AmeriCorps
National Civilian Community Corps
Class XVII Atlantic Region Graduation Ceremony
Thursday, November 17, 2011 10:00 a.m. Chesapeake Arts Center Brooklyn Park, MD
Special thanks to Class XVII for your never-ending service to the Atlantic Region and our country.
AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps Atlantic Region Leadership Team Staff LaQuine Roberson, Region Director David Beach, Deputy Director for Operations Robin Nixon, Deputy Director for Programming Thea Becton, Assistant Program Director M. Jason Cangelosi, Moose Unit Leader Jennifer Horan, Raven Unit Leader Sharon Kellogg, Buffalo Unit Leader M. Amanda McCarty, Assistant Program Director Samuel McKenzie, Community Relations Specialist Vivian Newstate, Member Support Specialist Carlyn Payton, Assistant Program Director for Training Trey Pettigen, Logistics Manager Michelle Royall, Resource Manager Laura Tuck, Counselor Dernard Williams, Support Services Specialist
Class XVII Support Team Leaders Lia Daniels, Buffalo Unit Melissa Jabat, Program Office Bradley Lehman, Moose Unit Laura Mack, Community Relations Christopher Quirk, Operations James Roderick Swain, Raven Unit
Class XVII Team Leaders Megan Riley, Buffalo 1 Constantino Rago, Buffalo 2 Marlee Cea, Buffalo 3 Caleb Kulfan, Buffalo 4 Katrina Hill, Buffalo 5 Rachel Duffin, Buffalo 6 John Serbell, Buffalo 7
Kathleen Veys, Moose 1 Timothy Hunt, Moose 2 Jamie Inarda, Moose 3 Danielle Arroyo, Moose 4 Heather Waters, Moose 5 John Beggs III, Moose 6 Matthew Slavics, Moose 7
Kevin Jones, Raven 1 Ambrosia Barnette, Raven 2 Leeann Sudol, Raven 3 Amelia Hansen, Raven 4 Rachel Griendling, Raven 5 Griffith Ryan-Roberts, Raven 6 Julian Cesner, Raven 7
AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps Class XVII Atlantic Region Graduation Order of Events Processional
Class XVII
Presentation of Colors
Freestate Youth ChalleNGe Color Guard
National Anthem
Bethany Stolz Class XVII Corps Member Moose 7
Welcome & Acknowledgements
Crystal Biles Director CNCS State Office MD/DE LaQuine Roberson Director AmeriCorps NCCC, Atlantic Region
President’s Volunteer Service Award Congressional Service Award GED Recipient Recognition
Carlyn Payton Assistant Program Director/Training AmeriCorps NCCC, Atlantic Region
Keynote Speaker
Ben Duda Executive Director AmeriCorps Alums
Corps Member Reflection
Michael Collins Class XVII Corps Member Moose 4
Conferring of Certificates
Atlantic Region Staff & Special Guests
AmeriCorps Pledge
Erin Dahlin Director of Policy and Operations AmeriCorps NCCC
Closing Remarks
LaQuine Roberson Director AmeriCorps NCCC
Retirement of the Colors
Freestate Youth ChalleNGe Color Guard
Recessional
Class XVII
AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps Atlantic Region Class XVII Buffalo 1 TL: Megan Riley Meridian, ID Andrew Allmendinger East Moline, IL Robert Cuff Boston, MA Lauryn Kaczor Mayfield, NY Michael Kostek Austin, TX Eileen Munsch Long Island, NY Aubrey Sedor Angola, NY Justin Wood Renton, WA
Buffalo 3 TL: Marlee Cea Sunrise, FL Barry Clark, Jr. Hallsboro, NC Ashley Elsasser Elkhart, IN Chelsea Hurst Madison, WI Tenaya Lamon-Anderson Lake Forest Park, WA Jamel Murphy Montgomery, AL Andrew Proctor Conway, SC Tiffany Solis Washington, DC Gregory Venturini Wallingford, PA Anthony Wadas North Aurora, IL
TL: Katrina Hill Racquel Bean Katherine Figura Leandro Lopez Benjamin Riley Elisabeth Valdez Isaac Winant
Buffalo 5 Poway, CA Montgomery Village, MD
Skaneateles, NY Fitchburg, MA Brookfield, IL Gilroy, CA Henniker, NH
