It is time for celebration and reflection here at the GOSV as the AmeriCorps program year comes to an end. Everywhere AmeriCorps members have served, they have made a lasting impact on their communities and strengthened Maryland through their dedication and hard work. Cheers to staff, members, and service sites that made this a successful year!

Though this AmeriCorps program year is ending, the coming  weeks will not be idle;  the GOSV and Governor Martin O'Malley are thanking all Maryland volunteers for their service through the Governor's Volunteer Appreciation Day at the Maryland State Fair on August 25. As in the past, discount passes for volunteers are available - request your passes now!

The GOSV will also be gearing up for the 2013-2014 AmeriCorps service year. We are excited to see how a new group of AmeriCorps members, staff, and service sites strengthen the communities they serve. Join us on our Stories of Service page throughout the program year to get inspired by the many ways AmeriCorps works! 

Enjoy the rest of your summer, and stay tuned for more great ways to recognize amazing service throughout the year.

I was helping my 5th grade students with their projects for the science fair. There was a group of three boys who had decided to find out how a car engine works. Their teacher warned me that they were behind with the project and that it wasn't going well, so I decided to try to help and sat with them. We talked about all of the steps they had taken and all of the research they had done. I helped them distill that information into manageable words so that it could then go into visual summaries and on the posters. Unfortunately, I quickly realized that neither the kids, myself, nor the science teacher knew how an engine actually works.

I suddenly found myself in a situation that I assume happens to parents and teachers all the time. I had no information to give as a "teacher." The only way to fix this was to become a "student" myself.