Abbey Pence is an AmeriCorps member serving as a first-year Virginia College Advising Corps (VCAC) adviser at Cumberland High School.
Abbey discovered VCAC and AmeriCorps while she was in high school, where she was supported by a VCAC adviser. Combining that experience with her current service, she has a unique understanding of the impact and opportunity that national service can have on those who receive support from AmeriCorps members—as well as the members themselves. “My biggest tip that I would give to any recent graduate looking at what’s next for them is to try something that may be out of your comfort zone,” says Abbey.
Of the many memories she has from her service term so far, one stands out. She recalls, “I took my students on a field trip to Virginia State University and one of my students turned to me with this look in her eyes that I had never seen before, and told me that this is where she was going. Giving her that on-campus experience played a huge part in her making her choice and being a part of this was so one of the most rewarding moments in my career thus far.”
“As a psychology major, I never thought that I would find myself in the school system, but this has been an essential part of me figuring out what I was called to do,” Abbey reflects. “This experience has completely changed the trajectory of my career. Initially this position was supposed to be a stepping stone, but it has been a significant role for me. I have ultimately decided to pursue a master’s degree in higher education because I can’t imagine my life not revolving around our youth. Giving back to the community I lived in during my undergrad has been incredibly fulfilling.”
Evelyn Freeman
Story of Service: Evelyn Freeman
Evelyn Freeman, Peninsula Foster Grandparent Program Senior Corps – Foster Grandparent of the Year - Foster Grandparents are role models, mentors, and friends to children with exceptional needs. At 91 years of age, Ms. Freeman has been serving for 14 years as a Foster Grandparent volunteer at the Discovery STEM Academy. Over the years of service with the program, she has watched many of her elementary students go on to graduate from high school and earn college degrees. Her positivity fills her students with hope and she’s always encouraging them that they can accomplish anything with commitment and hard work. Read...
Pepicelli’s Pizza LLC
Story of Service: Pepicelli’s Pizza LLC
Congratulations to Pepicelli's Pizza of Ashland -- winner of the 2017 Virginia Governor's Volunteerism and Community Service Award for Outstanding Small Business! For residents in the Town of Ashland and Beaverdam, there’s no such thing as a special event or community outreach effort without Pepicelli's Pizza. Lisa and Tom Checkosky’s restaurant is not only the best place to go in town for a slice, it is an outstanding example of giving back to the community. The list of organizations and causes supported by Pepicelli’s goes on and on – from the Hanover Humane Society to the Ashland Police Foundation. Pepicelli’s...
China Tatum
Story of Service: China Tatum
National Service Award honoree China Tatum always felt the urge to help the at-risk members of her community. Through her tenure as an AmeriCorps VISTA, she has enjoyed the privilege of engaging directly with unhoused individuals through the United Way of Henry County & Martinsville, aligned with the mission of the West Piedmont Better Housing Coalition (WPBHC). China's supervisor at the United Way, Craig McCroskey, recalls, "China jumped right into the role and dug into understanding what the Coalition is and does and the weaknesses we were trying to strengthen. She has balanced the need to push with sensitivity and...
Samantha Bradley
Story of Service: Samantha Bradley
Teaming Up with an AmeriCorps Member to Make Her Dream of a Military Career Come True Teresa Thompson, an AmeriCorps member with the Carroll County Public Schools Lift Up AmeriCorps and winner of the 2015 Robert E. Wone Award, recently shared an inspirational story about the impact of national service on a young person in her program. Teresa says student Samantha Bradley described herself in the past as a troubled teenager, but completely changed her outlook after the birth of her son. Working up to three jobs in addition to attending school where she excelled in her school work, Determined...
Beth Rebholz
Story of Service: Beth Rebholz
For Beth Rebholz, AmeriCorps has provided the ultimate pathway for her to forge a successful career in financial planning. Her interest in finance, combined with her deep-seated roots in service, led her to join as an AmeriCorps member, serve as an AmeriCorps Program Director, and eventually find her dream job! Beth got her early belief in the power of service through her mother, who served as a Hospice volunteer for most of her life and also volunteered at their family’s church. Her mother’s example of community service made the decision to join AmeriCorps a natural fit. Beth also says that...
Betty L. Robinette
Story of Service: Betty L. Robinette
Congratulations to Betty L. Robinette of Wytheville - winner of the 2021 Governor's Volunteerism and Community Service Award for Outstanding Senior Volunteer! For people who live in rural areas, fighting hunger is a serious issue. Communities like Southwest Virginia face a number of challenges – from scarcity of grocery stores and food pantries compounded with a lack of transportation to diminishing job opportunities and higher rates of unemployment. This is where Betty Robinette saw a growing need and did more than step into make a difference. Betty was the catalyst that started the Community Food Kitchen in 2012. When the...
