by Taylor Cook, 2014-2015 Rochester Youth Year Fellow
Rochester, New York – a city notorious for its incredibly low graduation rates and its incredibly high levels of poverty. These statistics that are plastered on the evening news and displayed on front pages of the Democrat & Chronicle, though true, mask much of the positive efforts that are happening in the city.
When analyzing Rochester in its entirety, one can quickly point out the countless struggles the city is enduring. It can be daunting, and quickly overwhelming. With everything that is going on, I do not believe there will ever be one universal solution that eliminates all of Rochester’s issues. One of the issues alone, poverty, is so vast that not even that can be solved with a blanket solution. Instead, it is more realistic to have specific organizations work thoroughly with people living in poverty to not only help them through poverty, but to help them live impactful, meaningful lives afterwards.
With countless organizations working to combat poverty for different demographics throughout the area, I truly believe community-based leadership is an effective model to help alleviate and eliminate poverty. Of course, this won’t happen overnight, but chipping away little by little will have long-term solutions for the groups we work with. I have seen this model be effective during my year at Young Women’s College Prep Charter School (YWCP).
During my year of service as a Rochester Youth Year AmeriCorps VISTA member, I have been serving at Young Women’s College Prep Charter School (YWCP) – Rochester’s first and only all-girls public school. Serving at YWCP has shown me how a small group of people can make a tremendous impact on a specific community. YWCP has a current team of about 35 teachers, counselors, and support staff that are making an immeasurable difference in the lives of 235 Rochester teens. Every single day we ensure that our students are supported not only academically, but also socially and emotionally. At YWCP it is our mission to educate the “whole girl,” so that she can excel through high school, college, and beyond.
Will YWCP be the catch-all solution to all Rochester area girls living in poverty? No. However, it does have the power and passion to be the solution for a future class of 500 Rochester girls and that in itself is incredibly inspiring. I am blessed to have been a part of this school and whole-heartedly believe that its mission is a powerful example of how community-based leadership can be effective and impactful.
While you are busy trying to make a difference in someone’s life, it is easy to get lost in the big picture – wanting your efforts to impact everyone in reach. But don’t get lost and don’t get overwhelmed. It is of utmost importance that all volunteers and all leaders realize that their effort is of equal importance, whether it changes the lives of 5 people, or 500 people. Each effort is crucial, regardless of size or impact and that is why community-based leadership works.