AmeriCorps Partnership Making a Difference at DMPS
Last fall AmeriCorps, an organization often referred to as the domestic Peace Corps, celebrated its 20th anniversary and today marks the kickoff of National AmeriCorps Week.
But that doesn’t mean the 47 AmeriCorps members currently serving in 40 schools across Des Moines Public Schools get a week off. No, they’ll just keep showing up and helping out; doing their part of a unique sort of win/win bargain that bolsters the futures of both those serving and those served.
Who is the typical AmeriCorps recruit?
Is it a recent college grad uncertain as to the next move? If so, they’ll qualify for student loan forbearance during their term of service and may earn a bonus towards continued education. (After successfully completing a term of service, members are eligible to receive a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award. This award can be used to repay qualified student loans or to pay education costs at qualified institutions. The award may be used up to seven years after the term of service has ended.)
Or is it an early retiree with plenty of gas still in the tank who wants to help kids in general and maybe their own kid[s] in particular? (Members at least 55 years of age at the beginning of their term of service may choose to transfer their education award to a child, grandchild, or foster child.)
Maybe it’s someone who falls somewhere in between those profiles, someone who has another job but in addition to it wants to be involved in something more community-based. That’s possible too, because AmeriCorps service commitments are flexible:
Full-Time
- A minimum of 1,700 hours of service over 12 months
- Living allowance for term of service: $12,100; Education award for completion of term: $5,550
NOTE: Full Time members may be eligible to receive health care coverage and childcare assistance through AmeriCorps during their term of service.
Half-Time
- A minimum of 900 hours of service over nine or 12 months
- Living allowance for term of service: $5,800; Education award for completion of term: $2,775
Reduced Half-Time
- A minimum of 675 hours of service over nine months
- Living allowance for term of service: $5,100; Education award for completion of term: $2,114
Minimum Time (Summer)
- A minimum of 300 hours of service between June and August
- Living allowance for term of service: $1,700; Education award for completion of term: $1,175
Maybe there’s no such thing as a typical AmeriCorps recruit. But is there a typical AmeriCorps assignment at a DMPS school? Not really. You might find yourself doing anything from tutoring students one-on-one to painting walls in the school gymnasium to cultivating a school garden. The only sure things are that you’ll have plenty to do and plenty to gain.
According to Eric Whitney, the District Volunteer Coordinator, DMPS has a 50% retention rate of its AmeriCorps members. “And of the ones who didn’t sign up for another term of service, many either decided based on their experience to go back to school and pursue degrees in education or already had them and were hired by the district as fully certified teachers,” he added.
As of Friday, March 6th, there were two AmeriCorps openings posted here if you truly want to get in the spirit of National AmeriCorps Week. Visit our Jobs@DMPS web site if you are interested in learning more or beginning the application process.
The AmeriCorps presence in DMPS is assisted by the following partners: Community Youth Concepts, Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, Big Brothers Big Sister of Central Iowa and United Way.
