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Career Paths with AmeriCorps and TerraCorps

Working at Perkins means having the opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of children with complex disabilities and visual impairments. Through a partnership with AmeriCorps, the Massachusetts Service Alliance and TerraCorps, Stephen James, Shelly Hed, and Arianna Koch are spending a year with Perkins for the opportunity to do that and more.

From left to right: Kayla, Arianna, Stephen and Shelly

Each AmeriCorps and TerraCorps program participant brings their own interests and expertise to Perkins. Over the next year they will be exploring these interests and broadening their skillsets.

Know someone who might be interested in serving and learning with our community through an AmeriCorps Member Opportunity? Perkins is looking for more AmeriCorps Program Participants for the spring 2024 Service Term.

Interested applicants can apply to the Perkins AmeriCorps Service Position.

TerraCorps, AmeriCorps, and Massachusetts Service Alliance logos

More about the service members at Perkins

Arianna Koch, TerraCorps program participant, who joined the program with a background in environmental studies is excited to bring a green perspective to the school.

At the Perkins' campus, Arianna poses outdoors with a background of trees, flower pots and a lamppost.

I hope to be able to plan some events in and around the campus green spaces, and connect students and the greater community to the environmental space here at Perkins.” -Arianna

In addition to sharing their skills with the community, these three program participants will be engaged in deeper learning with teams across campus. For Shelly Hed, AmeriCorps program participant, that means looking at art through a lens of accessibility.

At the Perkins' campus, Shelley poses outdoors with a background of trees and a flower pot.

I would love to learn how to not only make artistic fields that I am interested in more accessible for consumption but also more accessible for production.” -Shelly

It was Perkins’ focus on accessibility that inspired Americorps program participant Stephen James to apply. While he is here, Stephen hopes to gain more familiarity using screen readers, voice-over on the phone, and contracted braille.

At the Perkins' campus, Stephen poses outdoors with a background of trees.

Technology really showed me that even though I am going blind, it doesn’t mean I am going to be disconnected from everything.” – Stephen

In addition to his love for technology, Stephen is interested in human services and working with the deafblind community.


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