Today, the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) announced the winners of the 2012 AmeriCorps Photo and Video contest.

Current AmeriCorps members and alums were asked to submit photos and videos showing how AmeriCorps works by communicating ways the CNCS program helps the recipients of service, the people who serve, and the larger community and nation.

Entries were judged on key elements, including overall impact, creativity, memorable content and delivery, and clear message about how AmeriCorps works. Winners were selected by popular vote on the Challenge.gov web site.

Now, for this year's winners …

Video Contest (65 submissions)

First Place ($4,000 prize): Woodlande's Story by Deanna Nicole Warren -- AmeriCorps VISTA at Culture Connect Inc.

Second Place ($1,000 prize): Empowering the Next Generation of Leaders by Mischa Tourin -- AmeriCorps State; Youth Program Manager; Essex CHIPS and Teen Center

Both videos can be seen in the window below.

 

Photo Contest (256 submissions)

First Place ($2,000 prize): Water Pollution is Hazardous to River Unicorns by Jason Scott -- AmeriCorps NCCC, Atlantic Region; AmeriCorps Florida State Parks; current director of Knoxville AmeriCorps alums chapter

 

Second Place ($500 prize): Turning our Tassels for a Better Tomorrow by Daniela DiGuido -- AmeriCorps member at George Washington University Jumpstart

 

We congratulate the winners, and thank our AmeriCorps members and alums for their submissions to the 2012 contest.

Some of our most creative AmeriCorps members and alumni took our challenge and submitted more than 300 entries for our 2012 AmeriCorps Photo and Video Contest. If you haven’t checked out the submissions and cast your votes, well, now's the time!
 

Today's Wordless Wednesday celebrates National Smile Month with a look at the joy volunteers experience while giving back. With smiles like these, who wouldn't volunteer?
 

Wish you could take better pictures of the great service that you and your fellow volunteers are doing? Believe it or not, you don’t need to buy a new camera. Following --and practicing -- a few basic techniques can do a lot to improve the quality of your photos.
 

The tireless efforts of our AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and other volunteers in disaster sites across the nation deserves recognition. On Thankful Thursday, we wanted to give others a chance to share in our gratitude.
 

At a press conference on Tuesday, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon had this to say about the AmeriCorps members serving in the Joplin area: