SMILES

Service Making an Impact through Learning Experiences with Students

Written by Jessica R, class of 2004

SMILES was started in the community in 1995 when Joyce Fosdick decided to get a community center started so children and teens could have a place to go after school and keep them out of trouble. She chose to locate the community center in Knox mainly because the school is located nearby and it would be a benefit to the people of the community.

SMILES works with many younger children who aren’t able to read very well. Every summer SMILES sponsors a summer program entitled READS which teaches children how to read up to a third grade reading level. I interviewed Amy, who is the technologist at the SMILES Center. She states,"We travel to places such as Clarion, Sharpsville, Knox, Venango County, Mercer, and Sharon where we stop at locations such as parks, churches, and other local areas to teach children to read, and also to read to them. This program gives children a chance to stay out of trouble, learn how to read, and enjoy themselves. It’s great to be able to go back week after week and see the children’s faces light up. It’s great to let them know that someone really cares."

SMILES also offers many other opportunities throughout the summer. Teens and adults are able to come in and find a place to work. In return the area’s employment level is rising and therefore poverty is decreasing because we are able to help more people in the community.

A question you might ask would be: Has SMILES brought any improvement to the community? Most definitely. Children and teens now have a place to come after school instead of going home to an empty house they are able to come to the center, do their homework with adults who are able to help them with it, and also have a place to hang out and keep themselves out of trouble. With recreation such as the gym and the weight room, and also the new computers children and teenagers are finding out that this is the place to be.

This organization not only strives to improve the area of Knox but it also tries to help the surrounding areas such as Venango County, Strattenville, Shippenville, Clintonville, Clarion and Rimersburg, just to name a few. Through its READS program, child care, helping the senior citizens and various other projects, SMILES is bringing a great deal of improvement into the community and the surrounding areas.

SMILES has already brought an annual Drum and Bugle Corp show annually to the Clarion University stadium. This year they are hoping to have the show at Keystone High School bringing more people and interest directly into our community.

The Charity Challenge is also a big help to the community. In 1997 this scholarship program for any high school student in Clarion and Venango County that is a Jr. or Sr. and has served at least 100 hours of community service within the past year. Types of service include activities such as serving at a church, such as playing the piano or help with banquets and funeral dinners. You can help within the community by mowing an elderly neighbors yard, and by volunteering for various other organizations. This scholarship money provides and rewards kids some financial aid for college.

Over the past six years SMILES has provided many job opportunities within the community. Yet, SMILES doesn’t only provide jobs, they also provide plenty of volunteer work. Since the fall 2001 semester forty-four students from the Clarion University of Pennsylvania served over 714 hours of community service.

SMILES recently received a grant for brand-new Gateway computers for at the center. Children come in and out of SMILES all the time. But, since the new computers have been hooked up we have gained an increase of about 35%. Now, at the SMILES center, students are able to come in and work on various projects and other things that demand access to a computer for things such as research and Internet access that some kids may not have in their home.

I asked a member, Amy, at the SMILES center what kinds of changes we can expect in the future. Her response was, "We’re always changing. Whether it’s renovating or putting in new equipment we’re always hoping to put more activities into our program and we’re hoping that soon we’ll have pool tables. Who knows, we’re always working on something new."

Amy, a worker at SMILES informed me of their most recent project. It is one that they refer to as Power Up, which utilizes the new computers the center received in March. These new computers contain Windows 2000 Professional, Office XPM, educational software, Microsoft Word, and many other features. "So basically I’ve been working on that project, presenting it to the board, and receiving a grant for SMILES. Now that I’m done with getting the computers I’m working on sending brochures and surveys to the parents informing them about the new computers that their children are able to use now."

SMILES not only reaches out to the children of the community but basically to any age group. They offer anything from babysitting to Senior breakfasts which are held every third Friday of the month and is free to any Senior citizen.

The Americorp members who volunteer at SMILES go out into the community to see if any Senior needs help with anything from going to get groceries to mowing their lawns. Basically almost any type of needs they may encounter Americorps are ready and willing to help.

I recently asked Amy, the technologist at SMILES, what they do to keep teenagers busy after school so they don’t get into trouble. "We have a gym, which is a big plus. Kids come here after school and play basketball and do other activities there. We also received new computers and we also have homework helpers here at the center and in the school after regular classes are dismissed. This program is out there for anyone who is having trouble or just needs a little help on something."

Keystone is able to share a technologist who is very flexible and is able to help out at the school and also at SMILES. They also help each other with advertising. When something is going on at the school SMILES informs people and encourages them to go. In return Keystone relays things to their students about what’s going on at the SMILES center and encourages them to participate. SMILES is also greatly involved with the schools wrestling program. They have volunteer coaches from SMILES that offer up a lot of their time to help coach kids at Keystone and teach them how to wrestle.

In conclusion, SMILES Center of Knox has brought many changes into this community by providing their services, knowledge, and care. And putting their all into the community to keep improving it one day at a time.