Fatima Shaikh's Story

Hello again AmeriStories fans!  Here is Fatima Shaikh's story, to warm your heart on this cold December day.  Enjoy!

Location before serving in AmeriCrops: Athens, Ohio

Where are you serving now: Green Gables Elementary

What did your family and friends think about your service? What was the initial reaction?

They were very proud of me, and happy that I was going to be achieving my goals.  I had told my mom that I wanted to do AmeriCorps since high school, and she was proud that I would be helping out a community. My family works at the local farmers market. They are very involved in their community thus they are happy that I would be helping out another community.

How have you changed since joining AmeriCorps?

I have changed in so many ways. When I first came to service I knew that I needed to change some things about myself.  I had just been working regular jobs for the past ten years of my life. I didn’t feel fulfilled by just working and not making a change for the better. Two years ago I had applied for several AmeriCorps jobs. Federal way was the first AmeriCorps [position] to call me back. I had really liked what I had read about the program. And most importantly that they were helping struggling students
and cleaning up the community. As a struggling student myself I know how important it is not to let those children fall through the cracks. I believe that the children are the foundations to our future. During my years of service I have grown into a morehumane person. It is not only important for me to change for myself but it is important to be that better person so that others around me may find a change for themselves as well. I feel that I can always learn every chance I get, and I will still continue to learn and grow whereever my path will take me.
more after the jump!

David Pixton's Story!

Howdy, Ya'll! Happy almost Thanksgiving to all you non-Canadians (bc theirs is in October.  Knowledge!)  While you are digging through your closets to find your stretchiest, most feast-appropriate pants, take a moment and read David Pixton's story. Bon Apetit!



Where were you before AmeriCorps?
David Pixton: I was in Pendleton, OR working for a clinical laboratory. Everything that comes out of a human, we tested.

How did you hear about AmeriCorps? Why did you decide to apply?
David Pixton: I wasn’t too happy doing what I was doing. It was interesting stuff because I really like science, but it wasn’t something that I wanted to do. I was stuck in the lab all night by myself. I surfed on the internet for things that I could do. I found this program and it sounded really fun and like something I could do. I applied, and was interviewed, and got the job. I only applied for the education type positions because I wanted to work with kids. I wasn’t sure that I wanted to be a teacher at that point, but now I do know. I think being a teacher is where I can best serve the kids and most serve myself.

What called you about AmeriCorps?
David Pixton: When I applied, the only background in AmeriCorps that I had was from when I was a kid in elementary school in Washington. I remember working with an AmeriCorps member for most of the day on my multiplication facts. I remember we stopped working, because of a lack of time, on the 8s multiplication facts. And to this day, I still have problems with the facts past 8.

How have you changed since joining AmeriCorps?
David Pixton: I’ve become a better leader. I never had to lead before quite to this degree. And now, I’m responsible for all of these kids. Even though I’m not a teacher, I’m still responsible for the kids in my AVID tutorial. It’s a weight, but it’s rewarding because I get to lead them and help push them in all these m
directions. I don’t think it’s overwhelming, but it is a cool feeling.


more after the jump!

Election Tues double feature!

In honor of this important day in the democracy of ours, here are TWO stories.  The first is from the lovely Caitlin Kreick, and the second from the illustrious Ian Baldwin.  Enjoy!!




What were you doing before AmeriCorps? Why did you decide to serve?
Caitlin Kreick: I worked for AmeriCorps once before through Jumpstart. Applied to see if I really did want to teach. I came here hoping that it would confirm or deny if I do actually want to go into teaching and it did help confirm that I do want to teach.

What did your friends and family think when you decided to serve?

Caitlin Kreick: They had been watching me do service projects since I was in high school. So at first, my parents were a little in shock about what I was doing and who I was with, but I kept doing it. I just kept doing it, I just kept serving. I was stubborn and they didn’t like it, I was stubborn.

When I quit my job and decided to serve they kind of understood. And then when I came out here my mom was the person who spoke up and my dad was like, “You’re going 3,000 miles away to a place you’ve never been to help people you’ve never met or would never meet”, and my mom was just like, “Well, let her go,” and she was kind of my champion the whole time.

