Energy Express will induct 150 college-bound high school students, college students and community volunteers as AmeriCorps members during an induction ceremony at 5 p.m. Sunday (June 8) at the Evansdale Rec Fields. The rain location is the ERC Blue and Gold Room.
Jorge H. Atiles, dean of WVU Extension and Engagement and the Davis College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, will lead the AmeriCorps pledge during the ceremony.
A free WVU Extension Service program housed at the Center for Community Engagement, Energy Express is a six-week summer program focused on improving literacy and nutrition for low-income and rural children entering first through sixth grade.
The AmeriCorps members will serve as mentors and/or community volunteer coordinators in 22 counties across West Virginia while developing leadership and career skills under the guidance of experienced educators.
Each Energy Express AmeriCorps member will complete at least 300 hours of service and receive a $4,050 living allowance and a $1,565 Segal AmeriCorps Education Award. Their service may also qualify for the West Virginia AmeriCorps Tuition Waiver (WV Code §18B-10-7d).
In 2024, Energy Express celebrated its 30th anniversary and served approximately 1,150 children at 48 sites, with 88% of participants showing gains in reading fluency.
Over the past three decades, 84,000 children have participated in the program, supported by 13,600 AmeriCorps members. Since 2006, the program has provided more than 1.7 million healthy meals and 360,000 take-home books to children across the state.
AmeriCorps is a national service program addressing critical community needs in education, economic opportunity, disaster response, environmental stewardship, health, and support for veterans and military families. Energy Express is funded in part by an AmeriCorps grant through Volunteer West Virginia — the state’s Commission for National and Community Service, which promotes service and volunteerism throughout the state.
Find the Summer 2025 site locations and other information.
For questions, contact energy.express@mail.wvu.edu. WVU Energy Express is also on LinkedIn.