Submitted by: Brandy Brabham, Extension Agent, WVU Extension-Roane Co., 304-927-0975
Energy Express is an AmeriCorps program that can provide educational funds for your graduating seniors and college students who are planning to or currently enrolled in college or trade school.
Roane County has three approved sites this summer with one at Spencer Middle School, Geary Elementary Middle School and Walton Elementary Middle School. The Energy Express County Collaborative is in the process of hiring mentors and community coordinators for Summer 2024. To fully staff all three sites, there is a need for a minimum of fifteen, 4 mentors and 1 community coordinator at each site. Applications are accepted now until May 1, 2024.
Energy Express is an eight-week summer service opportunity that makes a difference in the lives of children in West Virginia. Children living in rural and low-income communities often fall behind academically during the summer months, starting each school year behind where they were the previous spring. Successive summers of limited learning opportunities may cause children to fall below grade level by the end of elementary school. Many of these children also suffer nutritionally. Energy Express promotes children’s school success by providing summer learning experiences focused on reading and eating two nutritious meals served family-style. The program works! Evaluation results show that most children enrolled in Energy Express either maintain or increase their reading skills. Each site is composed of team of 5 to 8 college-student mentors and a community coordinator supervised by a site supervisor who is usually a local teacher. Youth and adult volunteers also support the program.
There are two opportunities for service:
1. Mentors serve directly with children. Mentors create an enriching environment focused on reading, writing, and art that makes learning fun for a small group of school-age children. A mentor also eats breakfast and lunch with the children–a valuable time to develop strong bonds with the children. All Mentors must be college-bound and must be 18 years old by June 5th.
2. A Community Coordinator connects the parents and community to the site by recruiting, training, and supervising volunteers to read with children. Both positions attend both a statewide and local training and make home visits to the children’s residences. At the end of each day, the site team (mentors, community coordinators and site supervisor) meet to reflect, train, and prepare for the next day. Site teams also complete a community service project. Community Coordinators do not need to be college-bound, but they must be 18 years old by June 5th.
Each Energy Express site is required to have a minimum of 4 mentors and 1 community coordinator to maintain the site and serve the children in that area. Program dates are June 5 – July 26.
Energy Express offers the following benefits:
– $3,726.00 (living allowance will be deposited in four equal payments, bi-weekly, beginning July 12)
-$1,459.26 education award (can be used for school expenses- can be used at an out of state school and/or any institution that accepts federal dollars)
-In-state Tuition Waiver (600 hours of service with AmeriCorps = 1 semester waiver/ 1200 hours with AmeriCorps = 1 year waiver)
-300 service hours (earned in 8 weeks)
-Two meals per day (breakfast and lunch) when children are present
-AmeriCorps gear
-Valuable training and career development
-Some universities will even match the education award
Follow this link to apply: https://extension.wvu.edu/youth-family/youth-education/energy-express/get-involved or call 304-927-0975 for more information.
