ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
COLOPHON
Class XX, thank you for your service. Carry the commitment from this moment forward.
Photographs and reflections contributed by Class XX members.
Southern Region Staff, thank you for your empowerment of members, year after year. Project sponsors, thank you for inspiring our members to be leaders in their communities. Without you, our service would be impossible.
Publication designed and edited by Matthew Payne, Community Relations Support Team Leader.
Additional editing provided by Kevin Jones, Rich Smith, Becky Harris & Natalie Siedhof.
AMERICORPSNCCC.TUMBLR.COM FACEBOOK.COM/AMERICORPSNCCCSOUTHERN ISSUU.COM/AMERICORPSNCCCSOUTHERNREGION @AMERICORPSNCCC LINKEDIN—AMERICORPS NCCC ALUMNI (OFFICIAL GROUP)
Kathy Hopson-Ricks
Rich Smith
Wade Williams
Becky Harris
Joseph Holbrooks
Deputy Director Units
Deputy Director Programs
Deputy Director Operations
Program Associate
Counselor
April Bazzi
Stephanie Gittinger
Asst. Program Director
Asst. Program Director
Leigh-Ann Dennis Counselor
Erica Wilson
Kevin Jones
Community Relations Specialist Community Relations Assoc.
Kelvin Rankin
Brianne Connelly
Mindy Brown
Tasha Butler
Tamika Eatmon
Asst. Program Director
Member Development
Asst. Program Director—Training
Program Associate
Training Specialist
Sharee Carlock
Carrie Ogborn-Smith
Paul Klockars
Larry Henney
Andrea Gewirtzman
Member Support Specialist
Asst. Member Support
Support Services Specialist
Fleet Manager
Resource Manager
Briana Courchesne-Owades
David Condlin
Jonathan Chan
Ted Rivera
Monica Ford
Asst. Resource Manager
Residence Coordinator
Delta Unit Leader
River Unit Leader
Bayou Unit Leader
Justin Fuller
Rachel Turner
Chris Reed-Waddell
Coast Unit Leader
Gulf Unit Leader
Summit Unit Leader
for everything you’ve done to make this year possible!
John Antolik
Emily Baker
Chassie Nix
Malia Olloway
Breanne Roseman
Cayde Sprecker
Frank Kaner
Nichole Letizia
Michael Miller
Matthew Payne
Sara Pearson
Elizabeth Reitzell
Nicole Schultz
Jaclyn Searle
Natalie Siedhof
Nicholas Snow
Benjamin Tryon
Kendall Uyehara
Molly Conlin
CuricĂŠ PaulĂźs
Nicholas Galiardo
Matthew Ridgeway
Holly Gerring
Andrew Oh
Daniel Padilla
Aaron Albert
Ella Allen
Diana Atalla
Raphael Bean
Kyndra Beatty
Jesse Brammer
Coty Brennan
Lauren Brink
Courtni Bruce
Mayo Campos
Victoria Cheung
Jahkeel Connor
Jared Crenshaw
Chelsea Crinson
William Custus
Michelle Desch
Brittany Drolet
John Edwards
Kirsten Flick
Larsen Garrison
Lois Glenn
Angela Glinn
Manuela Hincapie
Stavanna Holmes-Loury
Tanner Jenkins
Jules Juniker
Douglas Laberge-Flowers
Tracy Lorimor
Carlos Gonzalez
Robert Goodman
Jessica Gottlob
Adrieanna Howard
Christian Hunter
Rebecca Janisch
Jerry Keys
Kristina Koonce
Eric Kranz
Ryan Lundstrom
Grace Magee
Jo-Anne Majek
Qwamella Manning
Kristi Marcera
Isaac Martin
Allison Maynard
Edward McCall
Emily McClellan
Jonathn Mclendon
Shea Miller
Linda Nag
Mark O’Brien
Armando Ortiz
Christopher Pierson
Paul Podawiltz
Jovany Ponce
Starla Reno
Alex Rettig
Edward Rich
Cindy Robertson
Brittany Robinson
Aswad Rock
Matthew Roderick
Jessica Schreuder
Emily Sholberg
Frankie Stroud
Katelyn Tharp
Heather Whitney
James Wilborn
Uniqua Samuel-Jefferson Lynika Saunders
Kionte Smith
Rebecca Schmitz
Wynter Smith
Kenneth Smith II
Essence Thomas
Cameron Tingkang
Hannah Wendling
Rowana Winget
David Wright
Nicole Yetke
Bradley Barnett
Meghan Benzel
Jay’on Brown
Elias Buzzell
Kristen Cabell
Sarah Chandler
Breann Coats
Jared Cooper
Andrew Donahue
Thomas Dutcher
Micah Ehiorobo
Ashley Fagan
Tarsis Gotay
Kirsten Grislis
Joshua Hibbard
Lindsey Hirsch
Erik Hoagland
Michael Jeffers
Emily Casell
Aviana Jordan
Doniella McKoy
Andrew Moignard
Miles Morgan
Adriana Ortiz
Karen Pell
Emily Schueler
Sean Scott
Luke Shea
Kayla Thompson
Brendan Toungate
Kyle Waller
Ryan Rakhshan
Clarice Nichols
Brianna Ortiz
Kiara Rice
Dylan Rine
Erin Sliney
Joshua Suiso
eam leaders arrived to campus in January for four weeks of Team Leader Training. In addition to leadership training, TLs participated in numberous team builders, including a day at a ropes course. Delta & River TLs traveled to Tuscaloosa, AL to work with Habitat for Humanity on a mini-spike. They made memories of a lifetime in these 4 weeks. Even though they didn’t know it at the time, they made friends that would last a lifetime.
