LAKE MURRAY, OK -- Carlton McKoy didn't come all the way from New York City to paint walls in Oklahoma. He came for an experience.
"I found Americorps, and I looked at it and I was like, 'Wow, this is really good because not only do I get experience, but I get money for school, so when I do go back, I have that money and it's awesome," said McKoy.
He took the time off from college and found more than just something to do.
"You can find yourself in Americorps because it gives you more time to look inward because you're helping people so much and you can really see what people go through," McKoy explained.
McKoy is part of a team led by Carol Schneider.
"I love my team. I feel I'm really lucky because my team is really hard working and we get along really well. We have our moments, but we're like a little family," Schneider said.
Americorps is a big commitment, but it returns big rewards for its members.
"Along with the experience we get, every member that finishes their 1,700 service hours gets a $5,500 education reward which matches the federal Pell Grant, so along with the experience and the networking and the opportunity, they're also getting money for school," Schneider explained.
For McKoy, the Texoma experience was not only new, but special as well.
"This has been my favorite project- Oklahoma. I never thought I would come here, ever in my whole life, so it's really interesting because I never thought of it as a southern state and it a southern state. The weather is really beautiful and I love Lake Murray State Park. It's a beautiful park," said McKoy.
The entire team has another month to live, learn, and experience Texoma.
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