GET TO
THURSDAY, MAY 30, 2013 VOLUME XIX, ISSUE 12
THE POINT THE
NEWSLETTER
OF THE
NCCC
ATLANTIC REGION
Phoenix Two Rises Above Alumni Spotlight
Team Leader Spotlight
Aja Devlin, Corps Member Atlantic Region, Class XVII
What Does a Support Team Leader Actually Do?
CONTENTS
IN THIS
ISSUE 03 Gallery Images from Round 2 projects
05 Bulletin Board A Vehicle Safety Tip & An Update of Independent Service Hours
I’m a member of the National Civilian Community Corps, an AmeriCorps Program.
↑ Keiana Eskridge
N-Triple-C members are 18 to 24 and spend 10 months getting things done for America while developing their own leadership. We serve on teams to help communities prepare
and Erin Foley of Raven 4 stand in front of a pile of debris collected
06 Feature Phoenix 2 Rises Above: Despite weeks of rain delays, the team of
from Winnipeg
firefighters saw the flames at the
Pond in Westerly,
end of the tunnel
R.I. The team is clearing debris that was washed inland by Hurricane Sandy.
for and respond to disasters, build homes, and help the environment. To learn more, visit AmeriCorps.gov/NCCC or call 1.800.942.2677
08 Alumni Spotlight Aja Devlin, Class XVII Atlantic Region Corps Member
10 Team Green What does an STL do?
11 Shout Outs Teams share anecdotes,
CONNECT WITH AMERICORPS NCCC ATLANTIC REGION Sam McKenzie, Community Relations Specialist (CRS) Phone: 202.528.3755 ● Email: smckenzie@cns.gov Mona Hillstrand, Assistant Community Relations Specialist (ACRS) Phone: 202.815.4259 ● Email: rhillstrand@cns.gov Ben Dillon, Community Relations Support Team Leader (CRSTL) Phone: 443.995.7940 ● Email: bedillon.guest@cns.gov
compliments, and well wishes from the field
12 Project Map Where in the Atlantic Region are Class XIX teams? About the cover A member of Phoenix 2, a team of firefighters serving
facebook.com/ncccatlanticregion
with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
twitter.com/americorpsnccc americorps.gov/nccc
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MAY 30, 2013 | GET TO THE POINT
uses a water hose to suppress flames during a prescribed burn.
GALLERY
↑
Moose 5 member Laura Mahoney paints the Chamber of Commerce office in Wilmington, Vt.
→ Moose 1 members, wearing coveralls and respirator masks, pose outside water-damaged home in Queens, N.Y. The team is assisting with long-term recovery efforts seven months after Hurricane Sandy. ↓
Buffalo 3 member Ray Semanchik operates a tractor while assisting with grounds maintenance at Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve in southern Maine.
GET TO THE POINT | MAY 30, 2013
3
GALLERY
↑ Members of composite team Black Bear 1 during an Independent Service Project with Harbor House in Toms River, N.J. → Buffalo 1 Team Leader Rico Hernandez examines a horseshoe crab at a beach near Bath, Me. → Firefox 1 member Stephen Silber displays his Moose Unit pride while working with the Albany Pine Bush Preserve in New York. → Ashley Silver of Raven 3 paints a banister while working with Rebuilding Together of Pittsburgh, an organization that assists with home improvements for elderly people and people with disabilities. ↓ Moose 4 member Mayo Campos works on a trench that will help reduce erosion at Frost Valley YMCA camp in Claryville, N.Y.
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MAY 30, 2013 | GET TO THE POINT
BULLETIN BOARD
“The roots of effective leadership lie in simple things, one of which is listening. Listening to someone demonstrates respect; it shows that you value their ideas and are willing to hear them.” - John Baldoni
Moose Unit Support Team Leader, Emily Tiffany, with two members of her composite team, Fire Fox 1.
week in the With only one more it has pulled round, the Buffalo Un Who will be ahead of the Ravens. ? the 2nd round victor ISP Hours Complete Buffalo: 46.91% Raven: 45.32% Moose: 35.61%
Vehicle Safety Tip Never overload your vehicle. Your car and tires are designed
to operate safely only up to their load limits. These limits are show n in your owner’s manual and on the certification plate on the edge of the driver’s door.
