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Montana Campus Corps:
College Students Meeting Critical Community Needs

One family at a time. by Melinda Ratchye
Volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, has truly blessed my life. Helping families gain such a basic need as decent affordable home, is so rewarding. I was painting a room and a little 6 year old girl shyly came up to me and said "this is my room" the joy in her eyes was priceless. I will continue to serve the community well after my tim... A Little Boy Who Will Be Able to See His Future! by Anita DuChane
During a clinical experience on the Ft. Peck Native American Reservation I had an opportunity to assess and care for a good number of children in their school clinics. One little boy came in with a sore foot which I promptly examined and assessed. Since we were also doing screenings for several conditions and general health I proceeded to give ... Being a teacher by Corey Ledbetter
Part of my service was teaching an eighty hour Outdoor Emergency Care course to Ski Patrol/Search and Rescue. I was very worried about my skills as a teacher and my level of experience as an OEC provider. Over the months of the course I was having difficulty reading the students and felt like some might be frustrated by my organization and level ... Grateful by Sadie Russell
As a nursing student, I had worked in the Emergency Department and ICU at one of my clinical sites. I was involved in a few tragic situations and some ended happily. One patient was in a horrible car accident and their prognosis was not positive. However, slowly but surely they made a comeback and I was able to observe their achievements and the pr... volunteering by Kelsey Manchester
Through my time in the nursing program at Montana Tech it has been great to develop a professional attitude through clinical experience. The clinical experience helped me realize that the community really does need volunteers to help make the area a better place. Through outreach programs such as Campus Corps I was able to meet people and develop r... Bringing a neighborhood together. by Kelsey Redmond
This past summer I was the Community Garden Assistant for Garden City Harvest. My tasks were to take care of the 2nd st garden as well as assist in caring for 4 other community gardens in Missoula. For each community garden, throughout the summer, we organize, advertise and host work days/pot lucks with the gardeners to get some extra projects done... Working With LGBTQ Youth by Seth Hershman
During my time of service at The National Coalition Building Institute of Missoula I got the amazing opportunity to work with numerous youth, specifically those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, asexual, intersex, two spirited, or those who may be questioning their sexual orientation or gender identity. During my service I... Veterans' Day Celebration by Aryelle Todd
11-11-11 “Why I chose to serve in an elementary school: reason #47…. In honor of Veterans’ Day, the school that I am serving in had an assembly today. All the veterans in the audience sat in chairs of honor at the front of the gym. A slide show of all the related military personnel in the staff and students’ lives played for the entire s... Browning Wildfires by Raina Witherite
My name is Raina Witherite, my service site is the red cross of montana. I am a disaster action team member and that means that I can be called to action when there is a natural disaster like the two huge wildfires that surrounded Browning last week.There were two experiences during my time in Browning that really affected me, the first is when we ... Patients Helping Me Grow by Brittnay Hintz
During my preceptorship at the hospital, I grew professionally and personally. I was learning so much about health and the care needed for my patients but I also learned so much from my patients. I realized how much I was helping them when they needed help not only through science but emotionally too. I enjoyed visiting with the patients and try... Coming out of the shell by James Davies
Student teaching this past semester has been an extremely rewarding experience, not only in terms of personal and professional growth but also to see how teachers can help their students improve both academically and personally. First of all I'd like to say that student teaching does indeed perform a valuable service. By working with my cooperating... Behavioral Breakthrough by Molly Prince
During my undergraduate degree at the University of Montana I learned many strategies and techniques for teaching, however I still did not feel well prepared to teach in a classroom. When I began student teaching and began my Campus Corps service I set a goal for myself to work on behavioral management in the classroom. This was the most challengin... Holiday Season by Alysa Brown
Working at the Women's Resource Center I had the oppritunity of giving back to my community. Until Thanksgiving or Christmas came around I did not realize how many people are in need of the little things. Growing up I was not the kid that got everything, my family was one of the poorest familes in our community and getting the oppritunity to be abl... Being a Patient by Seely Bergstad
Through all my volunteering experiences, I would I have to say one of the experiences I will not forget is volunteering as a patient. I was pretending like I got into a car accident, was dressed up with clothes that revealed some of my wounds. I had certain things to say to indicate where I was hurt. I went through this scenero multiple times so NP... Volunteer opportunity by Liliana Martinez
Two of the most memorable places I went volunteering with AmeriCorps was the nursing home and the episcopal church. In both of these places I had the opportunity to help people that really needed medical help. The homeless and ill people I met were appreciative of any medical assistant. In the nursing home were primarily older patients who nee... Serving Through Poverty by Suszanne Schmaus
The last three months serving at a Primary School in my hometown has been such an enriching time for me. I had the opportunity to work with great staff and wonderful children that are at a disadvantage economically. Many children in the class were neglected in some way in their homes and I was glad to be able to be their mentor and role model. Some... It only takes a minute by Lindy Walker
