Page 10 - May-June 2020 Vol38 No1

TENNESSEE by Lisa Hood Skinner
CAC AmeriCorps Tackles Public
Works, Serves as Training Ground

Colorful. Educational. Perhaps leading to 1 2
environmental or Public Works careers. 3
4 1. 2014-15 members, Hanna and Daniel take a break
Those are fitting descriptions of CAC from helping a project at the Town of Farragut’s
AmeriCorps Program projects which Wide Range of Projects Outdoor Classroom.
range from wildlife bear workups and boar AmeriCorps members get involved in 2. 2018-19 member David posing with the Inskip
management… to stream and erosion Elementary School Garden, an outdoor space used to
monitoring… to graveyard restoration and a wide range of projects, from collecting teach youth about gardening and interpersonal skills.
gathering grassland seeds. water samples and monitoring stream 3. 2018-19 VISTA member, Teresa tabling for Girls
quality in the Smokies, to assisting wildlife Inc. at Inskip Elementary Schools “Party in the Park”
Along with similar environmentally- teams with bear workups and boar event for the community.
focused organizations such as Hands- management, to more mundane tasks such 4. 2018-19 member Connal speaks to an attendee of
On Nashville and Appalachia Cares, as graveyard restoration and gathering, the 2018 Wears Valley Fall Fest about Sevier Solid
AmeriCorps works throughout Tennessee cleaning, and processing grassland seeds Waste’s recycling and composting systems.
as an important part of our community… for planting along the Blue Ridge Parkway. 5. 2016-17 member, Kaitlyn helping to build Dogwood
while also serving as Public Works training Elementary School’s Outdoor Classroom space.
grounds and even reaping benefits through
APWA credentialing programs. 5

AmeriCorps is a program of Before he became program director in
Corporation for National and Community mid-2015, Scott served for nearly seven
Service (CNCS), the Federal agency for years as the Town of Farragut’s National
volunteering, service and engagement. Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
CNCS engages millions of Americans in (NPDES) Stormwater Coordinator (and
citizen service through its programs like for a few years he was one of only a
AmeriCorps to lead the nation’s volunteer handful of Tennesseans holding a Certified
and service efforts. Stormwater Manager (CSM) credential
CAC AmeriCorps-Environmental through APWA.) A two-term AmeriCorps
Alum, Scott is passionate about creating
Since 1994, hundreds of CAC
AmeriCorps participants, usually ages 18-
25, have served full-time in the program
for a year, receiving a living stipend
during their term of service (and, upon
completion, earned an education award
that can be applied to pre-existing student
loans or future educational pursuits).

Jason Scott, CAC AmeriCorps program
director, said the East Tennessee program
provides service “primarily in Knox and
surrounding counties, with 50 folks we
place in environmental positions, and
about 20 folks in AmericCorps Volunteers
in Service to America (VISTA) positions
that are focused on poverty alleviation.”

“Our program in particular has many
positions with municipal stormwater
programs, but also urban forestry,
sustainability, and parks & recreation
divisions of local government as well as
geographic information system (GIS)
oriented positions with the National Parks
and U.S. Forest Service,” he said. “Many
of our folks have gone on to hold roles in
local, state and Federal government.”

10 TPW May/June 2020