Buffalo Unit Support Team Leader, Rosslyn Jordan, has been working alongside Moose 2 for the last half of this round in Tabernacle, N.J. The team is working on disaster preparedness for the Town of Tabernacle.
GET TO THE POINT | MAY 30, 2013
5
FEATURE
Rising Above
The burn dance of Phoenix 2 was a mighty one— strong and wild indeed. But would it be enough to stop the rains and bring us the sun we need? 6
MAY 30, 2013 | GET TO THE POINT
Despite three weeks of rain delays, Phoenix 2 perseveres and sees the flames at the end of the tunnel
We chose our songs and sweet moves all in hopes to bring out the sun. We knew we would have to keep on dancing until the rain was done.
Eight hundred acres burned in four days, Phoenix 2 was proud to say the least. Our hard work had paid off, so we went to camp out at Virginia Beach.
So the potions were poured and the fire was made as the speakers began to sing a song that we hoped to stop the rains and let us do our thing.
We were proud and happy as we sat by the fire and shortly after, rested our heads. We all awoke to a bitter surprise—the tents were all flooded and it had begun to rain again.
For three weeks straight it had rained and the end seemed never in sight until we awoke and we looked up to see a burning orange ball in the sky.
Story continued on page 7
FEATURE
L
ike any other Phoenix team, to say we were excited to burn is an understatement. Our spontaneous departure from campus heightened our adrenaline and created great morale amongst the team. It was a difficult moment when rain cancelled our first burn, but we proceeded with the same dedication we had left campus with. We packed our line gear, loaded with baby wipes and snacks, and awaited the call from our sponsor, Steve, for a burn. Two and a half weeks later, the ever so patient Phoenix 2 was still awaiting said call from Steve. It was frustrating at times, but we persevered and shared our talents with other local nonprofits in the area. One of our favorites was The Virginia Zoological Park. We spent many of our days weeding, mulching, and planting, but we also experienced much more. We were able to meet and pet Alfred, a 45 year old white rhinoceros who, “loves to be loved on.” We got
↑
Left: Members of Phoenix 2 pet Alfred, a 45 year-old white rhinoceros, at the Virginia Zoological Park in Norfolk. Right: Brienna Rainey of Phoenix 2 monitors the flames of a prescribed fire at Piney Grove preserve in Sussex County, Virginia.
up close and personal with the lion and lioness of the park, with cages between us of course. It was amazing to get a behind the scenes tour of the zoo and learn so much about the plants and animals there! It was our third week when we were finally able to burn-800 acres in 4 days! Some people think that throwing on a 50 pound pack and walking through the woods isn’t fun, but we would beg to differ. We had amazing experiences on ignition with drip torches and holding while doing weather. We learned so many things from those with The Nature Conservancy, Black Water, and US Fish and Wildlife. Phoenix 2 is excited to return to their teams but will never forget the memories and experience of living and working as Wildland Firefighters.
GET TO THE POINT | MAY 30, 2013
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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Aja Devlin
Class XVII Corps Member, Atlantic Region
Why did you join NCCC? I joined NCCC mainly to break the monotony that I had gotten used to. To get away from home for a while and experience something new. What was your favorite aspect of NCCC? My favorite part of being in NCCC was never knowing what to expect. It really was the adventure I hoped for. No two days were ever the same. What was your most interesting project? That’s tough. I honestly loved every project for different reasons. But if I had to pick one I’d have to say my second round on a disaster assignment in Alabama. I was on a composite team that was running a volunteer reception center in Tuscaloosa. I’d have to peg this project as the most interesting because for me, I’d never ever seen anything a tornado could do.
