

Gratitude is the only proven way I’ve found to surmount those unexpected setbacks in life.  Things that, if you chose, could make you bitter and angry.   I implore you to turn to your gratitude list in a time of doubt, and I implore you also to start it now.



Update:  After numerous emails this pay adjustment was clarified as a tax issue, specifically dealing with the Making Work Pay credit.  Essentially this credit was applied throughout the year, allowing more money to come in my paycheck and less "estimated tax" withheld through the year to the federal gov't.  With the change I can no longer keep that money and it has to be taken out of my paycheck throughout the year, as normal wages typically work.  Perhaps I will be poor again next year, not owe tax, and get it back anyways!