By Caitlyn Sanchez '13
Siena College recently hosted the second AmeriCorps*VISTA Fellows Video Showcase. VISTA stands for Volunteers In Service to America. More than 30 volunteers spent the last seven months serving at local non-profits, schools and community organizations in the Capital Region.
The Video Showcase featured 17 original films by current AmeriCorps*VISTA Fellows. Each piece gave the audience an inside look into their experiences and their impact on the community. The videos were as varied as the work environments, but the common theme was fighting poverty.
"When you watch the local evening news, it can be so negative. But if you watch the videos that our VISTA cohort made about the work they’re doing in the Capital Region, its inspiring and hopeful. It makes you realize how capable we are of creating positive change," said AmeriCorps*VISTA Fellow Bria Schultz.
Brian Costello '11 and Clare Kelly '11 both work in a district attorney’s office. They created a video that discusses various forms of dating abuse and how to recognize warning signs.
VISTA Fellow Natasha Grant worked as the Career and College Coordinator at Green Tech Charter High School, which is an all boys school in Albany. Her video was an inspiring account of how she took students on the Historically Black Colleges & Universities Tour.
Erika Cary worked at Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless. Her video showed some of the family programming that Interfaith provides for its residents. It also explained how to get involved with IPH.
Other videos highlighted volunteer projects at the Albany Boys and Girls Club, Brighter Choice Middle School for Girls and Unity House in Troy.
Most of the videos can be used by the agencies for marketing or recruiting purposes. Click here to view some of the videos from the VISTA Video Showcase.
