AmeriCorps Team Leaders Return from Kansas City

The 20th annual conference of the Youth Volunteer Corps of America was held in early October in Kansas City, Missouri. Those in attendance included YVCA founder David Battey, Wendy Elliott (YVCA director of Affiliate Services), Jenn Beard (YVCA director of Program Development) and Oheema Kumi (YVCA Program Assistant); 33 of 55 program directors and more than 50 (mostly fulltime) new AmeriCorps members, including 7 from YVC of Washington County. Sheena Rosander (fulltime at the Volunteer Center of Washington County), Debb Waggoner (halftime at the Volunteer Center of Washington County), Becky Cox (fulltime) and Angi Cox (halftime - both with Community Education), Mariah Hurst (fulltime with the Utah Commission on Volunteers), Marissa Williams and Stacy Gray (both fulltime with the Housing Authority of Salt Lake County), who after 2 days of training were officially sworn in by Michael Laverty, Missouri state director of the Corporation for National and Community Service. During their year of service in YVC of Washington County, each AmeriCorps team leader will coordinate service and service-learning in the community involving youth volunteers, age 11-18.

In the past, AmeriCorps members with YVC of Washington County have coordinated such repeating activities as CANstruction, youth court, Teen SERT, Family Night at the Library, Reading Rocks, many after school programs and have mentored dozens of young students in computer technology. YVC volunteers have also assisted with a variety of community events, including the St. George Marathon, and the Huntsman World Senior Games. Of course, AmeriCorps team leaders have also coordinated activities on national service days (Make-A-Difference Day [the last Saturday in October], Family Volunteer Day [the Saturday before Thanksgiving], Youth Service Day [the Saturday of National Volunteer Week], Join Hands Day [usually in May], Patriots Day [September 11, since 2001], and Martin Luther King Day [second Monday in January]).

Not pictured here, because they were not required to attend the national conference, are Judea Runs Through, Sherryll Snodgress and Dustin Flowers all serving with the Washington County School District Computer Mentoring Program and hundreds of youth volunteers who are building a lifetime ethic of service through YVC!