2026 STEM Institute: Advancing Innovation in Education

The Dan River Year AmeriCorps program began 10 years ago with the goal of growing the region’s STEM knowledge and skills, a major focus area for the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR).

In those years, the program, which is administered by IALR, has evolved to help students understand and get excited about science, technology, engineering and math and to provide literacy support and mentoring. Today, AmeriCorps members offer hands-on support in elementary schools and out-of-school and extracurricular activities that benefit students and those who serve.

“IALR rises to the moment and adapts to meet the region’s needs. The evolution of Dan River Year AmeriCorps exemplifies that commitment and ability to fill gaps and contribute to a community where everyone is equipped for success.” – Julie Brown, Ph.D., Vice President, Advanced Learning, IALR

The Program’s Origin and Evolution

In the early days of the Dan River Year AmeriCorps program, the focus was almost exclusively on enhancing STEM education for students and adult learners.

“We wanted a way to partner with other organizations to try to close that gap in STEM,” said Dana Silicki, Director of STEM, Service and Lifelong Learning at IALR.

During the early years, the programs and target audiences were broad, ranging from elementary schoolers to adults. Leaders in the participating school divisions were thrilled with the support but noted something important: students were falling behind with reading.

“In elementary school, students learn how to read. In middle school, they read to learn,” said Silicki.

So, the program adapted to become more targeted on both literacy and STEM education, primarily in 4th and 5th grade classrooms.

“It takes many pairs of hands in a school to assist children in learning how to read. We are very fortunate to be able to utilize the AmeriCorps service members for this.” – Mark Jones, Ph.D., Superintendent, Pittsylvania County Schools

In addition to in-school tutors who work one-on-one—or in small groups— with students who need extra assistance, the Dan River Year program supports several regional after-school programs and IALR’s summer STEM Camps for elementary and middle school students.

By pairing literacy support with math and science lessons, the program ensures that students have the foundational skills needed to tackle more advanced STEM coursework. This approach, which fits into IALR’s commitment to expanding STEM capacity and providing opportunities for service learning, furthers IALR’s goal of driving economic transformation in Southern Virginia. Strong readers who develop technical knowledge are more likely to pursue higher-skilled jobs, strengthen local businesses and innovate as they grow.

Impact on Schools and Other Sites

Today, AmeriCorps members are embedded in classrooms in nine elementary schools between Danville and Pittsylvania County. The teachers and schools identify the students who need more personalized attention and support, and the members work with those students in small groups or even one-on-one to answer questions, re-explain concepts and mentor them.

“These members enhance what the teacher is doing,” Silicki said. “The students get that extra opportunity to have a little bit more one-on-one time to ask questions and receive the information in a slightly different way. That one-on-one and small group intervention benefits the students, giving them more attention and mentorship.”

Many schools rely on this extra support to ensure personalized attention for students.

“We are tightly staffed,” said Pittsylvania County Schools Superintendent Mark Jones. “This program provides some flexibility for principals, allowing them to fill gaps. We would not have that option without these AmeriCorps service members.”

The members who serve in the schools get to work with the same students for weeks or even months, seeing significant growth.

“It’s gratifying for the members because they see where the students are when they begin serving with them on day one, the first day of school,” said Audia Harris, Program Coordinator for IALR, who also served three terms with Dan River Year. “The members help the students feel comfortable not only with social and emotional skills but also with their learning and schoolwork.”

The classroom sites function very differently than the out-of-school sites. At the Danville Science Center, which has hosted members since the program began, members help design and lead various STEM-focused activities for people of all ages.

“They help to add depth, quality and quantity to the amount of public STEM programming that we can provide,” said Executive Director Adam Goebel.

There is no “template” AmeriCorps experience at the Danville Science Center. Instead, staff work with each member to determine their focus and experience based on their strengths and goals.

“The purpose of the program is to give these members real-world experiences in serving the public,” Goebel said. “Once they’re in the door, we help them figure out what they want to accomplish and how they hope to grow during their service term.”

Five AmeriCorps members who served at the Danville Science Center have accepted positions directly with the organization.

The Members’ Journey

Many AmeriCorps members say they gain as much from the program as the students. They come from varied backgrounds, including recent high school graduates, career changers and retirees looking to give back. They develop mentoring skills, teaching techniques and a deeper understanding of community needs.

“This position allows me to recognize the needs of our students in education while creating tutor strategies that will help the students to make better grades and increase social-emotional learning goals,” said Donna James, who is in her fourth term of service.

Audia Harris, Program Coordinator with IALR, served three terms herself before stepping into her current role. She now coordinates member training, organizes service projects and provides ongoing support. Her experience shows how an AmeriCorps service year can lead to bigger opportunities.

“My time in the program polished me for the next steps in my career path,” Harris said.

Many past members have already taken what they learned and leveraged it into new roles in education, nonprofits and beyond. In total, members have completed 222 terms of service.

Success Stories:

• Mikayla Ragsdale and Beth Bennett both served in the program, worked as teachers and are now principals with Danville Public Schools.
• Phillip Ashby served as a summer member before becoming a Montgomery County Public Schools teacher. He was recently named teacher of the year for the school division.
• Devinia Thorpe was so successful in her service term at Averett University that they created an employee position for her after completion of her AmeriCorps service.

Ashby spent the summer of 2017 serving at the Coates Recreation Center, Schoolfield Elementary School and helping with STEM Camps at IALR.

“My career aligned so directly with experiences with Dan River Year Americorps that I felt more prepared than some of my colleagues. I can directly attribute my success as a teacher now to the work I accomplished and the skills I learned during the program.” Phillip Ashby, Teacher, Montgomery Public Schools

Anyone passionate about service is welcome to apply to join the program as an AmeriCorps member. With flexible terms ranging from five to 30 hours weekly, the program provides memorable opportunities for impact. Members receive a stipend and, upon completion of their term, a Siegel Education Award.

Evolving Impact

As the Dan River Year AmeriCorps program completes a decade, it continues to grow to meet regional needs. The plan is to add additional elements to the AmeriCorps program, including disaster services, youth mental health support and community health education.

“Moving forward, we will continue to evolve to meet the needs of the community and not just do something because that’s the way it’s been done in the past,” Silicki said. “We’re continuing to meet the community’s needs and impacting our service members, partners and those we serve.”

About the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research serves Virginia as a regional catalyst for economic transformation with applied research, advanced learning, manufacturing advancement, conference center services and economic development efforts. IALR’s major footprint focuses within Southern Virginia, including the counties of Patrick, Henry, Franklin, Pittsylvania, Halifax and Mecklenburg, along with the cities of Martinsville and Danville.