Buffalo 2 TL: Constantino Rago Bethel, CT Aaron Brown Joppa Towne, MD Briana Courchesne-Owades Haiku, HI Benton Holmes Gladstone, MO Tomoyo Kuriyama Redondo Beach, CA Angela Morabito Lynbrook, NY Kendrick Nicholas Glenarden, MD Christine Reynolds Appleton, WI Patrick Skovira Westminster, MD Felicia Smith North Chicago, IL Andrea Zeritis Chicago, IL Buffalo 4 TL: Caleb Kulfan Nathan Bishop Tracy Choomack Joseph Ijams John Miller Kevante Reese Samantha Saladino Kevin Slowe Analisa Sutherland Dominque Wilson
TL: Rachel Duffin Erick Benson Carlos Castro George Davis Emily Donnel William Gonsler Amanda Skalicky Tiffany Taylor
Buffalo 7 TL: John Serbell Patrick Berning-O’Neill Derwin Lee Devin Manning-Riley Preston Sharpe Steffi Tornow Kevin West Jillian Young
Grandville, MI Hull, GA Milwaukee, WI Sequim, WA Poolesville, MD Pisgah Forest, NC New City, NY Bowie, MD Warrens, WI Baltimore, MD Buffalo 6
Orland Park, IL South Holland, IL Raleigh, NC Tionesta, PA Groton, CT Grand Blanc, MI Paynesville, MN Petaluma, CA
Westport, CT Tucson, AZ Richmond, VA Wakefield, RI Tuscaloosa, AL Durham, NC Philadelphia, PA Hamilton, OH
Lia Daniels, Buffalo Unit Support Team Leader + The Congressional Award is a public partnership created by Congress to promote and recognize achievement, initiative and service in America’s youth. The Congressional Award provides a unique opportunity for young people 14-23 years old to set and achieve personally challenging goals that build character and foster community service, personal development and citizenship. * The President’s Volunteer Service Award is issued by the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation on behalf of the President of the United States to recognize the best in American spirit and civic participation. All NCCC recipients completed in excess of 1800 service hours and met a goal of completing the 80 independent service hours expeditiously, with diligence and enthusiasm.
AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps Atlantic Region Class XVII TL: Kevin Jones Tristan Fowler Eric Fox Madeline Gribbon Ryan Hatem Latasha Johnson Ellen Leoni Kelsey Smith Marcus Thibault
Raven 1
Raven 2 TL: Ambrosia Barnette Richard Kappler Franklin Brimage Michelle Faherty Jennifer Hoyle Alyson Keefer Alexa Rossini Sean Smith
Pontotoc, MS Chittenango, NY Santa Cruz, CA Portland, OR Lancaster, OH Columbus, OH Rochester, NY Wichita, KS Litchfield, CT
Raven 3 TL: Leeann Sudol Erin Bruhn Peter Donovan Stephen Drieze Elizabeth Foster Melanie Fuqua Kyle Lauchmen Ben Pritchard Jasmine Thomas Aurora White
Raven 4 West Milford, NJ Manheim, PA Barrington, RI Wenham, MA Carrollton, GA Covina, CA Easthampton, MA Corvallis, OR New Carrollton, MD
Fort Wayne, IN
Raven 5 TL: Rachel Griendling Wiley Biro Ella Chalmers R.G. Evan Kerschner Matthew Malech Dennis O’Madigan Josh Romero Rodneisha Smith Kiera Westfall Rachel Woods
Richmond, VA Portland, OR Pollocksville, NC Holbrook, MA Janesville, WI Pinegrove, PA Havertown, PA Annapolis, MD
Fairfax, VA Hillsborough, NJ Huntington Beach, CA
Port Angeles, WA Centennial, CO Riverview, FL Acton, CA Oklahoma, OK Louisville, KY Livonia, MI
TL: Julian Cesner Carl Danielson Zachary Dech Nicole Dunne Joshua Foli Robert Jarrett Ariel Keeton Colin May Sophia Neil Kathryn Squyres Gillian Taylor
TL: Amelia Hansen Jacob Biddlecome Daniel Clesowich Aja Devlin Hannah Easley Owen Haller Logan Jones Morgan Morris David Mueller Adeliah Nero Heather Webster Raven 6 TL: Griffith Ryan-Roberts Maria Browning D’angelo Hopkins Paul Logan Courtney Miskell Dania Munnigh Cecilia Ochoa Darren Steptoe Lyndsey Sturkey
Raven 7
Sparta, NJ Ware, MA Lebanon, CT Philadelphia, PA Charlotte, NC New Preston, CT Newton, KS Quinlan, TX Bay St. Louis, MS Fredriksted, VI Edgewood, MD Fair Oaks, CA Santa Clara Pueblo, NM
Upper Marlboro, MD
Silver Springs, NY Auburn, NY Sahuarita, AZ Rockville, MD The Colony, TX Levittown, PA
Columbus, OH Waterbury, VT Merrimack, NH Auburn, NY Hackensack, NJ Detroit, MI Richfield, MN Lutherville, MD Glendale, AZ Ocean Springs, MS Van Nuys, CA
