AmeriCorps Program is at Anoka-Ramsey

I wrote this article for ABC Newspapers, located in Anoka County, Minnesota. It was published on September 2, 2010. 

Anoka Ramsey Community College (ARCC) students will have the opportunity to participate in a new AmeriCorps program available this fall.  

ARCC is receiving 20 AmeriCorps volunteers to serve on campus and $275,000 to go toward volunteer stipends and health insurance.  

The AmeriCorps volunteers will be focused in the developmental education areas at ARCC and will have three main roles while they are there, according to Jaimie Lopez, director of Minnesota College Success Corps.

They will provide Supplemental Instruction (SI), individual tutoring and mentorship.  

Each student entering ARCC to pursue a degree is required to take the Accuplacer, a placement test that determines which reading, writing and math classes the students will be placed in.  

If they score too low in one area, students are required to take developmental course work classes in that subject before being able to take the college level courses of that subject.  

While providing SI, volunteers will work with the instructors of developmental education classes during class time and lead SI groups after class.  

These groups will be similar to facilitated study groups, as SI leaders will assist the students in fully understanding class material.

As mentors, volunteers will assist in providing students with tools and tips for academic time management.  

“They’ve been successful college students, so they know how to help college students be successful,” Lopez said.

The official program start date was Aug. 9.  

AmeriCorps is continuing to recruit new mentors and tutors. They have seven of 20 members needed.  

The volunteers were in place to fulfill their duties when classes started Aug. 23.  

According to Lopez, ARCC saw an increasing number of students that were unprepared to take college level course work and wrote a grant to receive funding for the AmeriCorps program.  

In early June, the college received notice that AmeriCorps had accepted its grant.  

“I hope the students see the benefit,” Lopez said.  

“Statistically, students who participate in SI receive fewer D’s and F’s than those who do not…we’re hoping they’ll make connections to resources like this on campus.”

According to Lopez, ARCC is receiving this AmeriCorps grant for only one year, but it can choose to reapply at the end of the year.  

The college may have the program for up to three years if it is accepted each time it applies.  

The program carries out the vision of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act signed in 2009.  

According to a press release from ServeMinnesota’s Vice President of Marketing and Communications Lisa Winkler, the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act was signed into law in 2009 with a goal of expanding AmeriCorps efforts and addressing various national issues, including strengthening education.  

The Corporation for National and Community Service awarded ServeMinnesota programs $14.5 million in federal AmeriCorps grants, ranking fourth in the nation behind California, Washington and New York.  

Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity AmeriCorps, Minnesota Alliance with Youth, Minnesota Conservation Corps and many other programs will also receive AmeriCorps funding this year.  

The Minnesota programs receiving federal AmeriCorps grants are focused on youth literacy and schooling, environmental conservation and affordable housing.