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MAY 30, 2013 | GET TO THE POINT
Interview by James Hubbard Raven 4 Member
I’d also never really been in the south. So every single day was eye opening. The locals were so resilient and I still talk to some of them even now. What was the most challenging aspect of your service year? Wanting to change the world but realizing that won’t be done in a day. Or even in 10 months. It was a challenge to keep the mission in mind some days and feel like my team was making an impact. I had to learn that even the small things we do in service make big differences in ways it may be hard to see in the moment. Can you tell us a story in which you learned something about yourself through service? One day at the end of my term I found myself without hesitation, crawling through the dark, tiny crawl
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
“AmeriCorps instilled in me a need to do something positive in the world. Never again can I be content with the monotony of living for just myself.”
space beneath the floor of a house that was damaged in Hurricane Irene. And it dawned on me; I would never have done this a year ago! At the end of your service term you’re going to have this moment. You’re going to do something you would never have done 10 months ago and you’ll realize that you’re braver, smarter and 10x tougher than you thought you were coming into this program. I did. What advice would you give to current Corps Members? My advice to current CM’s; All of this is going to fly by much quicker than you can imagine. Don’t leave any rock unturned, any words unspoken, any shore unexplored, any cupcake uneaten. Don’t look back and wish you had, look back and be glad that you did. How did AmeriCorps affect your life path or current position? I’m currently a corps member at City Year Greater Philadelphia. AmeriCorps instilled in me a need to do something posi-
tive in the world. Never again can I be content with the monotony of living for just myself.
↑
Aja Devlin served on the Raven 4 team in Atlantic Region Class XVII. Her experience as a Corps Member
How have you continued to serve beyond NCCC? I do civic engagement for City Year. I am on a small, specialized team that plans small and large scale service events throughout the city. The role I play as a service CM is to plan and design service projects as well as facilitate prep and oversee things on event day. I plan events mainly in the schools were City Year CM’s serve. Our goal is to brighten the learning environments for our students and engage the communities our schools are in as well as our corporate sponsors. That’s my elevator speech. In a nutshell, I get to travel around the city I love, making schools look cooler. I get to watch kids go bananas after an event because their school now has color to it and a mural they want to come to school to see, because maybe they designed it. This is how I continue to serve after NCCC.
inspired her to continue engaging in national service through City Year. ← Previous Page: Devlin with her Raven 4 team during a mini-spike project at Rohoboth Beach, De.
GET TO THE POINT | MAY 30, 2013
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TEAM GREEN
What Does A Support Team Leader Do?
COURNTEY STROTHER PROGRAM OFFICE SUPPORT TEAM LEADER
Duties of the Program Office Support Team Leader
Assist the Assistant Program Directors (APDs) with project outreach activities, including focused research to identify potential sponsor organizations and contacts to broaden the scope of service projects for the Corps;
Support Project Outreach Liaisons (POLs) and Service Learning Initiators (SLIs) team specialty roles;
Assist the APD/Trainer (APD/T) in planning and executing TL and CM training to enhance leadership and citizenship development throughout the program, as well as planning for “Life After AmeriCorps” by serving as the primary point of contact (POC) for career fairs and workshops;
Why did you want to be a Community Relations Support Team Leader? While trying to figure out my Life After AmeriCorps plans last year, I started looking for positions with nonprofit organizations or other AmeriCorps programs that would give me experience working in a
Assist the APD/T in maintaining project and service learning resources for the Corps, including Project Portfolios and a Resource Library; and
professional setting where I would gain skills that would be helpful when
Assist in the development and scheduling of local projects for the Corps during transitions, as well as planning and implementation of AllCorps Service days.
understanding about how the public and nonprofit sectors operate.
Assist with the organization of special events and activities such as induction, open houses, anniversary related events, graduation, and special service days such as MLK Day.
other Support Team Leaders in B15. I learn something new from them
applying for graduate school. I definitely think this position is a good fit—it allows me to apply my previous academic experience with nonprofit management, while also providing a real world
What is your favorite part your position? One of my favorite aspects of this position is working with staff and the on a daily basis that helps to improve and shape my own leadership and communication skills. It’s a great experience to be in a work environment with a group of people who are so willing to support you in your own personal development.
INTERESTED IN SERVING AS A SUPPORT TEAM LEADER? Speak with a staff member or a current Support Team Leader for more information.
Why are STLs important? The Support Team Leaders are the glue that holds the team together. I like to think of the corps and staff as one big team—all serving to help strengthen communities, develop ourselves and others, and carry out the mission of NCCC. The STLs act as a support system for staff, field team leaders, and corps members. We accomplish tasks assigned by our
Applications for winter cycle Team Leader
staff POCs, act as a liaison between staff and
positions are open now at
field team leaders, provide encouragement and
my.americorps.gov
support to the FTLs, and try to act as mentors and role models for the corps members. We’re here for everyone, and we wouldn’t have it any
The deadline to apply is September 1.
