Featured Story

Melina Lopez (ACE 21), currently serving as an AmeriCorps member teaching second grade in San Antonio, has received a type of reward typically reserved for students.

She’s on an “honor roll,” thanks to the praise of a parent and a local radio station’s pro-educator tradition.

Inequality is increasing in America, widening the gap between rich and poor. What implications does this have for America’s youth and their chances for upward mobility? What can we do to help our youth grow and flourish?

Where are you reading this article? Your phone? Your iPad? Or on your laptop? Wherever you are, you are likely reading this because of the too-often-taken-for-granted gift of a wireless internet connection. And soon, thanks to funds raised by the 15th annual ACE Marathon, the students at the Academy of St. Matthias the Apostle will also be able to use this technology in their classrooms.

Major gains in Haitian students’ literacy skills through the Read to Learn initiative, led by Notre Dame’s Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE)—in partnership with Notre Dame’s Initiative for Global Development (NDIGD)—have earned Notre Dame a significant role as part of a $33,379,887 U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) funded project in Haiti.

*Any student names from the stories below have been changed to protect their identities.

For over 20 years, ACE Teachers have been proud AmeriCorps members, and each year AmeriCorps—which is part of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS)—recognizes the commitment of its members and alums by highlighting their efforts during AmeriCorps Week.

This year, AmeriCorps Week will be celebrated across the country on March 5-12. AmeriCorps Week is a time to salute AmeriCorps members and alums for their service, thank AmeriCorps community partners, and communicate AmeriCorps impact on communities and on the lives of those who serve. Here are stories from six ACE Teaching Fellows about their experiences as AmeriCorps members.