James Roderick Swain, Raven Unit Support Team Leader + The Congressional Award is a public partnership created by Congress to promote and recognize achievement, initiative and service in America’s youth. The Congressional Award provides a unique opportunity for young people 14-23 years old to set and achieve personally challenging goals that build character and foster community service, personal development and citizenship. * The President’s Volunteer Service Award is issued by the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation on behalf of the President of the United States to recognize the best in American spirit and civic participation. All NCCC recipients completed in excess of 1800 service hours and met a goal of completing the 80 independent service hours expeditiously, with diligence and enthusiasm.
AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps Atlantic Region Class XVII TL: Kathleen Veys Eliza Bazilian Justin Brammer Hurley Combs Rebekah Gougeon Michael Jacobson Michael Rood Stephanie Snyder Larissa Taylor
Moose 1
Omaha, NE New York, NY Columbus, OH Arvada, CO Alpena, MI Hammond, WI Columbia City, IN Louisville, MS Pembroke Pines, FL
Moose 2 TL: Timothy Hunt Amanda Ambrass Maria Biava Christopher Blankenship Wesley Dexter Brooke Gates Melissa Kleppinger Haley Meshnik Nolan Orme Brandon Rayl Michael Wessely
Moose 3 TL: Jamie Inarda Naiemah Brown Alyssa Cobb Patrick Fitzgerald Bethany Founier Mark Hartman Megan Hill Nicholas King Evan Owen Roxann Phelan
TL: Heather Waters Ja’Lissa Chandler Anthony Crowe Joseph DiCerbo Thomas Koester David Pergamit Katherine Szymaszek
TL: Matthew Slavics Shea Boughton Laura Brevig Brandon Clark Ciara Creasman Maria Medina Bradley Meyer Bethany Stolz Nicole Wojcik
Moose 4 San Diego, CA McComb, MS Dumfries, VA Pisgah Forest, NC Somersworth, NH Westminster, MD Havre de Grace, MD
Antelope, CA Staunton, VA Lynn, MA Moose 5
Moose 7
Jacksons Gap, AL Beaver Falls, PA Alexandria, VA North East, MD NorthBend, OR Des Moines, IA Seattle, WA Eugene, OR Flint, MI Muncie, IN Lakeside, CA
Thornton, PA Essex, MD Franklin, GA Annadale, VA Grand Island, NE Eugene, OR Coral Springs, FL
Warminster, PA Mt. Pleasant, IA St. Leonard, MO Hallsboro, NC Washington, DC Sheboygan, WI Cincinnati, OH Hubbardston, MA Belle Plaine, MN
TL: Danielle Arroyo Michael Collins Katherine Davis Jared DeGraff Alexandra Felt Courtney Johnson Jenna Lees Jacob Miller Lisa Sullivan
Moose 6 TL: John Beggs, III Sara Conner Brittney Galla Rachel Lantz Harley McCarter Brandon Wilfrom Joshua Nathaniel Young
Woodbury, CT Ramsey, NJ Omaha, NE Upper Marlboro, MD
Manteca, CA Ferriday, LA Murfreesboro, TN Rockville, MD Burlington, WI
Ft. Lauderdale, FL Lexington, NY Malverne, NY Winterset, IA Rincon, GA Lancaster, NY Chester, VA
Support Team Leaders Melissa Jabat Homestead, FL Laura Mack Bristol, VT Christopher Quirk Newport News, VA
Bradley Lehman, Moose Unit Support Team Leader + The Congressional Award is a public partnership created by Congress to promote and recognize achievement, initiative and service in America’s youth. The Congressional Award provides a unique opportunity for young people 14-23 years old to set and achieve personally challenging goals that build character and foster community service, personal development and citizenship. * The President’s Volunteer Service Award is issued by the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation on behalf of the President of the United States to recognize the best in American spirit and civic participation. All NCCC recipients completed in excess of 1800 service hours and met a goal of completing the 80 independent service hours expeditiously, with diligence and enthusiasm.
