AmeriCorps
“The AmeriCorps program has impacted the school by displaying a caring, loving and supportive attitude, as well as good instruction for the students.”
– Classroom teacher, AmeriCorps school site
Needs and services
Established in 1995, the Virginia Commonwealth University AmeriCorps Program has an educational focus with the goal of helping improve the literacy skills of local children and families. Reading by third grade has been identified by the Richmond community as a critical preventive strategy in addressing the health and safety needs of children in the metro area. VCU AmeriCorps members address this need by providing comprehensive reading support to elementary school students who are struggling academically. Members also enhance family literacy skills and parent involvement at partner schools by lending support to existing services as well as developing new programs to meet specific needs.
The AmeriCorps program, along with the VCU America Reads Program, form the core of a university-based effort to support literacy and educational achievement at the elementary school level — America Reads in the City of Richmond and Henrico County. The programs work to increase the availability of educational support services to ensure that every student in the Richmond region read well and independently by the end of their third-grade school year. This goal is accomplished though the provision of one-on-one and small group tutoring and mentoring services for children in first, second and third grades. Students selected for ARCH reading support typically test below grade level in reading and need a level of reading assistance that can be adequately provided by “non-professional” individuals with limited training in reading development and tutoring. Members are assigned to school sites in service teams under the guidance of an AmeriCorps program team leader, with each team providing support to their primary school site for the duration of the academic school year.
Members also assist their schools with other academic assistance and support activities specific to individual school needs. These activities provide program members with meaningful experiences and communicative exchange allowing for a variety of positive influences on children. These types of interaction also afford members opportunities to emphasize to students the importance of developing strong reading skills, good grades and general academic success.
Contact us
Program Coordinator:
Cheryl Jennings
1103 W. Marshall Street
Richmond, VA 23284
(804) 827-1918
jenningscn@vcu.edu