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!

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!

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.

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.

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!