Keynote Speaker Ben Duda is the Executive Director of AmeriCorps Alums. AmeriCorps Alums is a national nonprofit organization committed to connecting, equipping and engaging national service alumni to foster their leadership, drive and potential. There are over 700,000 Americans who have served in AmeriCorps since 1994. Duda completed two years and over 5000 hours of service in AmeriCorps in the National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) as a Corps Member in the Capital Region and then Team Leader in the Western Region (San Diego). While in the NCCC, Duda served in a dozen cities across 7 states, building houses, tutoring youth, providing job readiness training, and mediating environmental impact. Duda’s disaster relief training while in the NCCC program prepared him to serve as a 9/11 Ground Zero volunteer in the days following the tragedy. Duda next joined Citizen Schools, a national nonprofit in Boston, where he served a third non-Ed Award year of AmeriCorps as a Teaching Fellow. During the two-year fellowship, Duda led and mentored a team of middle schoolers in Boston Public Schools –creating curriculum in reading and math while also managing skilled volunteers in after-school apprenticeships. Duda spent the next two years in Baltimore, earning his Master’s in Public Policy, with a nonprofit management certificate, from The Johns Hopkins University. While studying in Baltimore, Ben was a grad assistant at an emerging innovation high school and a Mayoral Fellow in the O’Malley administration, serving six months in the planning department. Upon graduation in 2004, he joined the national nonprofit KaBOOM!, where he served as a senior program manager and worked closely with mayors and civic leaders in scaling their municipal engagement strategy Playful City USA. During his time with the organization, he also worked in the Office of the CEO supporting strategic planning and Board development. Duda graduated from Cornell in 1999 with a degree in Industrial and Labor Relations. It is at Cornell where Duda heard Senator Harris Wofford, one of the original founders and leaders of AmeriCorps, speak and first learned about AmeriCorps. Duda, a Buffalo NY native, resides with his family in Atlanta.
Special Awards President’s Lifetime of Service Award During the 2002 State of the Union Address, the President challenged Americans to give back to their communities in a large way. The President’s Lifetime of Service Award is given to citizens who have completed more than 4,000 hours of service during a lifetime.
Ambrosia Barnette Marlee Cea Julian Cesner Lia Daniels Rachel Duffin Katrina Hill
Timothy Hunt Jamie Inarda Melissa Jabat Kevin Jones Caleb Kulfan Bradley Lehman
Laura Mack Christopher Quirk John Serbell Matthew Slavics Leeann Sudol
Congressional Award Congress established the Congressional Award in 1979 to recognize initiative, achievement and service in young people ages 18 to 23. Participants can earn either a bronze, silver or gold Congressional Award medal. Each level involves setting goals in four program areas: volunteer public service, personal development, physical fitness, and expedition/exploration.
