AmeriCorps Volunteers Sought Throughout Panhandle for WT Program

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu

CANYON, Texas — West Texas A&M University is looking for people who want to make a difference in their communities around the Panhandle.

Members are sought to join WT’s expanding AmeriCorps program, WT Rural Resilience and Opportunity on the High Plains AmeriCorps. The program, known as R2OHP, will recruit not only WT students, but also those from Amarillo College, Frank Phillips College and Clarendon College, as well as retired teachers, counselors and other members of the community.

Those selected will serve from January through July, often in their own communities. They will receive a monthly living allowance and, at the end of their service, can receive a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award to help pay for educational expenses and qualified student loans.

The two-step application process begins with making a profile at my.americorps.gov and searching for WT’s program.

Since the launch of the program in October 2020, members have worked in Hereford High School, Tulia High School, Randall High School, Midway High School, Pampa High School, Highland Park High School, Canyon High School and Friona High School. Members also have helped high school students in Perryton, Dimmitt and Canadian, as well as students at Frank Phillips College in Dalhart and Perryton.

“This is a great way to give back to your community,” said Laura Seals, assistant director of R2OHP’s Office of Academic and Regional Collaboration. “AmeriCorps members make a difference every day by helping support others along their educational journey.”

AmeriCorps members work with high school students on their post-graduation plans and future career paths. They also help the students complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, form; completing the form is now a requirement for all high school seniors. In some schools, AmeriCorps members provide academic coaching for the Texas Success Initiative exam, which enables them to enroll in post-secondary education by demonstrating readiness for college-level work.

“Frank Phillips College in Dalhart has been so blessed to have our three AmeriCorps workers join with us in helping our community,” said counselor Mary Barker. “They have been great to work with and helped out immensely with our GED students and with tutoring some of our high school and intermediate school students. They have been a huge asset and help.”

AmeriCorps members also serve at the Guyon Saunders Resource Center in Amarillo, assisting adult learners working on literacy skills and on earning their GED diplomas. Members also commit to three service days every year, working on a variety of volunteer projects.

To qualify, members must be at least 18 years old, a U.S. citizen and able to pass a background check.

Addressing regional challenges and emphasizing educational attainment and economic opportunity in the Panhandle are major components of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World. That plan is fueled by the historic, $125 million One West comprehensive fundraising campaign. To date, about $85 million has been raised to benefit people, programs and places throughout the WT campuses in Canyon and Amarillo.

Photo: AmeriCorps members John Lerma and Katerina Mendoza take part in a service day on Sept. 11.

About West Texas A&M University

WT is located in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of about 10,000 and offers 59 undergraduate degree programs, 39 master’s degrees and two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

—WTAMU—