I am a Student Success Specialist for McKinley ALC High School in Waite Park. I work with different students with different ethnic backgrounds, race, gender and disabilities. I have various task and roles that I must meet in order for these students to succeed in graduating on time or within a short time frame. I’ve learned that I need to better understand each student learning environment and understand how to approach each student differently and accordingly. I also learned that I need to be consistent and available to each student. Being consistent shows the student that there is stability in the school when there isn’t at home or where they stay. This help the students build relationships with me and the other SSS.
The final project that I incorporated is a time sheet/frame for these students to follow on the path to graduating. This power point I put together shows the student how many credits they need to complete for that grade year and to continue the next grade. This will efficiently guide them to keep on track with graduating with their class.
This school is currently growing and things are falling into place. Having college student being present in their school shows them that many people from different walks of life can accomplish their goals with the right amount of dedication and resilience. The Critical Applied Sociology major gave me the opportunity to apply for internships and gave me a platform to practice applications of the course materials I’ve learned. Also, to better understand the term of sociology and use them in everyday basis to practice them. Understanding the different social structures and social stratifications, knowing how to maneuver with people who have come from different social class and ethnicities. Being diverse and open to new people and understanding how society labels people as such. This internship and the major will help me have dialogue with other who may not have a sociology background or even know what current event issues that are going on today. The ability to use sociology in my vocabulary and being able to speak in a manner in which I was taught to. Passing on the knowledge of this major and what the professors have taught me, to pass that forward to someone else to inform them in societal issues and oppressions we face and want to eliminate. This major also taught me how to build interpersonal relationships with many different backgrounds and understanding their placement and how they will treat me based off of my social class and social status. This helps me understand what the world is like with the methods and applications I learned at SCSU.
McKinley Staff and CAAS at SCSU Building Bridges
This picture was my facility manager and I came to SCSU to speak with CAAS and exchange information to get more college student from their organization to volunteer or become a mentor. The following weekend, CAAS had a talent show and had students from McKinley perform their acts for the audience. This is one way we bridged the gap between high school student and college students.
This blog post gives you a little glimpse of the work sociologist do, they give back to the community and help when no one is willing. Being a part of this program helped me get out of my comfort zone and branch out to meet new people and become a professional. Also, applying what I’ve learned in my studies to apply them in the real world and understanding the term, concepts and theories better with hands on experience.
Contacts:
Mr. Murray is the assistant principal and I contacted him for my current internship positions. The number that he can be reached at 320-203-8470, also you can speak with Mr. Midy for information on how to become a Student Success Specialist. The link for the school website is https://www.isd742.org/alc. All the information anyone will need to contact with the school is provided and other employment options if suits.