Earlier in the year we were encouraged to text someone who helped us get here and text them to know that you’re thankful, so I texted my dad. Because my parents really helped me out financially to help me get here so I said, “thanks. you made this possible.” My dad’s response back to that was, “you’re the only one in the family who ever tries to give back and I’m glad I can help you out with that.”

more after the jump!

It didn’t surprise me that this was hard. I’ve always known, empirically and intellectually, that this is what people had to do because I’ve served those people before. I never truly experienced it in a way that wasn’t truly by choice. It’s affected my life, but I think in a positive way because i’ve actually now experienced the things that I rail against and I’m so frustrated that people don’t understand. I’m now personally scared when I turn on the T.V. and people are talking about cutting funds for food stamps. I’m the one like, “No! That’s just a bad idea, don’t do that! Oh god, oh god, don’t do that! That’s such a terrible idea.” I wouldn’t have been able to feel so connected to those sorts of things if I hadn’t been able to live them.

---


Name: Ian Baldwin
Location before AmeriCorps: Eugene, OR

Where are you serving now?
I serve at Federal Way High School. Federal Way is an incredibly inspiring school to work at, considering all the obstacles our students are overcoming on their road to success. One of the toughest things about working at Federal Way is seeing students failing because of “life circumstances” that are interfering with their ability to stay focused on school. As a tutor, it is empowering to know that I have a significant effect on my students lives, and that I can help be a bridge from their past to their future.
   
What do you family and friends think of your service? Initial reactions?
One of the challenges AmeriCorps faces is that no one understands what it does. I know I certainly didn’t when I began my service, and my friends and family still don’t know what it does. This either has to do with a lack of interest by the public in service, or a lack of public advertising on the part of AmeriCorps to get the word out about all the great programs we have to offer volunteers.

How have you changed?
I am a lot more punctual and professional. Before coming to AmeriCorps, I had worked in the field of education for four years as a tutor and debate coach. As a result, I had a hand up in knowing strategies for tutoring students of different ages and backgrounds. What I wasn’t prepared for, however is just how demanding the AmeriCorps workload can become at times. Between volunteer recruitment, documentation and tutoring, things can get a bit stressful. Now, I feel that I am more able to navigate these obstacles and balance different responsibilities.
   
What did you think service was going to be like?
I actually expected it to be quite similar to what it was. However, for me that was because I had already been an academic tutor for many years, and had a good understanding of what the job entailed.
   
What does national service mean to you?
To me, national service means giving back to a country that has given you everything. Without the services and security provided by our country, we wouldn’t have ever been in a position to succeed in life. Giving back for one year is the least I could do.
   

   
What other job possibilities were you considering before AmeriCorps?
Before joining AmeriCorps, I thought I wanted to be a teacher. AmeriCorps changed that. Now I recognize that many of the academic challenges we face can’t just be solved by having “good teachers” especially when it is difficult to attract good teachers to the profession due to salary. Instead, many of the changes we need will happen at a governmental level, in terms of increased funding for education, and a change in the way we market education to our students. I reject the idea that serving students can only happen by becoming a teacher.

Becca Rothkopf's Story!

Here is another illustrious write-in story penned by the incomparable Becca Rothkopf.  She hails from the snowy peaks of Colorado, and is a truly lovely person!  May she go on to great success and happiness.

Hello! My name is Becca Rothkopf. I’m from Denver, CO, and was living in northern Colorado (in Fort Collins, to be exact) before moving out to Washington for AmeriCorps. Right now I am wrapping up a year of service at Truman High School/Internet Academy. It has been an incredible, albeit challenging, experience for a number of reasons.
          
 Last year I served in AmeriCorps in the same city I went to college in. I was a full-time art instructor at an after-school program. That experience made me realize that service means being completely devoted to helping and caring for people and the world around us. Instead of focusing entirely on myself, like I had as a college student, my days were spent trying to provide a stable, safe, and educational environment for youth.
In that aspect, my experience this year was a similar one, but I also had the challenge of living in a part of the country that was completely unfamiliar to me. I literally knew nobody in the state of Washington when I packed up my car and headed northwest.

