Faculty Mentor Name
Tierra Smithson
Abstract
As a College Corps fellow serving at Stockton Service Corps, most of my service has been centered on supporting community initiatives and youth leadership, including the Building Blocks program. Building Blocks is a youth leadership initiative focused on showing youth the power of their voice and letting them lead the conversations. This semester project assignment, a trip to the State Capitol, was designed to give Stockton Service Corps Building Block fellows the opportunity to step into government spaces, see how change happens, and realize how they can engage. This trip had a primary goal of creating a civic learning experience where fellows could connect directly with elected officials and community leaders while discussing Stockton’s current needs. Fellows were instructed to prepare ahead of time and were assigned in groups to facilitate a discussion with one of three guests: Senator McNerney, Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom, and Thomisha Wallace, Executive Director of the Youth Empowerment Commission. To prepare for these conversations, fellows completed research and homework to better understand each leader’s role, their responsibilities, and the work they do within our communities. On March 9th, the trip took place, and fellows got hands on experience meeting with elected officials, putting their preparation into practice, and got hands-on insight to government processes. Overall, participants we able to ask thoughtful questions, deepen their understanding of civic spaces they may not have been familiar with previously, and represent Stockton and their communities with pride.
Location
DeRosa University Center, University of the Pacific
Start Date
24-4-2026 3:00 PM
End Date
24-4-2026 5:00 PM
Stockton Service Corps Building Block Fellowship takes a trip to Sacramento State Capital
DeRosa University Center, University of the Pacific
As a College Corps fellow serving at Stockton Service Corps, most of my service has been centered on supporting community initiatives and youth leadership, including the Building Blocks program. Building Blocks is a youth leadership initiative focused on showing youth the power of their voice and letting them lead the conversations. This semester project assignment, a trip to the State Capitol, was designed to give Stockton Service Corps Building Block fellows the opportunity to step into government spaces, see how change happens, and realize how they can engage. This trip had a primary goal of creating a civic learning experience where fellows could connect directly with elected officials and community leaders while discussing Stockton’s current needs. Fellows were instructed to prepare ahead of time and were assigned in groups to facilitate a discussion with one of three guests: Senator McNerney, Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom, and Thomisha Wallace, Executive Director of the Youth Empowerment Commission. To prepare for these conversations, fellows completed research and homework to better understand each leader’s role, their responsibilities, and the work they do within our communities. On March 9th, the trip took place, and fellows got hands on experience meeting with elected officials, putting their preparation into practice, and got hands-on insight to government processes. Overall, participants we able to ask thoughtful questions, deepen their understanding of civic spaces they may not have been familiar with previously, and represent Stockton and their communities with pride.
