I first heard about AmeriCorps during a high school history class. It was the end of my junior year and the start of the college application process. Unlike my friends, I wasn’t excited about college. I wanted valuable experience outside the classroom, but felt as if I needed a degree to get it. Curiosity and hope got to me, and I researched AmeriCorps when I began thinking of what I was going to do after graduation. When I realized I was eligible to apply for the program I wanted, I did so and was accepted.
AmeriCorps was described to me as the “domestic Peace Corps.” Every year AmeriCorps recruits about 75,000 people to engage in an intensive year of service all around the country. The work an AmeriCorps Member does varies as there are several AmeriCorps programs and AmeriCorps sponsored programs. I was very interested in education at the time, so I applied for the non -profit City Year. City Year is an AmeriCorps sponsored program and its members are also AmeriCorps members as well. I worked in the South Bronx assisting a special education teacher. My main responsibility was to work with my focus list students in math, English, and behavior. I also worked with a group of eleven other Corps Members. Within that group, I participated in leadership roles that allowed me to new learn skills such as event planning.
At the age of eighteen, being an AmeriCorps Member granted me the chance to live and work in New York City. I paid for my rent with my living stipend and received free transportation. I also became eligible for food stamps as well. I earned a scholarship that can be use in increments over a seven-year period or all at once if you choose. Though this did not apply to me at the time, I would have been able to put off my college loans for a year. There were a lot of benefits.
The program I participated in focused on education, but AmeriCorps works with a variety of communities dealing with different issues. For example, FEMA Corps is dedicated to “disaster preparedness, recovery and response.” Another program called Food Corps, is dedicated to teaching children about healthy eating and sustainability. Even Habitat for Humanity is an AmeriCorps sponsored program.
Many of these programs recruit 18-24 year olds. During my experience, however, most of the participants were college grads. These programs are a great stepping stone into the workforce and allow you to put off your student loans for a year. At the end of your year of service you will also receive the Segal Education Award. AmeriCorps programs give ample amounts of experience and can be your gateway into living in the city of your dreams. If you’re looking to go into the Peace Corps, this could make getting in a whole lot easier.
With that being said, it is important that you understand you will be working with nonprofits. Therefore, everything can’t run smoothly and you must be flexible. More times than not, you will be working closely with people and you may not always agree. You will be frustrated, overworked, and underpaid.
For me, my year of service was the best thing I could have done despite frustrations. I didn’t go far away, but my world opened up tremendously. Today I can’t imagine having gone to college right after high school. I would have been immature and less self-confident. I also can’t imagine not doing this after college. I can honestly and truly say that my most valuable experience with AmeriCorps was the lessons and guidance I received from the people around me. If you are unsure of what to do after college, I highly suggest considering AmeriCorps and its programs. There is something out there for everyone and the experience you will receive is invaluable.