Public Achievement Program needs coaches

The Public Achievement Program, based in Delta College, is working on becoming more involved with Ruben-Daniels Middle School and Bridgeport High School and wants more people to participate.

Public Achievement is a youth-engagement program that has Delta students volunteer to assist schools Kindergarten through12 grade and help facilitate changes in the community. The program has 50 students (25 from both Ruben-Daniels Middle School and Bridgeport High School), as well as Delta College students who have volunteered.

Rachelle Rice, an AmeriCorps Vista and Coordinator for the Public Achievement Program called the program “a learning process. It’s the process of learning how to do a project, which creates active citizens.”

The Public Achievement Program has been working in the community for three years, alongside the Democracy Commitment and a club for the students called Citizens in Action .

Delta student Helen Szabo coaches in the Public Achievement Program.

“We want to get as many Delta students involved as possible,” Szabo said. “This is a great program and it doesn’t just affect the kids at the middle school and high school, it affects the Delta students too.” She said that the program, “changed her views on voluntary public service,” and that, “if we put a little time into helping others” it can be beneficial.

Rice agreed, “The more coaches we have, the further we can reach out. If we get more coaches that could be another whole school we can get into with our program.”

Rice continued with the benefits that the program provides for the Delta students that participate. She identified that Public Achievement is excellent for a student’s resume, it gives students personal experience and the knowledge of how to make a change in their community. It also gives students reason to go outside of their comfort zone to make those changes.

Rice and Januzzi, who are both AmeriCorps Vistas and coordinators for the Public Achievement Program, can be reached at 989-686-9205 and can be found in A008.

“The Public Achievement Program is more than just volunteering. It is a chance to expand your horizons and make a difference in your community,” she said.