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More Than Awareness: Supporting Youth Mental Health Through Action
Launching in August 2026, the Youth Mental Health Corps is expanding support for Arkansas youth while creating career pathways for young adults to serve, train, and lead.
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Building Tomorrow’s Workforce: How AmeriCorps Develops the Skills That Last a Lifetime
Building Tomorrow’s Workforce: How AmeriCorps Develops the Skills That Last a Lifetime One of the most defining elements of AmeriCorps service is the development of lifelong, durable skills, which are long-term, transferable skills that are not job-specific but are valuable across all workplaces and roles. These are the kind of skills that stay with members…
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AmeriCorps Senior Companion Program Volunteer Interviews: Part Three
AmeriCorps Senior Companion Program Volunteer Interviews: Part Three Part 3: Watonna Hughes Volunteer Interview 1) What inspired you to become a Senior Companion Volunteer? When my mother got sick, she had Alzheimer’s. I learned how to deal with Alzheimer’s because I was the one who took care of her. She begged me not to ever…
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AmeriCorps Senior Companion Program Volunteer Interviews: Part Two
AmeriCorps Senior Companion Program Volunteer Interviews: Part Two Part 2: Kathryn Wooten and Maxine Brewer Volunteer Interviews 1) What inspired you to become a Senior Companion Volunteer? Kathryn: Ms. Reda McConnell had a lot to do with that. She had been asking me frequently, and we were friends. She said Kathryn, this is for YOU!…
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AmeriCorps Senior Companion Program Interviews: Part One
AmeriCorps Senior Companion Program Interviews: Part One Back in October 2025, Engage Arkansas connected with the Area Agency on Aging of West Central Arkansas to gather volunteer testimonials from their AmeriCorps Senior Companion Program. In honor of Older Americans Month, we’re excited to share these stories in a three-part series that highlights the impact of…
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Turning Service into Opportunity: AmeriCorps Education Awards, Schools of National Service, and the Future of Public Leadership
Turning Service into Opportunity: AmeriCorps Education Awards, Schools of National Service, and the Future of Public Leadership Often, public service is framed as a sacrifice; however, AmeriCorps and similar programs are redefining it as an investment in America’s future. At the center of this shift in focus is the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award, which not…
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From Service to Sustainability: The Impact of the Ozark Conservation Corps
From Service to Sustainability: The Impact of the Ozark Conservation Corps Each April, Earth Day and National Volunteer Week remind us of two incredibly powerful ideas: protecting our planet and environment and showing up for our communities. However, beyond awareness campaigns or one-day events, there are organizations across Arkansas that are helping to turn these…
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AmeriCorps: Letter to the Editor in Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette
AmeriCorps: Letter to the Editor in Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette What a positive letter published in the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette last week supporting AmeriCorps programs across Arkansas! Serving community When families in Arkansas need tutoring support, community outreach, or help strengthening local nonprofits, AmeriCorps members are often there—quietly serving and making a measurable difference. The…
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Smart Start Member Interviews: Preparation for Arkansas’s Next Generation of Leaders
AmeriCorps Member Experience: Preparation for Arkansas’s Next Generation of Leaders Over the past week, the Engage Arkansas team interviewed two members of the Southeast Arkansas Education Service Cooperative’s Smart Start Program for February’s civic challenge, spotlighting youth leadership across Arkansas. Smart Start, an AmeriCorps initiative, provides reading and math tutoring to K–5 students in Southeast…