Bronze and Certificate Congressional Award Andrew Allmendinger Amanda Ambrass Eliza Bazilian Erick Benson Patrick Berning-O’Neil Maria Biava Jacob Biddlecome Wiley Biro Nathan Bishop Christopher Blankenship Shea Boughton Justin Brammer Laura Brevig Aaron Brown Naiemah Brown Maria Browning Erin Bruhn Carlos Castro Ella Chalmers Ja’Lissa Chandler Tracy Choomack Daniel Clesowich Alyssa Cobb Michael Collins Hurley Combs Briana Courchesne-Owades Ciara Creasman Anthony Crowe Robert Cuff Carl Danielson George Davis Zachary Dech Jared DeGraff Aja Devlin Dexter Wesley Joseph DiCerbo
Emily Donnel Stephen Drieze Ashley Elsasser Michelle Faherty Alexandra Felt Katherine Figura Patrick Fitzgerald Joshua Foli Bethany Fournier Eric Fox Melanie Fuqua Brittney Galla Brookes Gates William Gonsler Rebekah Gougeon Madeline Gribbon Rachel Griendling Owen Haller Mark Hartman Ryan Hatem Christine Hill Benton Holmes D’angelo Hopkins Chelsea Hurst Michael Jacobson Robert Jarrett Courtney Johnson Latasha Johnson Lauryn Kaczor Ariel Keeton R.G. Evan Kerschner Nicholas King Melissa Kleppinger Thomas Koester Michael Kostek Tenaya Lamon-Anderson
Rachel Lantz Kyle Launchmen Derwin Lee Alyson Leefter Jenna Lees Ellen Leoni Paul Logan Leandro Lopez Matthew Malech Colin May Harley McCarter Maria Medina Bradley Meyer John Miller Courtney Miskell Angela Morabito Morgan Morris David Mueller Dania Munnigh Eileen Munsch Sophie Neil Adeliah Nero Kendrick Nicholas Cecilia Ochoa Dennis O’Madigan Nolan Orme Evan Owen David Pergamit Roxann Phelan Andrew Proctor Brandon Rayl Benjamin Riley Megan Riley Josh Romero Michael Rood Alexa Rossini
Silver Congressional Award Brandon Clark Barry Clark, Jr. Katrina Hill Caleb Kulfan
Laura Mack Christopher Quirk Griffith Ryan-Roberts Matthew Slavics
Samantha Saladino Aubrey Sedor Amanda Skalicky Patrick Skovira Kevin Slowe Felicia Smith Kelsey Smith Rodneisha Smith Sean Smith Tiffany Solis Kathryn Squyres Darren Steptoe Bethany Stolz Lyndsey Sturkey Lisa Sullivan Analisa Sutherland Katherine Szymaszek Gillian Taylor Larissa Taylor Tiffany Taylor Marcus Thibault Jasmine Thomas Steffi Tornow Greg Venturini Anthony Wadas Heather Webster Michael Wessely Kiera Westfall Aurora White Brandon Wilfrom Dominique Wilson Nicole Wojcik Justin Wood Rachel Woods Jillian Young Joshua Young Andrea Zeritis
Class XVII Awards of Distinction Commitment
Dania Munnigh Raven 6
Humanitarian
Chelsea Hurst Buffalo 3
Leadership
Megan Hill Moose 3
Personal Growth
Racquel Bean Buffalo 5
ISP Award
Elisabeth Valdez Buffalo 5
NCCC Goodwill Ambassador
Jack Rosenkrans
Team Motivators: Buffalo 1, Aubrey Sedor
Moose 1, Larissa Taylor
Raven 1, Latasha Johnson
Buffalo 2, Tomoyo Kuriyama
Moose 2, Amanda Ambrass
Raven 2, Michelle Faherty
Buffalo 3, Chelsea Hurst
Moose 3, Megan Hill
Raven 3, Peter Donovan
Buffalo 4, Tracy Choomack
Moose 4, Alexandra Felt
Raven 4, Hannah Easley
Buffalo 5, Leandro Lopez
Moose 5, Joseph DiCerbo
Raven 5, Joshua Romero
Buffalo 6, Tiffany Taylor
Moose 6, Joshua Young
Raven 6, Paul Logan
Buffalo 7, Preston Sharpe
Moose 7, Shea Boughton
Raven 7, Colin May
Special Thanks to our 2011 Project Sponsors Academy of Success AGAPE Alabama Service Commission All Hands Disaster Response – Project Alabama American Red Cross Mississippi, New Jersey, North Dakota Baltimore City Swim Club Bay Area Food Bank Blue Water Baltimore Camden Children’s Garden Camp Brown Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington DC Camp Hope for Kids Camp Vacamas Camp Wilmot Capital Area Food Book Catskill Animal Sanctuary Charity Treks City Neighbors Charter School City of Bangor City of Buffalo City of Springfield Connecticut Foundation for Dental Outreach Courtney’s House Delaware District 1 Little League Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve Delaware State Parks Delaware State Parks – Disaster Mitigation NVR Elk Neck State Forest Federal Emergency Management Agency Alabama, Burlington, Springfield, Stockbridge FIRST Chesapeake Regional FIRST DC Franklin Watershed