Michigan's AmeriCorps Volunteer of the Month

Volunteer of the Month Spotlight – June 2026: Christine Merritt, Michigan Education Corps

Christine Merritt is an AmeriCorps Volunteer with the Michigan Education Corps. The Michigan Education Corps (MEC) is administered by Hope Network and is a replication of the transformational Minnesota Reading Corps. AmeriCorps volunteers advance more than 3,000 students toward becoming proficient in reading and mathematics.

When Christine walked through the doors of Bradford Academy, she quickly became a beacon of hope for students struggling with math. As a Lead Math Corps Interventionist, Christine serves 4th through 8th students by providing supplemental math support focused on fact fluency, number and operation skills, and math identity with the goal of helping each student be Algebra ready by the end of eight grade.

For some, math can feel like a hopeless mission, especially without 1-on-1 or small group support. In her classroom, Christine has turned math into a mission possible! According to Michigan Education Corps Program Director, Kaye Sutherland, “Christine has created a soft place for students to land and safe environment for students to work, practice, fail and then get up to try again. In addition to math, students are gaining life skills including patience, resiliency and self-confidence to work through complex problems.”

In addition to her service role at Bradford, Christine also serves as Michigan’s AmeriCorps LeaderCorps member. As a LeaderCorps member, Christine collaborates with AmeriCorps members representing programs across the state to explore ways to strengthen and promote awareness of AmeriCorps in Michigan. Christine has made significant contributions as a part of the LeaderCorps team using her exceptional communication, organization and leadership skills.

Christine’s accomplishments are clear – she has tutored over 60 students in just 1.5 terms of service at Bradford Academy, and over 80% of those students have displayed benchmark improvement. But their growth goes beyond just math; she serves as a beloved mentor and ally to students that actively seek out her support on a daily basis. Christine is loved and respected by the students she serves and her school community.

Learn more about the Michigan Education Corps and other Michigan’s AmeriCorps programs making a positive impact in communities across Michigan. For more information about AmeriCorps, visit www.americorps.gov.