Brie Greer is the only AmeriCorps member at Owensboro High School, and she hopes that changes in the future. The group, which is a network of national service programs, is made up of three primary programs that each take a different approach to improve lives and fostering civic engagement.
Members commit their time to address critical community needs like increasing academic achievement, mentoring youth, fighting poverty, sustaining national parks, preparing for disasters, and more.
Greer, who is a senior at Kentucky Wesleyan College and also works for OHS, said while there are members at other schools in the area, she encourages more people to get involved with the organization.
“I think students should join this program after high school because it can open so many doors for a future job and you make really good connections,” Greer said. “I would recommend this program to anyone who loves to work with students.”
AmeriCorps offers a variety of service opportunities, from the classroom to the outdoors, and everything in between.
Greer’s service for Americorps is to help with college applications, FAFSA and signing up for the ACT.
“I pretty much help with the things you need in order to get into college or technical school,” she said. “I work one-on-one with students and sometime their parents to get those things done.”
She said she thinks Americorps is a great program because it gets her foot in the door at a school system and she receives scholarship money for her service.
Greer originally started with Americorps after her aunt served with them and suggested Greer to do the same.
Shannon Bailes, co-director of the ATEAM AmeriCorps, said, “no matter what you’re passionate about, where you’re from, or why you choose to serve, AmeriCorps is your chance to be the greater good.”
The ATEAM is a part of the Corporation for National and Community Service and is supported by the Kentucky Commission on Community and Volunteer Service. ATEAM AmeriCorps is the program that is used at OHS.
More than 75,000 Americans across the country participate in AmeriCorps each year. All of them are tackle different community needs in different ways.
Depending on the program where members serve, AmeriCorps members can assist students in academic success at all levels of education, college preparedness, workforce preparedness, an mentoring.
Bailes said some of the benefits of service include student loan deferment, skills and training.
“Another benefit is upon completion of service, AmeriCorps can help pay for college, graduate school, or vocational training, or repay student loans and career opportunities with leading employers from the private, public and nonprofit sectors.”
Find more information at www.americorps.gov or at the ATEAM website—www.ateamky.org.