Committee Girl Scouts of Central Maryland Girl Scouts of Chesapeake Bay Greater DC Cares Greene County Emergency Management Agency Groundwork Hudson Valley Groundwork Somerville Habitat for Humanity Allegheny Habitat for Humanity Chesapeake Habitat for Humanity DC Habitat for Humanity Greater Portland Habitat for Humanity New Castle County Habitat for Humanity New Orleans Habitat for Humanity Seven Rivers Hope for Kids Irvine Nature Center Jackson/DeKalb County Long Term Recovery Group Kayam Farm at Pearlstone Krislund Camp Lackawanna Heritage Valley Mary Johnson Children Center Summer Program Maryland Veterans Administration
Massachusetts Audubon Society Moveable Feast National Aquarium National Park Service National Veterans Wheelchair Games New Castle County Parks New Castle County Special Services New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services Emergency Services Unit New York Services Department of Environmental Conservations – Albany New York Services Department of Environmental Conservations – Long Island City New York Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster NorthBay Adventure Project Crossroad Raccoon Creek State Park Rebuilding Together Baltimore Respond, Inc. Rhode Island Disaster Response Rhode Island Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster Spaulding Fire/ Emergency Management Agency Stone Soup Leadership Temporary Emergency Services The Loading Dock The Marion Institute The Nature Conservancy of Vermont Tioga County Town of Bristol Town of Port Deposit Town of Sanford Trail Blazer Camps U.S Fish and Wildlife United Saints Recovery Project Valley Forge National Historical Park Vermont Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster Volunteer New Hampshire Wakeman Boys and Girls Club Walker County Coalition for the Homeless Washington Rochambeau Revolutionary Route Wells National Estuarine Research YMCA Camp Letts
Class XVII Accomplishments Throughout the service year, the members of Class XVII represented the Atlantic Region with pride and honor as they worked in the field. Their commitment and perseverance produced substantial results in the communities they served. The 196 members of Class XVII completed 155 projects with 91 sponsor organizations supporting the focus areas of disaster relief and recovery, environmental conservation, infrastructure improvement, urban and rural development and energy conservation. Projects ranged from assisting people in disaster areas, constructing houses, to debris and trash removal. A staggering 327,297 hours were completed on projects estimated at a value of $ 6,991,063.92 The members of Class XVII fully honored the AmeriCorps pledge to Get Things Done for America!
2011 Selected Highlights & Accomplishments 384.79 tons of debris or trash removed 220.63 tons of food received, inventoried or distributed 54.06 tons of underbrush removed 51.04 tons of exotic vegetation removed 21637 people assisted in disaster areas 17617 new trees or shrubs planted 13013 books sorted, inventoried, repaired or shelved 28875 volunteers recruited or coordinated 6480 feet of streambeds or riverbanks restored or protected 80.18 tons of clothes received, sorted or distributed 2638 people in environmental education programs 146 community assessments conducted or evaluated 4038 damage assessments completed 2811 people participating in recycling programs 80 people tending or helping with community gardens 2409 at-risk youth assisted 813 senior citizens assisted 368 NCCC alumni engaged in service
AmeriCorps NCCC Pledge: I will get things done for America. To make our people safer, smarter, and healthier. I will bring Americans together to strengthen our communities. Faced with apathy, I will take action. Faced with conflict, I will seek common ground. Faced with adversity, I will persevere. I will carry this commitment with me this year and beyond. I am an AmeriCorps member, and I will GET THINGS DONE!
AmeriCorps NCCC Atlantic Region P.O. Box 27 Perry Point, MD 21902