Over my past term of service I was able to assist patients in a variety of environments. My most valuable experinece involed providing end of life care for one of our community's greatest volunteers. This gentleman had been active in almost every part of our small community, mentoring the youth, acting as part of many volunteer boards, and workin... Personal Development by Noah McEwen
During my time with americorp I have developed many skills. One of which includes my own personal development throughout this whole process. I have seen many different people throughout my service from elderly to pediatric patients. I got to see how our time spent with these people can really make a difference in their lives. Doing americorp allows... Architecture Dreams: Envisioning a Biomass Campus by Milenka Jirasko
On our first trip to visit our client in September, we didn't know much about forest waste, biomass, or the lumber business. I was part of a team of five students with the MSU-Bozeman Community Design Center, and our hands-on architecture experience this semester would be the master planning of a sustainable business and education campus in a remo... The Value in Teaching by Holly Musfeldt
Before I started my student teaching experience I knew I would like teaching, but now that I've been able to actually teach students I realize that I love it. I feel so good about my new career choice. Everyday the students made me laugh and love my job even more. The students I worked with were all from low income homes. After spending just a ... St. Patrick's Internship by Whitney Lamb
I was an intern at St. Patrick's hospital in the Clinical Informatics department this past summer. My job was overwhelming at first, with multiple projects going on at once, and all the job shadowing that I was doing with everyone in the department. As work was described to me at first, I was very confused and had to ask a lot of questions. As I st... Basketball 101 by Theodore Knutson
Working for AmeriCorp/Campus Corps, volunteers will see every walk of life. Still, to really get those personalities amplified, work with kids! I’ve been coaching ten, 3rd grade boys the fundamentals of basketball for the Heisey Youth Center in Great Falls. Practices can be rough, and games can be even more hectic. For example, one of our pract... Helping make remedial Algebra Students enjoy math class by Tyler Cherry
I believe the most important experience I will take away from my student teaching this semester are the relationships and impact I had on my two Algebra I Concepts and Skills classes. These are students who failed the first semester of Algebra I last year, and thus were taking the second semester of Algebra I Concepts and Skills with me this Fall ... The Best Career by Bridgette Hoenke
I began my semester student teaching in a first grade class and I immediately fell in love with the school and students. These students helped me become a better teacher every day. I was fortunate to have a cooperating teacher that allowed me to do an extreme amount of the teaching. As a result, I learned a great deal and the students taught me ... Would I make a Difference? by Marti Alltucker
There is so much more to being a teacher than teaching. Some would say it is the meetings, the grading, the early mornings, the classroom management...but for me the greatest thing about teaching is getting to know the students. At the beginning, most student teachers are deathly afraid of standing up in front of the students and teaching the cla... The Comfort of Teaching by Shannon Smith
I had a wonderful time this semester teaching middle school choir and high school orchestra. I started my student teaching with the middle school. At first, I was nervous to be in front of the students. However, after a little while, I became more comfortable in front of the class and also more energetic with the students. The reason for this wa... "My Redhead" by Brian Connelly
I had one student who really hated homework. She brought to class everyday a grudge against me and I suspect all teachers about the work she was required to do. My cooperating teacher always referred to her as "your redhead". Even though she could see her obstinacy about homework hurting her grade she persisted in skipping a fair porti... A Winter Coat by Sierra Olszewski
At my school, we have a fund that will help buy winter clothing for our students who are in need of it. I have one student who's father has cancer and mother is not very involved in her life because of alcoholism. She is one of the sweetest students in the class, and she works very hard on all her work. My master teacher and I asked if she needed a... Music Can Work Magic by Sofia Tanberg
While serving as a Campus Corps volunteer in an elementary school music room (as part of my student teaching experience), I got the chance to work with the special needs population at the school. One 1st grade student in particular, “Tommy,” was absolutely a joy to teach. He has Down Syndrome, and is completely nonverbal, but his musical apt... Looking at Our Community by Andrea Kleven
While serving as an Americorps Volunteer at a local Elementary School I was able to take 5th grade students on a field trip to the local creek in the schools backyard. Students had been to the creek many times before, most recently on a water monitoring trip so they had previous experience at the creek. This time when we went in November, it was ... In Bigger Shoes by Soren Hawkins
As part of my direct service, I was able to do a bit of traveling. My team went to Shelby on one occasion, while our classmates' trips ranged from Billings to Eastern Oregon. Our supervisor, Tom McNab, traveled with us all on nearly every occasion, to be sure that the clients were content and our projects on track. Not only does Tom go on several t... Doing and Being by Autumn Filler
While I was volunteering for AmeriCorps, I had the opportunity to work on a pediatric inpatient unit in a local hospital. One morning, my preceptor and I reported work to discover that a young boy had been admitted in the night in a state of ketoacidosis. He was promptly diagnosed as a type I diabetic and treated appropriately with careful r... Privilege of Serving by Rebecca Salyer
During my time serving as a Campus Corps member, I had the privilege of serving very vulnerable populations. I worked with a pregnant teen one-on-one providing her with emotional support and basic educational need support. I found this profoundly impacted me as much as it did for her, and I was grateful to have been a part of her life. I also shado... Loving Math by Kelsey Foerster
