L-R: Coreyon Greer, Tatianna Perkins, Will Chatman, Taniya Gordon, Jamia Thomas
Beloit Fresh Start YouthBuild AmeriCorps, a program of Community Action, Inc., is one of two organizations nationwide earning the Exceptional Culture of Service award. The award, part of the Rawland T. Watkins YouthBuild AmeriCorps Impact Awards, was presented at the national YouthBuild AmeriCorps Management Conference in Denver, CO, January 7th-9th.
“YouthBuild USA was looking at the staff and students’ high level of morale and our dedication of service to each other as well as the community through our different community service projects, including the community garden,” says William Chatman, program manager.
The Beloit Fresh Start program is currently at capacity with 34 students. Thirty-one of those students are working toward graduating with their high school diploma this spring. Three are studying toward their GED.
“Right now, we have the highest attendance rates in recent years,” says Chatman. “That’s huge.”
“I presented the award to the students Thursday morning. They were clapping and joyful,” Chatman says. “We explained to them the importance of this award on a national level and the honor YouthBuild USA was giving us as a program.”
There are more than 70 programs in the national YouthBuild AmeriCorps network.