 Additionally, I had no idea what to expect when I walked in for our first day of AmeriCorps training. I knew I was going to be tutoring students, but I didn’t know what school I would be at or what my other responsibilities would be. The only things I knew for sure were that the Washington scenery really did look like the Twilight films and the people in Seattle wore a lot of plaid.
 
 more after the jump!

New Story-Adam Wooten!

Hey friends. I thought I'd get a jump on the week and get this post in early!  Although let's be real, there was only the slimmest of chances that I would post anything on a Tuesday.  But maybe I will, and I'm just trying to lure you into a state of complacency, only to (WHAM) surprise you with my promptness! That's how it's done, folks.  

Anyway, enough with the preamble!  Here's Adam Wooten's story.  It's totally good.

Also, he is the only person I've ever met from Oklahoma, and that's fun! Except for Curly from the musical Oklahoma!, who  I have met in my dreams.

How have you changed since coming to AmeriCorps?

There are things that I knew I could do, that it’s forced me to have to do. Like talking in front of people and commanding a classroom. Doing this made me become comfortable in that atmosphere and now I have no fear about doing it in the future. Oh, and patience as well. ‘Cause, God, I was a very stubborn, impatient person and it’s taught me a lot about that. Laughs. I mean, being able to work with middle school kids and not strangle them on an everyday basis, is a testament to your patience. And learning better ways to deal with unruly kids besides just yelling at them. I don’t know, my dad was a big yeller--all I really knew was berating people.  I can’t fault him for it because that’s all he knew from growing up.  But,  [AmeriCorps] definitely taught me impulse control and patience.

more after the jump!

Just Pictures!!

This here's a visual post.  The COVER of the collection we gave out to our team:

And the endpaper:

A preview of stories to come!

And, why not, here are the lil pictures of us, bigger!

 In case anyone is interested in my "process", this is what a drawing looks like when I scan it in:

And this here's what it's like when I'm done.  Thanks, that one class on computer art I took 3 years ago!

Just Wanted to say Hey...

And remind everyone, we are always taking submissions for new stories (self-written or interviews)--second year FWPS members and new faces, that's a hint for all of ya'll.  Check out posts tagged "guidelines".  And you know I'm always looking for new beautiful faces to draw :)

And get ready for a MEGA post tonight.  It's happening.

Miranda Belcher's Story

Hey, speaking of current AmeriCorps members, check out Miranda Belcher's extremely moving story!  She's awesome!



What did your friends and family think about AmeriCorps?

...It wasn't until I actually got here that I felt like people were positive about AmeriCorps.  Because people in Federal Way kind of know about AmeriCorps, and I am of course working with all of you guys who are choosing to do it.  Definitely a more positive experience, definitely really negative when I first decided to do it.

How did you deal with that?

Well, it was hard because I didn't really know what I was doing either!  I had minimal understanding of what I was getting myself into.  so I just tried to make it sound as awesome as possible, about how I was going to be helping people and it was really meaningful work.  I always related it to the Peace Corps because everyone knows what it is and I feel like it's really well-known and respected.  So I'd say, "It's like Peace Corps but I'm helping within the United States, people who need our help here!"

It's almost like people were wondering, "What are you getting out of this?"

more after the jump!

Becca Rosenberg's Story!

Hello again, blog readers.  Here is another write-in, by the incomparable Becca Rosenberg (who is, incidentally, serving her second year at FWPS AmeriCorps).  Enjoy!

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

- Mahatma Gandhi -

My AmeriCorps story began in April of 2011, at the end of my student teaching semester.  After experiencing an extremely emotional transition from classroom aide to lead teacher, I had no confidence in my abilities and was scared that I had made a terribly expensive mistake by enrolling in a Masters in Teaching program.  Instead of feeling prepared to develop my own classroom, I wanted to run home and apply to the nearest coffee shop.  But that did not happen.  Instead, during a moment of restlessness brought on by a mere two days of hiding out at my parents’ house, I discovered the AmeriCorps homepage.  Here I am, exactly one year later, with a completely different attitude about my work, newfound confidence in my abilities, and a fresh outlook on my values and goals.  Now, it is not about feeling ready to teach, it is about choosing to serve and about viewing the past as a learning experience instead of as a point of regret.  I did not initially expect to do AmeriCorps for a second year, but I have found the perfect confluence between my passion for education and my desire to make a difference in my community.  Because of this, I am pursuing another year serving in schools as an academic tutor, mentor, and volunteer recruiter/coordinator.

