Here's a list of terms we use to talk about Minnesota Reading Corps. If you have more questions, please ask!

AmeriCorps

AmeriCorps is a network of national service programs (including Minnesota Reading Corps) that engage more than 50,000 Americans each year in intensive service to meet critical needs in education, public safety, health, and the environment. AmeriCorps members serve through more than 2,100 nonprofits, public agencies, and faith-based organizations. They tutor and mentor youth, build affordable housing, teach computer skills, clean parks and streams, run after-school programs, and help communities respond to disasters. Created in 1993, AmeriCorps is part of the Corporation for National and Community Service, which also oversees Senior Corps and Learn and Serve America. Together these programs engage more than 2 million Americans of all ages and backgrounds in service each year. Visit the AmeriCorps website for more information.

Classroom Member

One of the three MRC Member positions. The Classroom Member works in a Pre-K setting, seeing activities and transitions with a "literacy lense" and working with small groups of students. For more details, check out the Position Descriptions page.

Community Volunteer

(Also known as simply a Volunteer.) Someone who volunteers with Minnesota Reading Corps commits to 1-2 hours per week. Volunteers are not paid and are not eligible for an education award. They are trained by MRC members in specific age-appropriate tutoring techniques.

Education Award

After successfully completing a term of service, AmeriCorps members (including Reading Corps members) are eligible to receive a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award. You can use your Segal AmeriCorps Education Award to pay education costs at qualified institutions of higher education, for educational training, or to repay qualified student loans. The award is $4,725 for a year of full-time service, and is prorated for part-time. You can access the award in full and part, and can take up to seven years after your term of service has ended to claim the award. Click here for the source of this information and to find out more.

Please also see the additional benefits of serving with Minensota Reading Corps.

Internal Coach

MRC members will work with a staff member at their site who has been specially trained in the Reading Corps literacy program. This on-site "Internal Coach" will help the member(s) at the site maintain the details of their MRC training and will advise instructional adjustments. On-site literacy support ensures program quality and member comfort.

Internal Coaches will be trained once in the summer, and will then go to four more Internal Coach trainings throughout the year. Internal Coaches will also be supported by a regional MRC Master Coach.

Literacy Coordinator

One of the three MRC Member positions. The Literacy Coordinator works in a K-3 setting, doing one-on-one pull-out tutoring sessions for about 20 minutes each. For more details, check out the Position Descriptions page.

Member

A member of Minnesota Reading Corps signs on to work with MRC for a year, either full-time (1700 hours) or half-time (900 hours). Since MRC is one of many AmeriCorps programs, MRC members are also AmeriCorps members, eligible to earn an AmeriCorps living stipend and education award.

There are three types of MRC members: the Classroom Member, Literacy Coordinator, and Volunteer Coordinator. Please see the Position Descriptions page for more details.

Minnesota Literacy Council

The Minnesota Literacy Council (MLC) is a nonprofit, statewide organization that provides literacy services to adults, children, volunteers and community programs around Minnesota.

Minnesota Reading Corps is one of the many programs run through the MLC. The MLC serves as the fiscal host of Minnesota Reading Corps. To say it another way, the MLC houses the MRC program. The MLC is responsible for coordinating the regional Reading Corps clusters and for managing the grants and funding that keep the program operating.

Program Staff

Program Staff is responsible for recruiting and selecting members, selecting sites, conducting AmeriCorps training and orientation for members, providing member support, serving as a liason between sites and members, and ensuring the project is meeting desired outcomes for children.

Program Year

The next Program year runs from August 2008 through July 2009. Applications will be accepted beginning in February of 2008.  This Members will begin their commitments in August, and are expected to completed their hours by the end of July 2009.  Trainings do count toward members' hours commitments.

ServeMinnesota

ServeMinnesota is the funder for Minnesota Reading Corps, providing federal AmeriCorps funding and state Youth Works funding to MLC to operate the AmeriCorps program. Visit the ServeMinnesota website for more information.

Volunteer

(see Community Volunteer.)

Volunteer Coordinator

One of the three MRC Member positions. The Volunteer Coordinator works in either a K-3 setting or a Pre-K setting.  This member will mainly focus on recruiting, training, and managing Community Volunteers, who will work directly with the students.  For more details, check out the Position Descriptions page.