Life as an Adelphi Fellow: Stories from our Graduates
As we graduate the third cohort of Adelphi University Fellows, we want to take a minute to applaud our partners at Adelphi and thank our two graduates – by hearing directly from them. As most of you know, we partner with Adelphi University to bring talented graduate students into our Coach for Kids workforce. Each year, a cohort of students earn a tuition-free Masters degree in Sports Based Youth Development in return for working as WITS Coaches. The partnership is a win:win, as WITS gets talented Coaches, with the support of a university and the students get a free graduate degree. What we did not plan for was how bittersweet it would be when our Fellows graduated with their Master’s degrees. For the fellows, this degree is the launch pad to their careers – so many of our graduates over the years are doing some incredible work out there.
To Jason and Sarah – we deeply appreciate the work you have done with us. The lives you helped shape in your WITS schools will forever have your imprint. The skills, energy, passion, and lessons you brought to this work will continue to shape healthy habits in the lives of hundreds of children. Thank you for your contribution and best of luck in all that you do. We know you will be a huge success. – Wendy, WITS Senior Program Director
“Life as an Adelphi fellow and WITS Coach has been a great experience and journey for me, and one of the blessings I have had is the chance to share my experience with many children from diverse backgrounds through movement and play. Being a WITS coach enables you to inspire children, put smiles on faces and bring people together. Through my past experience in coaching soccer, I was able to engage with so many children through the Coach for Kids program. While my encouragement for soccer was not always influential to start with, it slowly became a highlight over the last two years. And on one sunny day in the Bronx, I turned up to the school to witness 4th and 5th graders empowered to involve everyone who wanted to play in a small sided game. This kind of engagement with children in diverse communities is not always common in the classroom setting, but with persistence, energy and patience with the children I was able to create this safe space where they could connect with one another through play. With my assistance throughout the year and by working alongside schools staff, it was a joy to see the way this diverse group was collectively growing, week by week. It eventually led to their own school team! Their excitement each week to highlight their improvements and show me their new skills at recess, is something I will never forget. Most importantly for me, I also noticed the friendships that were developing and the energy change within the yard as many children all of different race, ethnicity, skill level and experience came together through a little guidance. As a WITS coach, that is what we are there to do. These life-changing experiences will stay with me forever and I have to thank Wellness in the Schools for providing them for me.” – Jason Hadley
“These past two years with Wellness in the Schools have been so memorable. I was so fortunate to be placed in the Epiphany lower school for both years. Balancing the Adelphi fellowship, WITS, and other jobs has been difficult, but I wouldn’t trade any of these experiences for the world. While working at Epiphany, I found myself a part of their community. Each day working with the students, I was reminded why I do what I do. For example, my first year, there was a second grade girl who was shy and utterly afraid of trying anything new. For the most part, she would sit and read a book on the stairs for the whole recess period. Throughout the 2017-2018 school year I would spark conversation and she would try games such as helicopter or switch. Then later in the year, I introduced the junior coach position. She signed up for one week and this seemed to have opened up her world. I think being in a leadership position helped her come out of her shell. She soon began playing with new friends, participating in more games, and suggesting games. This transformation was so awesome. At the beginning of the 2018-2019 school year, I had a WITS table set up at the back to school night event. The girl’s mom approached the table and introduced herself and told me how much I had impacted her daughter’s life. I was totally blown away by this and I had never expected to meet her mother. This example is just one of many that I can reflect on while working for WITS. I am so grateful for the opportunity to get my master’s degree and this wouldn’t be possible without WITS. I just want to thank everyone for all of their support and guidance these past two years. Thank you!” – Sarah Merck
*WITS Note: Many congrats to Sarah for winning the “Excellence in Sports Based Youth Development Award” from Adelphi University! We are so proud!