My name is Anthony and I’m a proud AmeriCorps Member for the Pipeline Project at the University of Washington (UW), Seattle where we are a K-12 outreach program that connects undergraduate students from the UW with educational and service opportunities in local and regional schools and community organizations through tutoring and mentoring! I assist with the running of the tutoring program when it comes to recruitment, tutoring program logistics, and facilitating presentations for our tutors to tutor in Seattle Public Schools.

Other than recruiting and training tutors, I also interact and impact rural communities when they come down to UW for a college campus tour! Our last field trip was with the Campbell Farm After School Program located in Wapato, WA where fifteen 6th graders youth from the Yakima Valley (East, WA) came to UW. Right when they came into UW, we started the day with the Atmospheric Sciences Department where we tackle scientific questions like, “Why is Pressure important in nature” & “How a cloud is formed” through interactive hands-on activities. We also were able to go on top of the Atmospheric Sciences Department roof and the facilitators showed us all the cool gadgets & tech geologists use to measure rain, wind, humidity, and much more!

Afterwards we went to the Burke Museum, a space where Coast Salish Tribes artifacts are displayed & stories are told of tribal stories before colonization hit the Americas. The students loved the Museum and some students could actually name and explain what objects are for what and told small stories on why a certain object is important in their family. It was amazing having these conversations with youth and also emphasizing how history can change the world/communities around us. Many of the students didn’t want to go back home, but it was a great experience for them to see their culture represented in this college field trip! Overall, the field trip with the Campbell Farms 6th grade students was memorable and I am excited to see them again on MLK Day in January 2020.