Chris Marder
Bio:
From: Crestline, San Bernardino County in Southern CaliforniaGraduated from: Northern Arizona University '08
Degree: B.A. in Anthropology
Chris, at 23, became a triple target for non-solicited advice when he graduated a little over a year ago as a young, unemployed social scientist; bound at almost every conversation to hear of everyone else’s cultural experiences, only to then to be asked, as if the person asking already knew the answer, what one could “do” with anthropology. Of course, one cannot “do” anything with anthropology because anthropology is truly a cataclysmic cloud of thoughts, theories, and experiences. In order to truly “do” anything with anthropology one has to be purely motivated by selfish intentions. As an approach to the study of the every changing subject of human existence, anthropology is a conduit to express enlightenment, disgust, passion, and hope. Thus, Chris’ AmeriCorps VISTA project with Communities In Schools of Arizona is exactly what anthropology is doing for Chris. Injustice and lack of access to resources for children at-risk of dropping out from school cannot be eliminated with enlightening data, absolute disgust, passionate advocacy, or with hopeful non-action. Though important, prevention of dropping out from school will be eliminated with an attitude that wishes to pass on this culture to the next generation, who will make it far better than we could never have imagined. Chris hopes that all will join Communities In Schools of Arizona and AmeriCorps VISTA in that action.
Service
Chris is a Site Resource Coordinator (SRC) at Maie Bartlett Heard Elementary School in the Phoenix Elementary School District #1. The SRC connects students to social services so that those students can succeed academically in the classroom and successful prepare for life. Parents, faculty, staff, and administrators also benefit from the on-site, full-time SRC as they all work together to create sustainable referral services for at-risk youth, educational enrichment programming, parent involvement, and business partnerships for supplies and support. Above all, Chris works to make learning an opportunity to explore and be adventurous everyday for everyone involved in helping our youth become proud people of our previous generation’s cultural achievements. Since Heard Elementary is a new partnership with Communities In Schools of Arizona, Chris is excited and curious about the new opportunities that will be created and sustained at Heard, home of the Vikings!
Impact Story
When was the last time you felt so excited that your mouth was as wide open as the Grand Canyon is as deep? For a group of children attending a baseball game as their reward for participating in the Lineup For Learning Program, it was the students’ day to be just that excited about their reward for learning. The Lineup for Learning Program is a partnership with the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field in Phoenix, Teach for America, and Christopher’s VISTA sponsor, Communities In Schools of Arizona, to keep children in school to learn meaningful skills and concepts. In coordination with other VISTA members, VISTA member Christopher warmly welcomed everyone in attendance and congratulated the approximately 1,000 students who had participated in the program. For most students, the opportunity to experience how far their learning can take them was just as exciting as the baseball game.