Peace Corps Awards

Peace Corps Online: Peace Corps News: Speaking Out: January 23, 2005: Index: PCOL Exclusive: Speaking Out (1 of 5) : Archive of Stories: November 1, 2005: Headlines: Speaking Out: Awards: Humor: Peace Corps: Peace Corps establishes awards for top Peace Corps Volunteers : Peace Corps Awards

By Anonymous (h2-66-137-250.mesh.net - 66.137.250.2) on Thursday, November 10, 2005 - 9:07 pm: Edit Post

Here's a vote against giving awards
for Labors of Love.

By Russell W. Faust, EdD (pcp0011322315pcs.elictc01.md.comcast.net - 68.33.140.250) on Tuesday, November 15, 2005 - 11:29 am: Edit Post

Awarding the "best" is an insult to all those who serve. The conditions and circumstances under which each Peace Corps Volunteer serves are unique and the influence and impact of their actions so intangible that any decision to make awards to the "best" flys in the face of the founding spirit of the Peace Corps.The current administration seems to be grasping at straws to use any means to improve its image at home and abroad. Perhaps the political agenda is to abolish the Peace Corps by making it unattractive to potential volunteers. There were no distinctions made among Peace Corps Volunteers in the Kennedy/Shriver Peace Corps. That legacy should live on.

By Damien Brockmann (216-188-252-124.dyn.grandenetworks.net - 216.188.252.124) on Tuesday, November 15, 2005 - 11:43 am: Edit Post

"Now what those volunteers really need is an incentive program! That will kick their butts in gear!"

What kind of out-of-touch ideologue comes up with that kind of conclusion?

Let's see here-- Thousands of volunteers over 45 years have chosen to leave their families and home culture to live in environments with less amenities for two years with very little pay. -And consequently many of them have done some fairly amazing projects.

Now why would they do such a thing without an incentive to be the best volunteer in the world?

Maybe it's because they WANT to. There's no more powerful an incentive than intrinsic desire.

Show a little respect for volunteers and their abilities, and rescind this program. Service is not a contest. Why make it one?

By C. R. (pool-70-17-120-180.res.east.verizon.net - 70.17.120.180) on Tuesday, November 15, 2005 - 11:55 am: Edit Post

"Success" as a Peace Corps Volunteer can be defined in so many ways. The government idea of success is probably based on the number of girls educated or the number of business cooperatives started. Gee, this kind of success depends on so much more than the volunteer. It depends on the community in which the volunteer is placed. I spent two years feeling like I was not getting enough accomplished, and I know I was not alone in that feeling. I did, however, spend lots of quality soul-searching time, teach two girls to read, and make a whole community of wonderful friends. That is success that will never be rewarded, but in my head I hold a celebratory parade every so often for my accomplishments in Peace Corps Panama.

By Anonymous (199.143.1.144) on Tuesday, November 15, 2005 - 11:56 am: Edit Post

Special awards to the top Volunteers? That's totally subjective. Everyone's circumstances are different in the field, and we are limited in what we can do because of that. How is the Administration going to measure success? Number of projects? Number of people affected? How would they know that? Our country director in- country tried to have these "special Volunteer" awards, too, in country, and it resulted in a lot of animosity amongst PCVs. How do you decide top Volunteer or not-so-top Volunteer? But then again, our country director was never a PCV.

Bottom line: Top Volunteer awards is a BAD idea!


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