CONTACT: Kristin McSwain, Jean Whaley, and Merlene Mazyck
Dear AmeriCorps Colleagues:
AmeriCorps Week is coming May 11-18! Lots of exciting things are happening and we want to share the latest news. Whether you are an AmeriCorps member, alum, project staff, commission, friend, or supporter -- whether you are with AmeriCorps State, National, VISTA or NCCC -- we hope you are planning to participate in AmeriCorps Week. Our goals are to bring more Americans into service, salute members and alums, and thank our partners who make AmeriCorps possible. We need you to make AmeriCorps Week 2008 a big success!
Website: Please check out our brand new website at AmeriCorpsWeek.gov. It's your one-stop for everything about AmeriCorps Week.
Presentation Kits: A big focus this year will be tapping our vast network of members, alums, sponsors, and friends to make AmeriCorps presentations to schools and community groups. We've created a free kit that has everything you need to make a winning presentation including a DVD with videos, PSAs, PowerPoints and a slideshow; tips on how to plan, prepare, and promote your presentation; and posters, stickers, bookmarks and other handouts. We will be mailing one kit to all AmeriCorps grantees, subgrantees, and VISTA project sponsors. You can also order a kit online by April 15 or download all the materials at AmeriCorpsWeek.gov.
Video Contest: Our 2nd Annual AmeriCorps Video Contest has great prizes including a volunteer vacation worth up to $5,000 from Travelocity and an iPod Shuffle courtesy of AmeriCorps Alums. The contest deadline is May 2, so there is plenty of time to get your video in. Visit the contest website at http://www.americorpscontest.org/.
Online Registration: We are encouraging everyone to let us know about their AmeriCorps Week event or presentation by registering online at http://www.americorpsweek.gov/. This registry has been revamped so that both organizations and individuals can register. See below for details on a webinar we are hosting on April 15 at 2:00 pm EST where you can learn how to use the tool to register and promote your project.
PSA Distribution: Next month we will be distributing a set of new AmeriCorps PSAs to thousands of television stations across the US. The PSAs were created by AmeriCorps members and alums who were the top finishers of last year's video contest. We have made them broadcast-ready, edited them into different lengths, and created Spanish versions. The PSAs will be available on the AmeriCorps Presentation DVD and our website.
Media Outreach: We'll be sharing more ideas for media outreach later, but wanted to flag two national angles that you can piggyback on for local media coverage during AmeriCorps Week. First is the release of the AmeriCorps Longitudinal Study which has strong positive findings about AmeriCorps as a pipeline for civic engagement and public service careers. Second is the tie between AmeriCorps and the Civilian Conservation Corps as the CCC celebrates its 75th anniversary. Honoring the CCC by inviting an alum to speak at your event is not only a great way to honor an extraordinary group of people, it can make for an inspiring and media-friendly event. Thanks to the CCC Legacy organization, we have access to a database of CCC alumni across the US. If you would like to invite a CCC alum to your event, please contact John Enterline at jenterline@cns.gov.
Cool Stuff: We've got AmeriCorps Week posters, stickers, bookmarks, banners, and widgets - and most items are free! Take a look at http://www.americorpsweek.gov/order.asp .
Idea Sharing Calls: We've set up a series of calls where you can get the latest updates, ask questions, and brainstorm with your peers. All calls take place on Wednesdays starting at 1 P.M. EST, except for the April 15 webinar on registering your event or presentation, which is at 2:00 pm EST. For all calls, the dial-in number is 1-800-857-2166, the passcode is 9247010, and the leader is Susan Rice. Here are the dates and topics:
- April 9: Presentations by Members and Alums
- April 15: Webinar on Registering Your Event or Presentation Online. NOTE: TIME IS 2:00 to 3:00 PM. You may reserve your spot by registering at https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/451019819.
- April 16: Media Outreach
- April 23: Using the AmeriCorps Longitudinal Study
- April 30: Highlights, Troubleshooting and Q & A
We hope you find these tools useful, and thank you for helping shine the spotlight on AmeriCorps' vital contributions to our communities and country.
In Service,
Kristin McSwain, Director of AmeriCorps State and National
Jean Whaley, Director of AmeriCorps VISTA
Merlene Mazyck, Director of AmeriCorps NCCC