This year, we’re celebrating AmeriCorps Week from March 9 - 15, to recognize and thank the AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers who raise their hands to help when needed. From a pioneering group of 20,000 Americans who first raised their hands to serve, AmeriCorps has grown into a nationwide force for positive change, making a difference in lives.
Join WT AmeriCorps as we celebrate and offer thanks to members, volunteers, and alumni who have committed billions of hours of results-driven service, creating lasting impact in communities nationwide. Check out our posts on Instagram and LinkedIn.
Parker Melton, a WT AmeriCorps member who joined the program in 2024, had a connection with his partner site, the Amarillo Art Institute (AAI), prior to serving with them in a Community Outreach role.
Parker left home for a year after graduating high school to attend Blinn College in Bryan, TX. He started taking EMT classes then tried real estate, but nothing was “clicking” for him. He came back home the following summer and decided to stay.
“I didn’t really know what I wanted to do,” Parker said. “I was kind of lost and I didn’t know what my life would look like.”
Parker’s father, Marcus Melton, is an artist and teaches at WT as an Associate Professor of Art. Despite that, Parker hadn’t been involved with art for most of his life. When he returned from Blinn College though, he joined his father in the printmaking shop at the Amarillo Art Insitute and was visiting AAI three to four times a week learning how to screenprint.
“I had never done printmaking before, but it helped me find something to do,” Parker said. “Then we started having open studios on Wednesday nights where anyone could come, bring supplies, and hang out, and it sort of became a community thing.”
Parker learned about WT AmeriCorps through a family friend and decided to apply immediately. He says he was open to placement with any of the program’s partner sites but was hoping for something with AAI.
“The Amarillo Art Institute really wants to get out into the community and spread what they’re doing,” Parker said. “With AmeriCorps, I’ve kind of found my purpose.”
AAI’s mission is to inspire, educate, and enrich lives through art. In Parker’s Community Outreach role, he creates, plans budgets, and then pitches art projects and programs for nursing homes and children’s educational groups.
“I was a little familiar with kids because before I started serving with AmeriCorps, I had started helping with classes,” Parker said. “I’ve never worked with seniors though, so that’s been exciting. I’m a little nervous to do the pitches to nursing homes and other groups, but there’s mostly a lot of excitement too.”
Outside of WT AmeriCorps, Parker still helps teach private art lessons for kids. He says a lot of times he’s learning alongside the kids as they make mugs and pots out of clay or try watercolors and oil pastels. Although he knew some of the people at his service site prior to joining Americorps, Parker says his service and working with an encouraging team has helped him get out of his shell.
“Rachel, my site supervisor, has been really helpful with everything,” Parker said. “Working with everyone here has been great. They’re so open and are always looking for something to add to the Amarillo Art Institute.”
For others considering AmeriCorps or looking for some sort of direction like he was, Parker recommends looking for opportunities you can implement yourself into. He also suggests searching for something where you can make a change.
“I’ve been able to help broaden the impact the Amarillo Art Institute has had in the community, which makes me feel good about my service,” Parker said. “I think people need art in their lives. For example, with the seniors, it’s like therapy for them. I get to help them out through art, and it’s helped me out too.”
If you’re interested in a summer or even a year of service, you can visit WT AmeriCorps’ website to learn more about the program. To support AmeriCorps members throughout the duration of their service, members are given a modest monthly living allowance and skills-based professional development and training. After successfully completing their service, AmeriCorps members are eligible for an education award which can be used to further their education as well as pay back federal student loans. The education award can be transferred to qualified children or grandchildren if the member is aged 55 or older at the time of enrollment.