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Greater New Orleans
Spotlight On: David Jose
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Corps Year: 2007 |
What is your neighborhood like?
I live in the Garden District which is a unique and historic neighborhood between Uptown and the Central Business District. The neighborhood offers a variety of eclectic shops, restaurants, bars and historical monuments most of which are within walking distance of my house. The Garden District has a neighborhood feel and a real mix of young professionals and established New Orleanians. The neighborhood has easy highway access, but is far enough away from downtown where traffic is not much of a concern.
How have your students been affected by Hurricane Katrina?
Every day I am faced with the reality that my students' lives were turned upside down because of the storm. Students find themselves significantly behind their peers in a lot of main academic areas. New Orleans Public Schools were not performing to standards prior to the storm, but the uncertainty and inconsistency of their educational experience has certainly influenced their academic focus and performance. Perhaps even more challenging are the social effects of the storm on the students. Many show signs of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and a sense of discouragement partially because of the storm. However, each and every student is capable of offering a unique and positive contribution to the city and the classroom learning community.
What types of opportunities are available to you in Greater New Orleans?
New Orleans offers an incredible amount of opportunities in whatever you are interested in. There are many opportunities in your own schools to take leadership, coaching, or club moderator positions. If your interests expand beyond education, New Orleans has plenty of universities in town that offer ways of advancing your own education. For example, I am currently taking classes at Tulane. Still, socially I would say the greatest opportunities exist within the history, culture and cuisine. Check out jazz musicians all around town, grab a gator po-boy at your local shop, visit the lake for your aquatic needs, or cruise around town at night looking for a place to show off the new dance moves your students taught you.
How has your life changed as a Greater New Orleans corps member?
I can answer this question only by saying that coming directly from college, my life as a Greater New Orleans corps member is a lot different than when I was a senior at Providence College. In a lot of ways, when you step into a classroom, it is no longer about "me." What I mean by that is that your efforts revolve around trying to motivate and capture the talents and leadership skills of individuals who, whether they say it or not, often look to you to serve as an example of a leader. I am more in tune with educational and social issues that face my community and my country, and I am more willing to stand up and talk about solutions instead of simply saying "this doesn't make any sense."
What do you love the most about living in Greater New Orleans (GNO)?
I would have to say that what I love most about Greater New Orleans is the life and spirit I see each day in my classroom and throughout the city. There is a sense of community and of greater purpose here that people wear on their sleeves. It is tough to ignore and impossible not to want to be a part of.
