Our AmeriCorps Groundwork Fellows serve in capacity-building roles at youth serving organizations in Minnesota. Zurielle's reflections on her service have us beaming! "Conducting representative interviews for the Minnesota Youth Council taught me so much! Planning and conducting interviews taught me new organizational and planning skills, new professional communication skills, and I learned so many new people skills from interviewing youth from all over Minnesota. On the flip side, I learned a lot from conducting these interviews about being an interviewee. I learned things about asking effective questions, how to best present and pitch myself to interviewers, professional communication skills, and the importance of research and preparation. I loved these learning experiences and can't wait to take these new skills with me in my future career." -Zurielle, AmeriCorps Groundwork Fellow serving with the Minnesota Youth National Youth Leadership Council AmeriCorps Voices for National Service ServeMinnesota (fb)

"I have, many times throughout the school year, found myself moved beyond words when interacting with the students at Northfield Middle School. One student in particular, I have seen turn things completely around in just the short time I have known her. When this student first came to see me, she had over twenty missing assignments and was generally uninterested in school. When I attempted to speak with her she was standoffish and had her guards up. Over time we slowly began to speak more, and she shared more of her story with me. Eventually, she began to see the importance of an education and we began to work together daily. Now she is excited by her education and has straight A’s. Beyond her academics she is a kind, confident, and curious student who continues to surprise me." -AmeriCorps Promise Fellow and Youth Mental Health Corps member Madisson, serving at Northfield Middle School AmeriCorps Voices for National Service Healthy Community Initiative ServeMinnesota Northfield Public Schools (fb)