lass 20 Corps Training Institute made NCCC history. The class arrived not only while celebrating the 20th Anniversary of AmeriCorps but during a unique time when the NCCC Southern Region and Atlantic Region would combined forces for CTI. Members arrived to a sea of new faces who came not only from all over the country but from all walks of life. Another first, Class 20 marked the 1st time the Southern Region trained a FEMA Corps class and Traditional NCCC class side by side. During CTI members learned about diversity, how to work together, how to operate a chainsaw, the basics of FEMA and much more. All in all, members created memories that would last a lifetime while forming bonds with friends and their newly assigned teams. CTI laid the foundation for a group of motivated young adults that were prepared to GET THINGS DONE!
GETTING THINGS DONE BY THE NUMBERS TRADITIONAL NCCC
2,709
689,461
20
296
VOLUNTEERS LED & COORDINATED
LBS OF TRASH, DEBRIS & VEGETATION REMOVED
HOMES REFURBISHED FOR DISASTER VICTIMS
HOMES PAINTED OR RENOVATED
1218
1631
833
1,278
K-12 STUDENTS TUTORED
AT RISK YOUTH ASSISTED
SENIOR CITIZENS & PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ASSISTED
TREES PLANTED
15,994
40
30
181
ACRES BURNED IN PERSCRIBED BURNS TO PREVENT WILDFIRE
COMMUNITY GARDENS STARTED OR TENDED TO
NEW HOMES CONSTRUCTED
MILES OF TRAIL CONSTRUCTED OR RESTORED
DISASTER RESPONSE Four AmeriCorps NCCC teams (36 Corps members and Team Leaders) responded to disaster requests that we received in the wake of storms and tornadoes in the Tupelo, MS area that occurred in late April 2014. Two of these were composite teams made up of members who responded during their Spring break. These Corps members helped organize volunteers and donations, mucked and gutted homes, removed debris and trash, and collected and distributed food and clothing to people in the communities affected.
GETTING THINGS DONE BY THE NUMBERS FEMA CORPS
2,029
8,255
1,100
PEOPLE PROVIDED DISASTER INFORMATION
HOURS OF GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES PERFORMED
INDIVIDUALS PROVIDED FOOD & WATER
78,360
1,840,000
9,456
POUNDS OF SUPPLIES COLLECTED, RECEIVED, AND DISTRIBUTED
POUNDS OF SUPPLIES SORTED, INVENTORIED, AND REPACKAGED
PROJECT WORKSHEETS PROCESSED, REVIEWED, AND UPDATED
368
354
203
TRAINING, INSTRUCTION, OTHER MATERIALS DEVELOPED FOR EXISTING ACTIVITIES
INDIVIDUALS REGISTERED DOOR-TO-DOOR, AT A FACILITY (WALK-UPS), OR AT SHELTERS
PHOTOS, VIDEOS OR OTHER MEDIA GIS GEOTAGGED
DISASTER RESPONSE One FEMA Corps team (9 members) was tasked with canvassing neighborhoods in the Tupelo area after the area was hit by a deadly string of tornadoes. The team left FEMA information with residents and assisted with FEMA registration.
