Latest news with #PeoriaCorps
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Peoria mayor's youth program empowers local high schoolers
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — A program dedicated to setting students up for success is embarking on another year. Peoria Public Schools students are participating in the annual Mayor's Youth Program For High School Students, a summer initiative that involves beautifying the city over the next eight weeks. Nick McMillion, communications specialist for the Peoria Public Works, explained what kind of benefit the students get from participating in the program. 'They recognize the value of the hard work and impact that they will be putting into the community throughout the summer,' said McMillion. 'I think they really respect that, and because of that, this program is very well-respected.' Peoria City Council agrees to fund remaining PeoriaCorps term Students who are between 16 and 18 years old are paid for summer beautification work including planting, mulching and removing litter throughout the city, where they often work alongside participants in PeoriaCorps. The program also involves career exploration activities on Fridays, like college and trade school visits, tours of healthcare and manufacturing facilities, and listening to guest speakers. 'We're really geared up to make this summer as successful as possible for the students, for the city, and everyone involved. It's such a great program, and we're really excited to be able to do it another year.' The program originally had 100 students when it first started, and they were put into groups of 10. Now, it's gotten smaller and adapted to make the workflow better. Now, 24 students are selected for the program out of over 100 applicants from Peoria High School, Manual and Richwoods. This year's speaker at the kickoff event was PPS Superintendent Dr. Sharon Desmoulin-Kherat, who spoke about how the kids in the program can find what career they want to go into and how to be successful. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Peoria City Council agrees to fund remaining PeoriaCorps term
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — Just over $41,000 of TIF district funds will be used to ensure the five members of the current PeoriaCorps term will get to graduate in a unanimous Peoria City Council vote. This comes after the city learned the PeoriaCorps program was placed on a list of programs not in line with the priorities of the federal government. Its parent organization, AmeriCorps, received a 41% federal funding cut as well. The six-month program leads to personal and career development for young adults, with members maintaining green infrastructure sites while growing their skills in employability and leadership. Participants complete up to 900 service hours and earn multiple credentials along the way, including OSHA 10 and CPR/First Aid certifications. They also receive biweekly pay, bus passes, a full uniform, and more. The measure received support from around the Horseshoe, with At-Large Council member Dr. Bernice Gordon-Young speaking fondly of the program. 'I have a hard time cutting off something that's so amazing to people. It's a lot of hours and takes a lot of determination,' she said. Fellow At-Large Council member John Kelly agreed, saying it's 'one of the better things we do in this city.' He also expressed dismay at the federal government's decision to cut AmeriCorps funding. 'This really serves our people, and this is what happens when you're dependent upon people who don't really care for its funding,' he said. Amelia Ohlrogge, program director for PeoriaCorps, estimated it would take somewhere around $420,000 to fund the program annually. Melodi Green, the city's Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, said it was currently up in the air what the future holds for the program after the current members graduate. At-Large Councilman Zach Oyler attempted to get his fellow council members to reconsider last month's decision to impose a 1% grocery tax. The decision came after Gov. JB Pritzker announced the statewide 1% tax would be going away starting in 2026, with other municipalities such as Washington and East Peoria imposing similar measures. City officials expressed concerns over a $5 million shortfall that could be caused by the lack of a grocery tax, meaning cuts would have to be made to core essential services like police and fire. Oyler's main complaint was that not all of the council members were present during the vote and that the decision came before the arrival of budget season. His motion needed a second from another council member who voted in favor of last month's decision, meaning any council members who were not in attendance during that vote could not second the motion. No one obliged, so the city's 1% grocery tax will stand. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
PeoriaCorps celebrates community service program graduates
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — Lots of hard work paid off for five people in a ceremony on Friday at the Twin Towers Mall in Downtown Peoria. PeoriaCorps, along with Serve Illinois and AmeriCorps State and National, honored five graduating members who spent six months learning various skills. They are: Kendall Hood Bradley Miller Teryn Thomas Steed Weeks Daighla Williams Another group is set to graduate later this summer but after that, it's anybody's guess as to what might happen after the sweeping federal cuts have gutted the agency. 'One more cohort of five has until July to complete their service,' said City Manager Patrick Urich on Friday. 'We will be recommending to council on May 13 to keep them going. After that, we will have to wait and see what the Feds do.' AmeriCorps cuts prompt two dozen states to sue Trump administration 'As the group's no longer going, our next cohort was canceled and we are just barely able to get this graduation,' said graduating student Daighla Williams. 'So it's heartbreaking to see, but at the same time, very lucky that we hit just the end of it.' The program helps to develop the participants' skills to give them a leg up on employability. Williams said that the work done through the program is fulfilling, making sure that the city is a better place. 'I get a lot of pride, especially in our garbage cleanup,' she said. 'Being a big city as Peoria is, there isn't really anybody who goes around and picks up the garbage, and there's a lot of garbage accumulated.' All five graduates earned their OSHA 10 certification for General Industry along with their CPR First Aid certification. They also became forklift certified through Goodwill Industries of Central Illinois, which required them to complete 900 service hours. In the six-month program, the graduates worked on green infrastructure projects like planting trees and other green infrastructure projects around the city. Launched in October 2017, the PeoriaCorps program aims to provide a rewarding, service-based experience, career track, and opportunities for unemployed workers 18 years and older. Corps members have the opportunity, through hands-on training, to gain skills in environmental beautification/stewardship and green landscaping solutions. To learn more about the program, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
