Summary: The SpeakFirst Varsity and Novice Team Leads implement the SpeakFirst high school debate program in the Birmingham area with a focus on lesson planning, debate instruction, practice logistics, and tournament attendance and support. The SpeakFirst initiative enriches the academic experience of talented and motivated students from Birmingham-area high schools through participation in a competitive debate team. This highly collaborative initiative addresses a wide array of needs including tutoring and academic support, college admissions and financial aid guidance, standardized test preparation, and youth development activities. The team consists of approximately 9 varsity and 5 novice students for the 2020-21 program year.

Location: Two positions available in Birmingham, AL – one will be assigned to the Varsity Team and one to the Novice Team.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Manage and coach debate practices two evenings per week
• Implement weekly ACT prep, college prep, and academic support sessions one evening per week
• Collaborate on lesson planning, including creating objectives, power points, cases, and block assignments, and supporting with research
• Provide detailed research instruction, thorough editing of student work, and one-on-one research and brief and case writing instruction
• Engage in independent topic research and analysis
• Serve as main point of contact for student participants and their parent(s)/guardian(s), including organizing parent/guardian meetings and communication
• Responsible for practice logistics and coordinating with other Team Lead, where necessary
• Develop and implement transportation plan for students to practices and tournaments as needed
• Coordinate registration and participation in 8-12 weekend tournaments throughout the academic year
• Travel to, judge, and coach at those tournaments
• Keep track of data from how students do at tournaments
• Organize extracurricular events to expose the students to important cultural and historical learning opportunities
• Organize and execute recruitment for the next class of debaters
• Coordinate with media/communications team as needed to raise the profile of program in the community

Expectations

• Positive attitude and rapport with Service Members
• Collaborative spirit with the whole leadership team, especially the other SpeakFirst Team Lead
• Flexibility in a dynamic service environment
• Strong self management skills and willingness to take initiative
• Participate as requested in leadership team meetings and other program-specific meetings
• Ability to build positive professional relationships with high school students and families
• Enthusiasm for and prior experience working with high school students
• Prior experience with debate and/or education strongly preferred

This is a grant funded position and placement will be contingent upon Impact America receiving funding.

We anticipate team lead positions to be full time, 40 hour per week positions. Team Leads will be contacted individually regarding the specifics of their term of service (1700 hour vs. 1200 hour) and the grant-funded positions available in their region.

Supervisor: SpeakFirst Program Manager

Time Commitment: Begins July 5, 2021 and ends July 1, 2022

Term of Service: TBD

Skills Required: Successful members will demonstrate the following skills: leadership, teamwork, strong written and verbal communication, advanced computer literacy, positive attitude, flexibility, ability to work independently, punctuality, honesty, integrity, cultural sensitivity, commitment to individuals living in poverty.

Academic Qualifications: Members must have completed a college degree or have plans to complete the degree within the first six months of the term of service (this exception may be made on a case-by-case basis with prior approval).

Service Conditions and Time Requirement: This position may include an irregular schedule and seasonal shifts in workload. It sometimes requires weekend, evening, early morning, and off-peak hours. Work will involve conducting direct service in communities of need, outside of an office setting as well as sedentary physical activity requiring sitting for periods of time. 50% or more time is spent looking directly at a computer. Some travel is required.

Member Benefits:

Bi-weekly Living Stipend for Leadership Team Members

First Term: $769.23 biweekly

Second Term: $807.69 biweekly

Third Term: $923.08 biweekly

Fourth Term: $1,038.46 biweekly

Paid Time Off

First Term: 14 days

Second Term: 16 days

Third & Fourth Term: 18 days

PTO includes vacation, personal sickness, family sickness, medical or dental appointments exceeding two hours, religious holidays not included in regular holiday calendar, family activities, grad school application tasks (exams, interviews, school visits, etc), and any activity which prevents the member from participating in service as scheduled.

Holidays

Independence Day – 1 day

Labor Day – 1 day

Indigenous People’s Day – 1 day

Thanksgiving – 3 days

Winter Break – 10 days

Spring Break – 3 days

Memorial Day Break – 5 days

Juneteenth – 1 day

Health Insurance

A health benefits policy is administered by The Corps Network/CIGNA and is available to members upon request. If the member currently has other coverage (through a spouse, parent, or individual plan), they must sign a waiver of health insurance coverage which indicates that they have been made aware of the availability of health benefits and has chosen not to enroll.

Childcare Allowance

The allowance will be provided directly to a child care provider determined by AmeriCorps, if the member qualifies for the allowance. The child care allowance will distribute this allowance evenly over the term of service on a bi-weekly basis.

Education Award

Upon successful completion of the member’s term of service, the member will receive an education award from the National Service Trust. For successful completion of a full-time 1,700 hour term, the member will receive an education award in the amount of $6,345. For successful completion of a full-time 1,200 hour term, the member will receive an education award in the amount of $4,441.50. The member understands that their failure to disclose to the Program any history of having been released for cause from another AmeriCorps Program will render them ineligible to receive the education award. The member is entitled to two (2) full time education awards in the course of their life, even if they serve for more than two terms of service.

Student Loan Forbearance

If the member has received forbearance on a qualified student loan during the term of service, the National Service Trust will repay a portion or all of the interest that accrued on the loan during the term of service. Note: The term of service may differ from your time commitment with the program.