AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism, provides opportunities for Americans of all backgrounds to serve their country, address the nation’s most pressing challenges, and improve lives and communities. This year, 30 AmeriCorps members will begin their service terms on August 1st, working in 11 school districts across Texas.
The participating school districts include: Colorado City, Cumby, Floydada, Hamlin, Hico, Iraan-Sheffield, Lytle, Post, Roscoe, Throckmorton, and Venus. We are thrilled to welcome back 15 returning AmeriCorps members and to introduce 15 new members to our program.
Katie Daugherty, CEN AmeriCorps Program Coordinator said, “We are excited to welcome our new and returning AmeriCorps members. Their dedication to providing instructional support, communications support, and network resource coordination is invaluable to our school districts and the communities they serve.”
AmeriCorps members will engage in a variety of services, including instructional support, communications support, and network resource coordination for their assigned school districts. Their work will significantly contribute to enhancing educational outcomes and community development in rural areas.
“Congratulations to our 24-25 Cohort of AmeriCorps Members and our host districts. With every cohort, we have the opportunity to produce educators passionate about rural students!” said Dr. Rachael McClain, CEN President. “Through this partnership, strong mentor teachers can be replicated as we continue the commitment to growing our own educators through the Teach Where It Matters initiative for rural communities across the state.”
Revolutionizing Rural Education: The Teach Where It Matters Initiative
CEN is excited to highlight the “Teach Where It Matters” initiative, a collaborative effort with West Texas A&M, strategically addressing the acute teacher shortage in rural Texas. This initiative focuses on growing local talent by recruiting a diverse pool of participants and offering benefits and thorough training for teacher certification.
Funded by CEN’s AmeriCorps grant, the initiative supports various components like work-based learning internships, mentor-teacher training, college and career advising, alongside CEN’s Registered Apprenticeship P-20 Teacher Program. This provides a flexible, supportive path to certification and shapes a sustainable future for rural P-20 education in Texas.
“Revolutionizing rural education through strategic initiatives like ‘Teach Where It Matters’ allows us to address teacher shortages head-on and build a strong foundation for the future of rural education,” stated Dr. Rachael McClain.
Katie Daugherty added, “By growing our own educators and providing them with the necessary support and training, we are ensuring that rural students receive the high-quality education they deserve thanks to the help of AmeriCorps.”
CEN’s 2024-2025 AmeriCorps Cohort Members are:
Colorado ISD
- Freda Wesley
- Ashley Hernandez
- Cammie Oliver
Cumby ISD
- Madison Carson
- Shelby Saragosa
- Lane McCraw
Floydada CISD
- Claudia Barrera
- Laura Paz
- Izaih Alvarado
- Victoria Cervera
- Saul Reyes
Hamlin CISD
- Imajen Andrade
- Lyberti Brannan
- Vanessa Gonzalez
- Cutter Martin
- Klaire Jeffrey
Hico ISD
- Lacie Sublett
- Ashley Bingham
- Jessica Rosas
Iraan-Sheffield ISD
- Natashia Gonzalez
- Nora Martinez
- Brittany Contreras
- Stephanie Smart
Lytle ISD
- Jada Vega
Post ISD
- Addisen Rodriguez
Roscoe CISD
- Mariana Luna
Throckmorton ISD
- Gay Hibbitts
Venus ISD
- Anna Taylor
Collegiate Edu-Nation
- Samantha Taylor
For more information about AmeriCorps, visit https://americorps.gov/about and https://onestarfoundation.org/americorps-texas/.
To learn more about the Teach Where It Matters initiative, visit https://edu-nation.org/edu-reach-13-14-twim-rural-healthcare-hub/#teachwhereitmatters.
For more information about Collegiate Edu-Nation and its initiatives, please visit https://edu-nation.org/.
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About Collegiate Edu-Nation
Collegiate Edu-Nation (CEN) is dedicated to transforming rural education through innovative programs and strategic partnerships. By focusing on holistic education, workforce development, and policy advocacy, CEN aims to provide high-quality educational experiences and opportunities for all students in rural communities.
