Advocating for National Service - Volunteer Iowa Day at the Capitol

Blog post written by Melissa Simmermaker, Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps Program Manager

Staff members from the Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps Program recently had the opportunity to participate in Volunteer Iowa Day at the Capitol. The event was hosted by the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service (ICVS), a state agency that helps organizations like Iowa Reading Corps fulfill their mission by capitalizing upon the impact of national service members and local volunteers. 

Volunteer Iowa Day at the Capitol provided an exciting opportunity for our staff to educate legislators on the Iowa Reading Corps program model and to discuss the important role that our AmeriCorps members are playing in bridging the 3rd grade literacy gap. In addition to highlighting the unique aspects of the program model, staff also highlighted the program’s invaluable relationship with local United Ways that has leveraged both financial and community resources to strengthen the connection between school and community. We were excited to receive an enthusiastic response from legislators and plan to capitalize upon this interest by scheduling visits for local legislators at a few of our Reading Corps schools. 

Perhaps most importantly, Volunteer Iowa Day at the Capitol emphasized the fact that national service programs, like AmeriCorps, aren’t just nice, they’re important! We hope that by educating our elected officials on the positive impact that our AmeriCorps members are cultivating both in and outside of the school setting, we will be able to spotlight national service as a potential solution to some of our most pressing issues in the education field. 

"Feeling the Love"

Lisa Dennis, Iowa Reading Corps
AmeriCorps member

Blog post written by Lisa Dennis, Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps member at Sawyer Elementary.

After four months of Reading Corps tutoring, my students are used to working with me. They see me every day at the same time, for the same amount of time, doing relatively the same thing. They get it. I've always felt like my students see me as another teacher, or simply, the "girl they read with." However, I've recently begun to realize that they see me as more than that.

One of my students surprised me by drawing a picture that showed the two of us holding hands and included a nice note to me at the top of the illustration. One of them insists on running up to give me a hug or "high five" each and every time I see her in the hallway. And one instance that made me feel really special was when I was working with a student and I told him that he was doing so well that he might not have to see me anymore.  I explained that his reading scores had improved so much that he wouldn't have to work with me any longer.

All of a sudden, the tears started flowing. He was genuinely upset and sad that he wouldn't get to see me anymore. He asked me, with watery eyes and a shaky voice, "But will I still get to see you every day?" Just then, in that moment, I realized that I'm not just "the girl they work with" or the teacher who takes them out of class. Those 20 minutes that we spend together each day means something more to them. Its really nice to feel that love from some of the most unexpected places.

Going Above and Beyond for MLK Day

Blog post written by Nicole Belding, Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps member at Washington Elementary

Nicole Belding (left) and her Internal Coach,
Cindy, at the donation table.

"Life's most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?" - Martin Luther King Jr.

To celebrate the spirit of Martian Luther King Jr. Day, I organized a donation drive at my school for Noah’s Hope. Noah’s Hope is a non-profit pet rescue group that serves the Sioux City community. If a dog is sick, abused, or hurt, the staff members step in to fight for the animal’s survival. Furthermore, if a dog is missing, staff members and volunteers do whatever they can to help the family reunite with their pet. Because this organization continually goes above and beyond what is expected, I thought MLK Day would be a great opportunity to give back.

To prepare for the donation drive, I sent a letter home to students’ parents and guardians that explained the service project and listed potential items to donate to the shelter. To incorporate an element of service-learning, the individual who founded Noah’s Hope visited our school to provide a presentation about the organization and to share success stories with students.  After the presentation, I set up a donation table in the hallway for students to drop off their donations throughout the week.
  

On the final day of the donation drive, one little boy visited the donation table with his wallet and said that he would like to donate some of his money. He told me that he worked hard for the money and he wanted to give it to Noah’s Hope. I was overwhelmed by the generosity of the students and staff at my school. It is such a great feeling to know that we were able to make a difference in our community for MLK Day. I’m proud to be an AmeriCorps Member!