There are so many moments – both seemingly small and undeniably huge – that have shaped my AmeriCorps story.  I will try to express some of them as compactly, but impact-fully, as possible.  Here are some snapshots:

It was 8:30 in the morning on a Saturday.  It was freezing.  I was working at an elementary school track meet and was in charge of wrangling thirty 3rd-5th grade boys while they waited to do the long jump.  To keep them preoccupied, I started to ask them if they knew my team members.  Every time I mentioned someone’s name, eyes lit up and smiles appeared.  One boy shouted at the top of his lungs from the back of the bleachers, “I get to work with Miss Christina during my recess!”  I am pretty sure only my coworkers could make staying inside for recess that wonderful.

more inspirational words after the jump!

Will Crowley's Story

Now for something a bit different, ya'll.  As you might remember, we did interview our teammates, but we also asked for written submissions.  Will Crowley chose the latter option, to our immense delight.  If this essay was for a grade, I would give it an A+!

Name: William Crowley

Age: 25

Location before AmeriCorps: Brewster, WA

Service Site: Todd Beamer High School. I work with 9th-12th grade students in the AVID program, in science and math classes, and during Titan Quest, the after-school tutoring program.

Friends and Family: My friends and family have been nothing but supportive of me during my two years of AmeriCorps service. Many of them initially asked me what AmeriCorps was and what my role would be during my service. After doing my best to explain to them what my service entailed they were very enthusiastic for me.


Describe a moment when you were overwhelmed. What happened? How did you react?
The beauty of working with people lies in the uniqueness of each individual. There can never be a foolproof method for any one situation that will always work 100% of the time. I found this to be true when working with one of the AVID classes. This particular class tends to be more energetic than the others. They feel the need to talk more, move more, laugh more, etc. When first working with this class I held the belief that these attributes could only lead to disruption. There’s a funny thing about having a strong belief: when you “know” something is true you will make it true. This was my initial problem. I saw this group’s energy as acting out, and what I needed to see it as was potential energy for learning.
 

One day when the group was particularly energetic I felt like leaving the classroom. There was no way I could work with them on so little sleep. Then it struck me. I had been doing a lot of reading on Taoism lately and had yet to implement my new-found knowledge into practice at work. Many of the teachings of Taoism can be related to certain martial arts’ practices regarding the flow of energy and how that energy can be used. I made the realization that I had been fighting against the class’ energy up to this point. This could only lead to more friction, more struggling, and more opposition to their facilitator - me. What I needed to do was gradually redirect their energy into learning. This did not mean I would let them argue incessantly about the best rappers of our time or who was dating whom at school. I learned the best approach was to get involved with their conversation (unless it was altogether inappropriate for the setting), be a part of it, and then bring their attention back to the academic question at hand. When I got good at this technique it would take no less than one, maybe two, minutes. Even when the students realized what I was doing they were shockingly compliant to get back to business. I learned many things from this group of students, the most prominent being: No one can force any other into doing something. The only way a student can truly learn is by having the desire to and be given the opportunity to do so. My role is to make it possible for them to acquire both.

 More after the jump!

Tim Johnson's Story

Hey!! Non-Tuesday surprise post!  Enjoy the conversational stylings of one Tim Johnson!

When you decided to join AmeriCorps, what was the reaction of your family and friends?

Well there was excitement and a lot of questions. They had no idea what AmeriCorps was. I told them that I’d be in a school doing something – I didn’t know how to answer that question, honestly. More so, we were just focusing on the opportunity for me to get out of The South and see something different. 
I saw this as my one opportunity for me to move, you know, especially across the nation. Just an opportunity to see something different, be in a different spot, different location, different mindset.

I never really went outside of the Southeast [before] , so I really didn’t know much and I had a tunnel vision and a very conservative mindset. So it was an opportunity to see what else is out there.


So you’re a man – and for a lot of men, service is the armed forces and that’s your way to get out of wherever you are. And you chose a different kind of service. Why did you do that?

