2 July AmeriCorps Member Profile: Horizon Education Centers July 2, 2018 By whall AmeriCorps, AmeriCorps Member Stories, Impact Stories Family Engagement, AmeriCorps, Horizon Education Centers, Member Story 0 Caitlin Cicero is a second year AmeriCorps member serving with the HEC-Family Engagement AmeriCorps program. She currently serves with the Ready, Set, Go! Kindergarten Readiness program where she coordinates playgroups, other special events and resources for families in the HEC family. Below, Caitlin reflects on the impact service has had on her for the past two years. “My desire to serve really started when I was unsure about which direction I wanted to take with my career. I was working in the finance department of Horizon Education Centers and I wanted a more hands-on job in the community. From a young age I dreamed about joining the Peace Corps and traveling the world to help the people who were struggling in third world countries. When I heard about the AmeriCorps opportunity with Horizon Education Centers, I jumped at the opportunity to be a part of a program that was working to solve complex problems right here in my hometown. My service has, in all honesty, been completely life changing for me. I have grown immensely both personally and professionally. Being able to get experience in social services helped me to realize that I didn’t want to stop helping after my service was over, and that I was ready to pursue a degree in Social Work. In addition to deciding to pursue a degree and experiencing personal growth and maturity, I have had so many professional development experiences that I sometimes can’t believe I have accomplished so much in just two years of service. I am a CPR/First Aid Instructor with the American Red Cross, I am a Triple P Positive Parenting Program Provider, and I am currently participating in a year-long quality improvement training to become a Collaborative Improvement Advisor in my community. As I finish up my second term of service, I am so thankful and grateful that I was given the opportunity to dedicate two years of my life to the service of others.” Caitlin Cicero, Horizon Education Centers, Family Engagement Related Posts Meet our New AmeriCorps Programs In the 2020-21 Program Year, we are delighted to welcome six new AmeriCorps programs into our portfolio. These programs will support 123 AmeriCorps members who will serve in schools, nonprofits, and community organizations throughout Ohio. Learn more about our new programs! ServeOhio Strengthens Academic Outcomes Across the Education Continuum Academic success is the top AmeriCorps funding priority for ServeOhio – in the current program year, we are investing $5.1 million to increase student achievement. ServeOhio mobilizes hundreds of AmeriCorps Members as tutors, coaches, mentors and teachers – helping students succeed throughout the entire education continuum – from kindergarten readiness to college access and completion. Rural Action AmeriCorps Members Continue to Get Things Done during Pandemic Ohio AmeriCorps members continue to adapt the way they serve their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Though the service may look different, they are still making an incredible impact on those they serve. Learn more about Madison Donahue and Ashley Grace, both AmeriCorps members with Rural Action’s Appalachian Ohio Restore Corps program. Madison and Ashley’s service demonstrates that even in the most extraordinary circumstances, AmeriCorps members continue to get things done. In the words of Ashley, “yes, times are tough, and things aren’t the way we wish they could be, but there’s still something we can do.” AmeriCorps Members Continue To Serve Ohio’s Students As schools start across the state, Ohio AmeriCorps members continue their work supporting Ohio’s K-12 students. Fourteen education-focused AmeriCorps programs will engage hundreds of individuals to creatively connect with students to support them academically, emotionally, and socially during the pandemic. AmeriCorps Spotlight: Derrick Speights Read more about Derrick Speights, an outstanding AmeriCorps member serving with Horizon Education Centers. This post was written by Miranda Mueller, also an AmeriCorps member with Horizon Education Centers. AmeriCorps Member Profile: Ohio Stream Restore Corps Fresh out of Ohio University with a degree in plant biology, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do between my undergraduate studies and graduate school. Hike the Appalachian Trail, yeah, that could be fun. A job with the U.S. Forest Service continuing my thesis research would be great experience and solid pay. But when I saw the flier for the Ohio Stream Restore Corps AmeriCorps program, I had to apply. Comments are closed.