AmeriCorps’s National Civilian Community Corps lends its strength to the Arkansas 4-H Center
By Mary Hightower
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Nov. 20, 2018
Fast facts
- AmeriCorps has 10 young adults working at 4-H Center
- Working to improve trails, outdoor learning areas
- Helping improve energy efficiency at 4-H Center
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LITTLE ROCK – A team of 10 AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps members are lending their strength to the C.A. Vines Arkansas 4-H Center, spending part of November and December improving trails and other learning areas, as well as increasing facility energy efficiency.
The team was deployed to the center Nov. 10 and are scheduled
to remain there until Dec. 18. It’s the fifth AmeriCorps team hosted at the center. Between 2012 and 2016, the previous AmeriCorps NCCC teams served 15,789 hours with the Arkansas 4-H Center.
“We applied for a team because of the nationwide reputation of AmeriCorps and our own past experiences. We hope to accomplish a wide variety of annual projects that will enhance youth programs,” said Steve Wilson, 4-H Center physical plant manager.
Shannon Caldwell, program director at the 4-H Center, said the group will have a variety of tasks, including prepping part of the grounds for a controlled burn, improving trails to prevent erosion and make them easier to use. The team will also move the center’s conversion to LED lighting forward, enabling significant utility savings for the non-profit organization.
She said the center serves 17,000 to 18,000 youth each year through the Arkansas 4-H Youth Development Program as well as church and school programs. That translates into wear and tear across the center’s 228 acres.
“We’re grateful to AmeriCorps for working with us and helping increase our capabilities to host programs and repair program facilities,” Caldwell said. “We want them to leave having gained new skills they can use in the future.”
This is the first of several projects to be completed by this AmeriCorps NCCC team. They began their term of service Oct. 16, with three weeks of training at the Denver regional hub. After Dec. 18, they will travel to a series of other six- to 12-week projects in communities throughout the central and southwestern United States. They will graduate from the 10-month program on July 18, 2019.
For more about the center, visit https://thevinescenter.org.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action institution. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate or need materials in another format, please contact 479-575-4607 as soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.
About AmeriCorps NCCC
AmeriCorps NCCC (N-triple-C) is a full-time, residential, national service program in which up to 2,200 young adults serve nationwide annually. During their 10-month term, Corps Members – all 18 to 24 years old – work on teams of eight to 12 on projects that address critical needs. Traditional NCCC members work on a variety of different six- to 12-week-long projects related to natural and other disasters, infrastructure improvement, environmental stewardship and conservation, energy conservation, and urban and rural development. Members of FEMA Corps, a branch of NCCC, focus their projects exclusively on emergency management work in partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The Southwest Region campus in Denver is one of four regional hubs in the nation and serves eight states in the central and southwest parts of the country. The other campuses are located in Vinton, Iowa, Vicksburg, Miss., and Sacramento, Calif.
In exchange for their service, Corps Members receive $6,095 to help pay for college, or to pay back existing student loans. Other benefits include a small living stipend, room and board, travel, leadership development, increased self-confidence, and the knowledge that, through active citizenship, people can indeed make a difference. AmeriCorps NCCC is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service. The Corporation improves lives, strengthens communities, and fosters civic engagement through service and volunteering. For more information about AmeriCorps NCCC, visit the website at www.americorps.gov/nccc.
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Media Contact: Mary Hightower
Dir. of Communication Services
U of A Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
(501) 671-2126
mhightower@uada.edu
AmeriCorps media contact:
Heather Dirck
303-844-7420
hdirck@cns.gov