Well, my brother served in the armed forces and he didn’t have the best experience, so that backed me off. The armed forces in Alabama are always in your face. I’ve seen recruiters at my junior high school. So they start young there and they’re presented that option and because that’s the only option that people know about, that’s the option that they take. This opportunity was just another way.


More after the jump!

Ben Endre's Story

Hello again!  Tuesday is once again upon us.  Next up: another University of Wisconsin grad, Ben Endres!

Why did you choose to serve?

I chose to serve… well, I heard about AmeriCorps through my sister. She did it after she graduated and I always knew that I wanted to do something more. I had lived a really blessed life. I mean, I didn’t have any problems and money was never an issue, and I figured it was something I should do to give back. I knew that there were other people out there who were far worse off than I was. I think it’s important to give back.

And for me personally, the reason why I chose to serve in education was because I just think that education is so important. For these kids to be successful later on in their lives, they need to have a good education. They need people to look up to who have been successful before… and that are older than them. So that’s why I chose to serve - and serve in elementary schools. I believe that education is the most important thing to the success of our society.

 more after the jump!

Lucy Smigiel's Story

Hello All!  The summer is moving past us quite quickly--it seems like just yesterday I was at AmeriCorps graduation.

Here is a new AmeriStory from one of our own--Lucy Smigiel, Univeristy of Wisconsin graduate.  Check it out and think on times gone by!

Why did you choose to join AmeriCorps?

Lucy Smigiel: AmeriCorps is a practical choice for a recent college graduate who doesn’t totally know what they want to do and they want to get experience. Also, some people feel the responsibility to give back to a community even if it isn’t the community they grew up in.

AmeriCorps is a very practical option because it gives you so much hands on experience. I feel like I have lived such a life of privilege, it’s my responsibility to give that back. I just noticed a really great quote this morning that says something like, “service is the rent you pay for living”. I think that’s so true. I think that I should have to pay a higher rent because I have kind of have life handed to me on a silver platter. I think service work is what allows me to give back and to use my education to then give other students a good education.

What would you tell someone who is considering AmeriCorps?

Lucy Smigiel: Do it. I think it’s OK to be selfish in that if you don’t know what you want to do, choose a job that will allow you to learn and grow. If you can’t find a job, you might as well do something that allows you to learn and grow while simultaneously helping another community. It’s kind of a win-win situation on both sides.


More after the jump!

Melissa Ettman's Story

Hello readers!

Please enjoy these words of wisdom from our very own Melissa Ettman. Melissa joined AmeriCorps after graduating from college and then biking across the country. Yes, she biked across the country and even built houses while she was at it! Needless to say, Melissa is an excellent service-minded woman who is happy to share her experiences with us. Enjoy!

Q. Why did you join AmeriCorps?

"I Just graduated from Seattle University and instead of attending commencement, I thought I would bike across the country to raise money and awareness for affordable housing”
Christina, “pause! BRB” (leaves the interview space)
Melissa, “just go!” … Melissa then shifts her body to face the computer where she is being recorded and starts to talk intently into the camera “So, I was biking across the country raising money for affordable housing and I was like ‘well, so I survived graduation, now what am I gonna do?’ so, let me tell you a story - ”

Christina comes back and finds Melissa secretly explaining her story to the camera. They laugh and get back into the interview

“I was trying to figure out the next step in my life. I didn’t really have a plan and I hoped to have the time while I biked across the country. I thought surely I would have the clarity to decide what I would do next. Well, that didn’t happen. I was too busy trying to breathe and climb up hills. And along the way I decided AmeriCorps was a good next step for me because whatever I do I want it to have purpose. So looking through all the options with what AmeriCorps has to offer -no matter what- it always comes back to the greater good. I applied to our AmeriCorps team, Red Cross, Boys and Girls Club, etc. There are so many different ways you can take AmeriCorps and I liked that I could cast a wide net because I’m not just one thing and there are so many options and I believe in the mission of AmeriCorps and the ability of public service and that it can create real changes even if that’s just inspiring one person. Fortunately, I have the support of my family who are the ones who instilled that in me. They understand service, which makes it so much easier. Now I realize that this is a good stepping-stone to figure out what I’m going to do."

Click here to read more of her story!

