About Us
Academic Engagement – Multi-tiered intervention models of education provides a strategy of
increasingly intense scientifically-research-based interventions for students at academic or
behavioral risk. Tiered instruction represents a model in which the instruction delivered to
students varies on several dimensions related to the nature and severity of the student's
difficulties. The key to providing tiered instruction lies in the establishment of a workable
schedule that maximizes school personnel resources and a high degree of collaboration among
all members of the teaching force of a school. PMSC AmeriCorps members working in
educational settings will be a part of an educational team that will provide in-school and afterschool instruction and mentoring for K-12 students identified as “at risk for failure” or students
in a school with the majority of individuals eligible for free or reduced lunches. As a result of the
PMSC interventions, the goal will be to reach 2,500 economically disadvantaged students or
students with special/exceptional needs with academic support and mentoring with 80%
demonstrating improved academic assessment and/or improved behavioral/attitude towards
school engagement.
Environmental Stewardship - Environmental concerns are another primary community need
identified by our regional partnership. The PMSC partners have identified land management,
water quality, and environmental education outreach, as the top environmental needs to improve
the quality of life in local communities addressed by our environmental objective.
Once the nation's top coal producer, Pennsylvania now has the worst abandoned mine problem in
the nation. 184,000 acres in 44 of Pennsylvania's 67 counties are affected by this problem, and
more than 4,600 miles of streams are polluted by acidic drainage from old mine sites. All of the
counties covered by the PMSC region are significantly affected.
As Pennsylvania continues to deal with water quality issues in the post regulated mining era, the
newest energy boom in natural gas has arrived and brings with it, a boost to the region's
economy, but it also presents new environmental challenges. In order to avoid the same clean-up
problems that came with the abandoned mines, Pennsylvanians want to address these new issues
head on. The millions of gallons of water required for natural gas drilling and the associated
waste products are major concerns here in Pennsylvania. One of the primary water concerns with
deep gas well drilling technologies is the withdrawal of large volumes (millions of gallons) of
water, used mostly in the hydro-fracturing process. These large water withdrawals may come
from many sources (streams, ponds, lakes, etc.) and can have significant effects if not performed
carefully. In relation to water concerns, gas well construction involves extensive earth
disturbance including roads, drilling pads and pipelines that can speed erosion. The DEP's
Bureau of Oil, Gas, and each individual county's conservation district oversee the enforcement of
erosion and sediment regulations related to gas well operations. Therefore, public outreach and
education has become a goal of many local conservation districts and groups that utilize PMSC
AmeriCorps members.
Additionally, Pennsylvania is a leader in the agricultural field. According to Ben Wright at
Western PA Conservancy, "Agriculture is Pennsylvania's leading industry, and, despite
accelerating development, it remains one of the most important land uses in Western
Pennsylvania. In occupying such a dominate part of the landscape, agriculture is a major contributor to water pollution; a situation that if ignored would seriously threaten our way of life." PMSC AmeriCorps members and the volunteers that the member's recruit, will be placed
with environmental organizations and will; collect water samples for water quality assessment,
assess pollution impact on public lands and waterways, conduct biological surveys, provide
stream bank restoration, build riparian buffers, participate in soil and erosion control projects,
and provide K-12 and adults with PA standards based environmental education and outreach
incidental to the mission. The goal post program year will be to show positive impact within 100
miles of PA waterways and to have a positive capacity building impact as a result of the PMSC
AmeriCorps supported service.
Community Wellness - With the high poverty rates, and the rural nature of this region,
community partners have indicated a vital need for preventative health education, counseling and
life skills trainings to families and individuals such as veterans and those with serious mental
illness, domestic violence counseling, and food, clothing, shelter assistance. The goal will be to
have reached 5,000 individuals who demonstrate a positive impact due to the PMSC supported
service.
In addition, with most community non-profits functioning with limited resources but
experiencing an explosion of requests for services, the community partners in our region express
a need for AmeriCorps members who can leverage and/or manage additional volunteers, increase
effectiveness of their organization’s resources, or increase the scale and reach of their services.
The PMSC will achieve our proposed goals during the 2020-2021 program by collaborating with
over 70 regional organizations, including school districts, crisis centers, conservation districts,
and faith-based organizations.