From Tutoring to Thriving

For more than 20 years, True North AmeriCorps (TNAC), a program of the Lake Superior YMCA, has connected dedicated AmeriCorps members with young people and communities across northern Minnesota. What began in 2003 with a focus on tutoring has evolved to meet the changing needs of local students and families. Today, TNAC members serve alongside 15 community partner sites, supporting young people in schools, afterschool programs, and community-based settings.

Their service, which spans from Hill City to Duluth and Ely to McGregor, focuses on increasing students' interpersonal skills and social competencies—including self-awareness, social awareness, self-management and responsible decision-making. Members spend time getting to know students, observing their strengths and challenges, and identifying opportunities to help them build the skills they need to thrive.

Jasemine served with TNAC last year at Valley Youth Center in West Duluth and is returning to serve again this year. For her, the most meaningful part of her service has been the relationships she has built with the students.

“The biggest impact I have experienced while serving with AmeriCorps is the relationships with the students. Every day, they impress and exceed any expectations that I have ever had by going above and beyond. For example, the students have grown tremendously proud of helping bake birthday cakes for their friends and fellow peers, so much so that they even volunteer to wash the dishes for another chance to bake again!”

TNAC Program Coordinator Ellie Larson understands that impact firsthand. After spending three years serving in education through Reading Corps, she saw how many students were struggling with the skills they needed to succeed.

“For me personally, the idea of having an impact on the community and finding a way to serve the community and help fill a need drew me to this position. After serving in education for three years I saw how much students were struggling with interpersonal skills. I felt like this program was really helping meet that need that students were having. That’s a common piece of feedback we hear from members, they just want to have an impact and make a difference, and they were able to do that through serving," shared Ellie.

During the 2025–26 program year, TNAC members served more than 26,000 hours in their communities.

Those hours represent thousands of conversations, teachable moments, activities, lessons and opportunities to help young people build the skills they will carry with them into school, work, and life.

For some AmeriCorps members, TNAC is also a chance to discover their own path. Service can provide meaningful experience for people considering careers in education, social work or school counseling—and a chance to ask, Is this where I can make a difference? Or, for those who are 55 years or older who may be looking for an opportunity to serve, bi-monthly stipends can be paid forward through donations or towards grandchildren’s education awards.

Your support of the Lake Superior YMCA helps make those relationships possible. It helps TNAC members show up in communities across the region, meet students where they are and help them build the social competencies they need to thrive.

LEARN MORE ABOUT TRUE NORTH AMERICORPS