Relay AmeriCorps Member Spotlight: Nakiya Douglas
What is your motivation for serving in AmeriCorps?
My background wasn’t in education. I wanted to learn more about the teaching profession and have the opportunity to practice and perfect a craft that I didn't have. I wanted to be able to learn while also teaching others to learn.
What is your connection to the local community served by your AmeriCorps program?
I’ve connected with a lot of the families that I serve. It’s a diverse population and has been rewarding to learn more about the families and their backgrounds. I put myself in their shoes so I can get a better understanding of where my students are coming from.
What activities are you engaged in this year?
I am on the field trip committee where recently we went to Nashville Children’s Theatre and saw the Very Hungry Caterpillar. I am also on the school sunshine committee and have been involved with the Nashville kickboxing committee!
Are there some examples of specific skills you have gained through your service?
Classroom management, time efficiency, and overall planning in general.
Do you have an example about impact? How a project or relationship was impacted by your service?
I've made a huge impact on my students. Seeing their growth from the beginning of the year has been amazing and beyond what I thought I could do. I have a student who came to the school not speaking English. He speaks in Zomi which is an Asian native language. I connected him with other students who also speak his native language. Seeing his ability to learn a new language, speak fluently and in full sentences, all while learning how to attend school has been amazing to witness. I also have a student who speaks 3 languages at home.
What are your plans for Life After AmeriCorps? Life after Relay? Have your plans been influenced or changed by your time in the Relay AmeriCorps progam?
My plans are to take everything that I've learned and apply it to everyday life situations. My goal is to pour into others so that they might be able to retain it themselves and pour it into others too.