Kerry George's Story

Our next story is from a woman named Kerry George. Kerry grew up in Iowa, but went to college in Minnesota, where she served as an AmeriCorps volunteer for the first time. A year later, she served a second term (!) in Federal Way, Washington with the Federal Way Public Schools. Here's a snippet:

Q: Has your service here in Federal Way been different than you expected it to be?

I think since I had the experience before, it hasn’t been super different than I expected… I definitely adjusted to the living stipend and…it was similar kinds of work.

Q: What about your first service? What that different than you expected?

Not really! Laughs. No, not really. I think it was what I wanted…it was kind of what I had envisioned for myself out of college…. Something that I liked about my first year of service, that I thought was really notable about it being AmeriCorps, is that right away I was able to do so many different things, that I had no experience in because it was AmeriCorps and it was technically volunteering. So they let me teach a Pre-K class even though I had no real experience with small children, and teach ELL - and I had no experience with that! And I thought it was really awesome how I could get experience in different areas without having any before. And that was a really good gateway in to whatever else I want to do.

Click here to read more of her story.

First Set of Interviews!

Hello again!

Well, it finally happened: our first interview day has come and gone--and it was lovely!  Christina and Brittany were well situated in private classrooms, with Sky roving between them, drawing pictures.  Our interviewees were more than accommodating, providing excellent and surprising answers to our questions.  Go team, go!


More stories to come, y'all!

Carl Hinton's Story

Allow me to introduce, Carl Hinton.

Carl joined AmeriCorps and moved to Morton, WA two years ago, never anticipating he would stay longer than one year. Since joining AmeriCorps he has made lasting relationships with Morton's residents, students, and his AmeriCorps teammates. Here is a clip from his interview:

So how have you changed since joining AmeriCorps?

Thinks. How have I changed? That’s a tough question, I don’t really know. Laughs. I guess I’ve become more aware of what the US has to offer. I suppose I grew up in sort of a bubble, and especially after going to a liberal arts college, where you are surrounded by like-minded people, coming to rural Washington allowed me to see that there’s a lot of different ideas people out there. And being able to work with them has opened my mind a lot. Um, I’ve guess I’ve become more patient as well. Working with kids who don’t want to do their work can be grating on the ego at times. Laughs. Like, you feel you’re good at your job, but then they’re not doing anything! So you’re obviously not good at your job. I’ve had to come to terms with that at times. It’s made me more creative and patient in my work.

Click here to read more from his interview.

Elizabeth Flamm's Story

Hello All!

And now...an excerpt of our interview with the incomparable Elizabeth Flamm!  This lady, a grad of the University of Maryland, is serving her second AmeriCorps year in the small mountain town of Morton, Washington. Check it out:

So, what does National Service mean to you? Why'd  you choose to be apart of national service?

I didn't choose to do national service for the idealistic reason.  I chose to do National Service because I want to do the Peace Corps, and I need to be qualified-- so I chose to do AmeriCorps.

But the same could be true for…I could answer the question in regards to why I volunteered before, why I thought Peace Corps was important. I think…when you're born into privilege, it's very little to do with you, it's just luck and and circumstance that you happen to have a good public school and you happen to have parents who were supportive.  And I think it's an obligation you have at some point to try and make the world a bit more fair… in terms of resources or wealth or services.

Click here to read more of this interview.

Interview Clips

Hello there!

Last weekend, we decided it was time to practice our interviewing skills by interviewing each other. We recorded our interviews with a webcam, originally just for the audio, but found that watching the interviews was an added bonus. We decided to post a couple clips to give you a sample of what interviews will be like.

The first story is Sky answering the question, "Has your time in service been what you expected it to be?"  Her answer is honest and amusing. Take a look:

This next clip is of Brittany answering the question "How do you think you've changed since joining AmeriCorps?" She has a great answer:

There is more to come!

Essay Guideline Update

Hello Everyone!

Thank you for all the e-mails, we really appreciate your support and participation!

We literally could not do this without you. As Sky brightly said, "we would just be filling a book with our own thoughts..." and that is not what we want to do. Oh Sky, she's so funny and wonderful. 

We have an important addition to add to the our guidelines.

While we have referred to your written submission as an essay, we want to emphasize the importance of first person narration. This is not a formal paper, we would love to hear you voice come through. Here is an example of a comedic first person narrative written about awkward middle school years.