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MAY 30, 2013 | GET TO THE POINT
other way!
SHOUT OUTS
The “Jersey Cares Bears” give a resounding shout out to Gina in Bayville, N.J. for the delicious dinner! They would also like to shout out CeCe’s giant tortoise, Wally!
Black Bear 1 Our day of service with Bath Freight Shed Alliance was awesome. We learned about the replica of the ship Virginia that Maine’s First Ship is building outside of the Bath Freight Shed. The volunteers we met were friendly and full of historical information.
Fire Fox 1.0 has gone through several upgrades in this past week. We are now Firefox 1.45, thanks to Stephen’s birthday celebrations. What, what! Shout out to Moose Force for an excellent day of ISPs and Irish food this past Saturday. Have fun in Frost Valley! Congratulations to everyone on Phoenix 3!
Firefox 1.45
Moose Trés wants to tell Meganne Radway congrats for surviving the transition from grey to green. You rock, dude! Also, we want to remind everyone that she only got the job because she came from Moose 3 (and because she’s über smart. Duh!)
Buffalo 3 Buffalo Four is pushing into their last few days underneath the trailers knowing we look forward to seeing all your beautiful faces at the end of the week.
Buffalo 4
Raven 2 We hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend!
Raven 3
Buffalo 1 B3 is excited to finish their week out strong with Wells NERR! Time to make some downright shwanky rabbitats! See you all in just a few days!
I don’t have to go back; there are HELP WANTED signs everywhere.
Moose 3
Moose 5 lifted oil tanks and water heaters out of a basement crawl space. Bring on the Tug-o-War.
Moose 5
The evil Sith Lord, Darth Bug, was our mortal enemy this week. In his most evil act, he capsized our ship. However, the force was with us and we were able to reclaim our ship and cargo.
Raven 4 GET TO THE POINT | MAY 30, 2013
11
Where in the Atlantic Region Are They?
Round 2, Week 5
For Round 2, Class XIX teams are slated to complete 21 projects across 10 states. Seven teams will continue hurricane recovery efforts in New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Five teams will focus on environmental stewardship in recreational camps and conservation areas in five different states. Four teams NEW YORK will help better develop low -income urban communities through housing and facilities improvements. Lastly, one team will improve energy PENNSYLVANIA efficiency of homes and another will improve facilities for youth NEW programs. MARYLAND JERSEY
MAINE
VERMONT
NEW HAMPSHIRE
MASSACHUSETTS CONN.
R.I.
D.C.
WEST VIRGINIA
DELAWARE
VIRGINIA
MOOSE 4
RAVEN 2
Claryville, N.Y. Frost Valley YMCA Environmental Stewardship
Edgartown, Mass. The FARM Institute Environmental Stewardship
MOOSE 5
RAVEN 3
Brattleboro, Vt. SerVermont Disaster Recovery
Pittsburgh, Pa. Rebuilding Together – Pittsburgh Urban & Rural Development
BUFFALO 1
MOOSE 1
MOOSE 6 (FIREFOX 1)
RAVEN 4
Bath, Me. Habitat for Humanity – 7 Rivers Energy Efficiency
New York, N.Y. St. Bernard Project Disaster Recovery
Albany, N.Y. Albany Pine Bush Preserve Environmental Stewardship
Providence, R.I. Serve Rhode Island Disaster Recovery
BUFFALO 3
MOOSE 2
PHOENIX 2
RAVEN 5
Wells, Me. Wells NERR Environmental Stewardship
Tabernacle, N.J. Town of Tabernacle Disaster Recovery
Suffolk, Va. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Disaster Response
Queens, N.Y. Respond & Rebuild Disaster Recovery
BUFFALO 4
MOOSE 3
RAVEN 1
RAVEN 7 (BLACK BEAR 1)
Hackensack, N.J. Volunteer Center of Bergen County Disaster Recovery
York, Pa. Habitat for Humanity – York Urban & Rural Development
Middletown, De. Boys & Girls Club of Delaware Infrastructure Improvement
Toms River, N.J. Jersey Cares Disaster Recovery