As an AmeriCorps, I volunteer with a nonprofit organization called Communities In Schools of Los Angeles (CISLA). CIS and it's affiliate CISLA are the nation's leading drop-out prevention program and it does so by placing AmeriCorps in various middle schools and high schools around Los Angeles to educate students, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.

I am placed at John Liechty MS in MacArthur Park in Downtown Los Angeles. Many of my students are first generation who have lived in the MacArthur Park their entire lives. They are used to seeing the graffiti, the poverty, the violence and the impact it has had on their community. At a very young age, our students have understood that they are existing in a cycle of poverty and crime. CISLA helps to release students from that cycle by empowering them to want to stay in school and achieve in life. This is done by educating students about possible career explorations, discussing ways to enhance cultural awareness and taking students on field trips as a way to get them out of their comfort zone.

On June 5, 2012, CISLA took 30 students to a law firm, Skadden Arps, located in Downtown Los Angeles. The purpose of the field trip is to allow students a chance to interact with lawyers on a positive note, see the various types of law that is practiced, explore another part of DTLA, engage with law students about the temerity it takes to continue on in school, the drive to achieve in life and connect students with possible resources.

Many of our students come from a Latin-American background and some are grappling with the English language. Yet, on this day, all of our students were smiling, joyfully asking questions, talking with the law students and lawyers as if they are good friends. Although law firms are seen as a serious place of business, our students managed to bring out the smiles of every adult they interacted with.

AmeriCorps works because through this year of service, I have learned that sometimes the biggest change creates the smallest amount of noise. My students see a world outside of MacArthur Park that is accessible to them if they try hard.