Enjoy!

-Sky, Brittany, Christina

Guidelines for Submitting an Entry

We would love to hear from you! To send AmeriStories your reflections on AmeriCorps service via e-mail (AmeriStories@gmail.com), please keep the following guidelines in mind:

Length: One page, single spaced.  Your reflection can be a list of answers to our questions, an essay, or a series of philosophical reflections or anecdotes.  You could even write a poem!  

Please answer, in some way, the following questions:

• Name
• Location before AmeriCorps.
• Where are you serving right now? Tell us about your site.
• What do your family and friends think of your service? What was their initial reaction?

Here are some more questions to provide direction to your reflection (you may answer all, some or none of these, they are jumping off points):

• How have you changed since joining AmeriCorps?
• What did you think service was going to be like? Was it what you expected?
• What does national service mean to you?
• Describe an influential character in your year of service. Is there anyone you served with, or served, who you won't forget?
• Did you have any changes in your perspective of what service is? Can you describe a 'light bulb moment'?
• Describe a moment when you were overwhelmed. What happened? How did you get past it?
• How has this year with AmeriCorps changed your life goals/trajectory?  
• What were other job possibilities that you were considering before joining AmeriCorps?

FAQ's

Why are you doing this?

Sky: Good question. I can’t speak for the other gals, but I want to collect these stories because we will be capturing something special and fleeting. When this year is over, my seventy team members and I will disperse. I suppose my goal is to pin down some stories that made this year ours, in 2011-2012, before we forget what made it special.

And then comes the wonderful part of sharing these memories with others, who might not know what AmeriCorps is or why on earth we would do it. There aren’t a lot of jobs to be had out there. AmeriCorps is an option, especially to those who really, truly want to serve. I want to show our year of service as truthfully as possible, told by the people who lived it. We’re oral historians, yo!

Brittany: I am privileged to have the opportunity to be a part of AmeriCorps. I would be taking advantage of a privilege if I didn’t find myself serving others.

Collecting the stories of like-minded people will (hopefully/surely) educate others to see what it really means to be selfless, to shamelessly “rock” food stamps, to meet others “where they’re at”, and to live a life filled with meaning and consideration. Once these stories are exposed, many more will see AmeriCorps as an option for their own lives. Once these stories are heard, the needs of hundreds of people in our communities can be met.

Christina: Nicely said, ladies! For me, AmeriStories is a way to capture this moment in time. Not only will we be sharing stories of what it is like to serve as an AmeriCorps volunteer, but also what it is like to be someone in their early 20s, living through our country’s economic challenges. In my mind, AmeriStories can show a different side of success - the kind of success that isn’t about how much money your job pays straight out of college and instead is about the difference you are making in your community. 

What will your end product look like? 

Right now, we are focusing on collecting personal accounts from the AmeriCorps volunteers on our team. We will then be publishing this in book form.  

This blog is meant to encourage AmeriCorps members from other programs - former and current - to share their experiences. We hope to create greater awareness of the goals and impact that AmeriCorps has in our communities.

Will everything from my interview be included in the book or on the blog? 

Probably not. Due to space constraints we will select answers that we feel create a cohesive expression of our year of service. 

Is AmeriCorps only in schools?

Christina: No ma’am! As an AmeriCorps volunteer, you could be serving in a wide variety of fields. Maybe literal fields. There are AmeriCorps members who clear trails, volunteer at food banks, fight fires, build houses, serve in after-school programs, volunteer with the elderly, on Native American reservations, etc. etc. etc. AmeriCorps positions run the gambit, but are limited to jobs that aim to help communities thrive. 

Are other AmeriCorps programs collecting AmeriStories as well?

Not that we know of. We came up with this idea independently during one of our service projects. However, if you are also collecting stories from AmeriCorps volunteers, we would love to be in contact! Shoot us an email at AmeriStories@gmail.com.

Are you getting paid for this?

Oh golly, no. We certainly do not get paid to be the wonderful AmeriBloggers. However, we as AmeriCorps volunteers get paid a small stipend to pay our rent and not much more.

Please send other questions you might have to AmeriStories@gmail.com. We'd be more than happy to answer them!