I am teaching second grade and one of my students is very low. He is working at a mid kindergarten level, and learning is hard for him. Since he has struggled with learning he doesn't like school very much. Although this year I have seen him grow. I have watch him barely able to say his letter sounds to being able to read short books. Although my f... The Joy of Serving by Kaylee Fisher
As a nursing student at MSU-Bozeman most of my service hours for Campus Corps were acquired while doing clinicals at the hospital. During these clinicals I had endless opportunities to interact with patients who were sick and often in pain. As a future nurse my job will be to provide care for those who are sick, but I learned a new aspect of nurs... Total Stranger to Big Brother by Seth Shields
This is my first year in americorps. I never thought I would be doing this, until my best friend died and I took up his philosophy from 4-H, to make the best better. I never knew what this ment, until the day I came back to my home reservation. I wanted to make this community better. I did not know how until our student service president told me a... The Copper Letter Home by Samantha Springer
I have been doing inventories of the archives at the Beaverhead County Museum. One day I was going through a particularly large file that spread out over two boxes and several bags of newspaper clippings. Feeling quite overwhelmed, I decided it was time for a break when something shiny caught my eye. I reached into the next folder and pulled out a ... Just Be Present by Kristy Pelletier
This is my second Americorps service contract since I have been in nursing school at MSU. I have had the privilege of participating in many great stories, and hopefully helping many people along the way. During this semester, my last in nursing school, I had the opportunity to work with a family receiving hospice services. My job was to provide sup... Thankful for volunteer opportunities by Michelle Reimnitz
As my term of service headed towards a close, I wondered where I should serve with my two recruited volunteers. I decided we would help a local church with their annual Thanksgiving dinner for the people in the neighborhood who don't have a place to go. Right before dinner was served everyone had a chance to say what they were thankful for. It was... Happy family by Whitney Wyant
Family distress is inevitable when patients are admitted to the hospital. When someone they love is sick, the day to day stress level compounds and becomes immediately apparent. One family member of a patient I was taking care of showed these signs of distress. All the bells and whistles in a hospital can be very overwhelming if you don't know wha... Finding my Place by Heather Flechsenhar Bauer
Before I had been a Campus Corps member I had never really volunteered for anything. I found this to be a very enriching and fulfilling experience. I very much enjoyed owrking with patients in the clinical setting and this program has helped me feel more prepared to venture out on my own in a career setting. I also now know how fulfilling volunteer... X-Ray Tech's help out Salvation Army by Max Newlin
The time my 2 volunteers and I participated in meals on wheels for the Salvation Army was a real eye opener. We rode in the Salvation Army Truck and handed out hot meals to under priviledged people of the community. We got to see areas of the community that most people, including us, didn't know existed. I felt bad for these people and all their ki... Flash Mob: The Pledge of Allegiance by Amanda Jones
They were only five or six years old when the Twin Towers collapsed. The tragedy that occurred on September 11, 2001 is a faded memory for a few, but most learned about that day from their history teacher. Their knowledge gives them the insight needed to form opinions and make judgments, and their innocence provides their faith. The... Gin Rummy by Jill Humphries
While there have been many memorable moments in nursing school and my Americorps Service, the one that brings the biggest smile to my face occurred during my psychiatric rotation senior year. I was at a mental health crisis center and met a young man who was severely depressed and having suicidal thoughts. Although I did not know exactly what to... Math Tutoring by Mikayla Hirschkorn
My mentor teacher and I heard that HOT (an after school tutoring program) had been cancelled due to funding. We created an after school math tutoring program for the students to come in and ask questions. We partnered with the high school and now have several advanced math students volunteering their time after school to come in and help middle s... Preparing for Nursing as a Profession. by Sarah Ham
I began my Americorps service learning though Montana State University College of Nursing. I was able to provide nursing care to patients at the local hospitals as a student nurse. From this experience, with my instructors and fellow students, I am learning the nursing processes and skills that are absolutely necessary to become a successful regi... "Real Quick" by Robyn Ostahowski
In one of my clinical sites I worked with an elderly gentleman who was a paraplegic. I was new to the student nursing role and was quite nervous about the tasks that I needed to do. I came into his room several times and as I would remember things that I had forgotten to bring in, time after time I would leave saying "I just need to grab______... The Impact by Maureen Karlin
As a returning Americorps member, I am constantly amazed by the quality and variety of volunteers who show up to serve. As the person who is privileged to coordinate tutors in local elementary classrooms, I have seen the need for volunteers continue to grow as federal funding continues to diminish. Even the most skilled and experienced educator s... Kids Camp 2011 by Kasey Haugan
The camp started off a bit slow but it was great to be able to see the kids grow and become more comfortable with each other. As we did more trust based activities you could see the kids that were a bit more shy. "Steve" was very scared to let his grown team catch him in a trust fall. I was so happy to be able to get him comfortable enoug... More than volunteering...Lifelong lessions! by Brittani Wiersma
I decided to join AmeriCorps because I wanted to use the time I was required to complete for nursing school as a way to fund my education. However, after beginning the program I began to look for opportunities to serve in my community. I love that I can get my family involved by recruiting them and helping them understand that volunteering and cari...

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Montana Campus Corps is an AmeriCorps program supported by the Montana Office of Community Service and Montana Campus Compact.