For 2025, WT Community Resilience Corps celebrated AmeriCorps Week from March 9 - 15, to recognize and thank the AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers now serving as WT CRC Fellows who raise their hands to help when needed.
Parker Melton, a WT CRC Fellow who joined the program in 2024, had a connection with his partner site, the Amarillo Art Institute (AAI), prior to serving with them in a Community Outreach role.
Parker left home for a year after graduating high school to attend Blinn College in Bryan, TX. He started taking EMT classes then tried real estate, but nothing was “clicking” for him. He came back home the following summer and decided to stay.
“I didn’t really know what I wanted to do,” Parker said. “I was kind of lost and I didn’t know what my life would look like.”
Parker’s father, Marcus Melton, is an artist and teaches at WT as an Associate Professor of Art. Despite that, Parker hadn’t been involved with art for most of his life. When he returned from Blinn College though, he joined his father in the printmaking shop at the Amarillo Art Insitute and was visiting AAI three to four times a week learning how to screenprint.
“I had never done printmaking before, but it helped me find something to do,” Parker said. “Then we started having open studios on Wednesday nights where anyone could come, bring supplies, and hang out, and it sort of became a community thing.”
Parker learned about WT CRC through a family friend and decided to apply immediately. He says he was open to placement with any of the program’s partner sites but was hoping for something with AAI.
“The Amarillo Art Institute really wants to get out into the community and spread what they’re doing,” Parker said. “With this program, I’ve kind of found my purpose.”
AAI’s mission is to inspire, educate, and enrich lives through art. In Parker’s Community Outreach role, he creates, plans budgets, and then pitches art projects and programs for nursing homes and children’s educational groups.
“I was a little familiar with kids because before I started serving with AmeriCorps, I had started helping with classes,” Parker said. “I’ve never worked with seniors though, so that’s been exciting. I’m a little nervous to do the pitches to nursing homes and other groups, but there’s mostly a lot of excitement too.”
Outside of WT CRC, Parker still helps teach private art lessons for kids. He says a lot of times he’s learning alongside the kids as they make mugs and pots out of clay or try watercolors and oil pastels. Although he knew some of the people at his service site prior to joining Americorps, Parker says his service and working with an encouraging team has helped him get out of his shell.
“Rachel, my site supervisor, has been really helpful with everything,” Parker said. “Working with everyone here has been great. They’re so open and are always looking for something to add to the Amarillo Art Institute.”
For others considering community service or looking for some sort of direction like he was, Parker recommends looking for opportunities you can implement yourself into. He also suggests searching for something where you can make a change.
“I’ve been able to help broaden the impact the Amarillo Art Institute has had in the community, which makes me feel good about my service,” Parker said. “I think people need art in their lives. For example, with the seniors, it’s like therapy for them. I get to help them out through art, and it’s helped me out too.”