Program is Virginia’s oldest and largest

Mike Porter
University News Services
(804) 828-7037
mrporter@vcu.edu
5/10/2007

Members of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Americorps program have much to be proud of as the current school year winds down. They’ve supported revitalization efforts in Richmond’s Carver neighborhood, worked with boys and girls clubs throughout Central Virginia and landscaped the grounds of Brook Haven Rest Home while socializing with the people who live there.

That’s in addition to the daily support they offer students from 16 Central Virginia elementary schools who struggle with learning to read.

Americorps is a program of the Corporation for National and Community Service, an independent federal agency that connects Americans of all ages and backgrounds in worthwhile community and national service projects. VCU’s Americorps program was launched in 1995 and is the oldest and largest in Virginia.

VCU Americorps is made up of members who are undergraduate and graduate students, VCU graduates and area high school students. Membership each year consists of seven full-time team leaders and 50 part-time reading coaches who work with local schools and community service agencies in a one-year term of service.

In addition to offering ongoing literacy support at elementary schools in the city of Richmond and Henrico and Chesterfield counties, members participate in three major events during the year: “Make a Difference Day” in October, “Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day” in January and “Global Youth Service Day” in April.

While Americorps provides a living allowance and education awards to members, organizers say those who participate are motivated by much more than financial rewards.

"What really drives the majority of our members is a commitment to helping someone in need, to share personal and professional experiences that can lift other people,” said Franklin Wallace, VCU Americorps program director.

Since 1995, 615 VCU Americorps members have provided nearly 400,000 hours of community service in the Richmond metropolitan area. More than 4,400 local elementary students have received reading support since 1999. And the program has received $4.3 million in grants directly from the Corporation for National and Community Service.

The statistics are impressive, but members recognize that behind every number is a person in need. That connection shows up in the evaluation forms members fill out at the end of their terms of service.

Visit http://www.vcu.edu/ocp/programs/americorps/index.html to learn more about VCU’s Americorps program.

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While America Reads hires year-round, peak seasons are in September and January. Applicants are encouraged to apply early to ensure good placement. Applications can be obtained from 1103 W. Marshall St.

Mike Porter
University News Services
(804) 828-7037
mrporter@vcu.edu
5/25/2007

Virginia Commonwealth University’s Council for Community Engagement has awarded one-year grants totaling $100,000 to nine university-community programs established to respond to community-identified needs.

The Community Engagement grant awards were announced at a reception at Scott House on May 23.

Sheldon Retchin, M.D., VCU Health System CEO and vice president for VCU Health Sciences, told attendees they were playing a critical role in increasing the level of community engagement, which was identified as a key theme in VCU’s strategic plan two years ago.

“The willingness of so many community partners to participate in this strategic initiative is very exciting,” Retchin said. “My hope is that through the coupling of the university’s resources with the assets and ‘know how’ of the diverse community organizations represented here today, we will see positive changes occur in our community.”

Grants were awarded to:

ECO-Monitoring: Ecology, Chemistry, Observation, Mentoring, a partnership between VCU Life Sciences; the departments of biology, chemistry and pathology; and the Charles City County Public School System to develop an environmental monitoring system. Through mentorship and field experiences, participants will explore how water quality in Charles City County may affect local wildlife and human communities, as well as the impact of the local ecosystem health on regional and global communities.

VCU Lends Helping Hands to Friends, a program that allows students from counselor education and the school of social work to collaborate with Friends Association for Children to offer individual and group counseling to foster academic, behavioral and social development for youth and families participating in FRIENDS preschool, school age and adult programs.

VCU Community Workforce Investment Project, a collaboration of the School of Social Work and the VCU Health System with the Richmond Career Advancement Center to offer pre-employment counseling, on-the-job training, mentoring and other services to help community residents get entry-level jobs with the Health System, maintain their employment and advance to higher-paying positions.

Chandler Middle School Arts Center Project, a partnership between the departments of Art Education and Interior Design and Chandler Middle School to develop and build a permanent exhibition space in the school cafeteria for displaying art works created by Chandler students.

Improving the Access to FIRST Programs in the Underserved Community, a program that allows VCU’s schools of Education and Engineering to work with Richmond Public Schools and VirginiaFIRST to create new, high-tech educational opportunities using FIRST LEGO League and FIRST Vex Challenge to teach problem solving and project management while learning life skills and technical expertise.

Environmental Festivals: Engaging our Citizens in Watershed Sustainability, a partnership between the departments of Geography and Biology, VCU Life Sciences and Miles J. Jones Elementary School to design, promote, and stage two community environmental festivals to engage citizens who live in the Reedy Creek watershed to develop a lifelong commitment to environmental protection and take ownership of the creek’s health.

Cosby High School/VCU Partnership, a collaboration between University College, the School of Medicine, the Center for Health Disparities, Cosby High School Health Sciences Specialty Center and the Virginia Mentoring Partnership to bring about a health careers exploration course, introducing Cosby students to health careers through expert presentations, service activities, lab experiences and mentorships with current VCU pre-health students.

VCU Online GED, a partnership between the Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center at VCU’s School of Education, the Honors College at VCU and the Richmond Public School’s Adult Career Development Center to provide peer counseling from VCU Honors College students, increase GED certifications and introduce Web-based instruction to boost retention at Richmond’s Alternative High School.

Science Connection: A VCU-St. Andrew’s School Partnership, a program that links faculty in the departments of teaching and learning, physics and VCU Life Sciences with St. Andrews’s School in Oregon Hill to increase student interest in science through exposure to engaging instructional experiences and interactions. Training will be provided for pre-service elementary teachers and science content majors to deliver hands-on science lessons and three professional development workshops will be held for St. Andrew’s teachers.

The nine grantees were selected from a group of 25 proposals. Members of the Council for Community Engagement gifts and grants committee and three community reviewers selected the successful grantees.

"The Committee was so pleased to receive applications to work with the community on a wide variety of issues, such as math and science education, workforce development, creative expression, and the environment,” said Samantha W. Marrs, gifts and grants committee chair and assistant vice president, University Advancement, and director of Corporate and Foundation Relations. “The nine funded awards will support sustainable partnerships between the VCU community and the greater Richmond community, thereby improving the quality of life for us all."

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