Molly Conlin Olive Garden
We have a team plant named Priscilla (RIP) Breann Coats Jared Cooper Thomas Dutcher Doniella McKoy
Erin Sliney Josh Suiso
Lucas Millman Jessica Walton
“Curbs happen”
Did you move that to the tracker board? Have you submitted a request for that?
uring Round One, Coast 1 worked with FEMA employees out of Headquarters in Washington DC, on WebEOC which is a software program designed to help with the tracking and requesting of commodities for active disasters. We were based out of Wash-
ington, DC, but traveled all over the country supporting and conducting WebEOC trainings, as well as delving into some WebEOC development. We also had the opportunity to support WebEOC functionality during the full scale Capstone exercise “Alaska Shield� in the NRCC and at Mount Weather, as well as assist in trainings in Mobile, Chicago, and the EMI campus.
or Round 2 Coast 1 continued their work with WebEOC (FEMA's crisis management software) in Anniston, Alabama with the IMAT academy in the Center For Domestic Preparedness. We were then called for a special mission to work with border patrol in McAllen, Texas. We worked in McAllen for a little over a month until we were sent to the FEMA
Region 6 office in Denton, Texas where we assisted the planning department by editing crisis plans and completing other various administrative tasks.
uring our final round we were delighted to find out that we were being sent back to the FEMA Region 6 office in Denton, Texas where we continued our previous mission which was to assist the planning department by editing crisis plans and completing other various administrative tasks.
Nick Galiardo I Didn’t Come Here to Die
Goldeen
Elias Buzzell Kristen Cabell Micah Ehiorobo Ashley Fagan
Miles Morgan Space Jam
Brianna (Bri) Ortiz Brendan Toungate
Sarah Audley
DC… Again! Yay!
Chinese Buffet
fter being in Washington DC for 2 months, Coast 2 was sent out to Colts Neck, NJ for their first spike. During this spike we aided with WebEOC. We worked on a WebEOC 101 presentation while, at the same time, taking improvement suggestions and trying to see what we could do to meet those needs to make the program more useable. We received a tour of an OEM USAR warehouse facility in Brooklyn which was very neat. They showed us around the warehouse and the different equipment they use. It was really fascinating to be educated on what they do. Coast 2 also has had the opportunity to sit in on a Region 2 meeting in the heart of NYC.YYYYYYJJJJYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
or the second round, Coast 2 started their
n Anniston they worked at the CDP. Coast 2
round in Winchester, VA. Then they traveled
met some awesome other teams there as well,
to Anniston, Boston and DC. They were all
so PT was fun. On the way to DC, we even got
really great trips. The work was awesome and each place
the chance to stop and visit CNN World Headquarters! In
had their own unique offerings for off time. In Boston,
DC, Coast 2 worked back in HQ, met some cool other
some people had family and friends there, so it was great
teams and also saw some familiar faces on other teams.
for them to be able to see some familiar faces. In Win-
Boston was extremely fun. The POC in Boston was
chester Coast 2 worked in a warehouse helping put to-
astounding. She took the team into Boston to see the re-
gether some to-go kits.
gional office there. All in all, Coast 2's second round was pretty phenomenal.
oast 2's final round took place in Washington
created some pretty interesting items. Coast 2 also had a
DC. Most of the team was trying to focus on
White House Tour. Throughout the round we had the pleas-
their LAA plans since it had come to that time
ure of meeting some of the new FEMA Corps Class 21A
of the year already. The team took a trip to Great Falls for a
teams, so it was interesting to pass on what we have done
half day. The weather outside was perfect for that. The
and our experiences to them, now they know what to ex-
work in the office was the same. Some of us had constant
pect. The team had our ups and downs, but for the most
work, others just worked on their LAA plans, but either way
part we became like a second family to one another and
we
another.
made friends that we will keep for a while. It was fun, but
For our National Day of Service we aided in creating neck-
now it's time to check out and go on our next adventure
laces and hats. Everyone brought their imagination and
whatever life throws our way!
all
kept
busy
one
way
or
Holly Gerring Team Soccer
Parmesan cheese & hot sauce
Tarsis Gotay Lindsey Hirsch Karen Pell Ryan Rakshan
Dylan Rine “Montana happened” Luke Shea
Samantha Clark
Our elderly van has taken us far
New Jersey ended our streak of “M” states: Mississippi, Maryland, Montana, New Jersey.
ound one was filled with many exciting adventures and events. Coast 3 worked in national preparedness in the DC area, traveled to Montana for a flooding disaster and ended the round in the Baltimore region assisting with a small
snowstorm disaster. Lots of travel and sights were encountered on this journey, and the team made the best of it all.
oast 3 worked at FEMA Headquarters in Washington D.C. for the Recovery Division. They made progress on sever-
al recovery projects and made some great friends with the people that worked beside them. Also, Coast 3 got the opportunity to know more about their Capital City better through tours and service learning events.
oast 3 worked in Colts Neck, New Jersey for this round. The team worked at Naval Weapons Station Earle closing out grant applications from past disasters, finding lost files and creating amendments to help projects progress. On days away
from work the team took time for team bonding and sight seeing in New York City and worked with #JerseyCares doing weeding and mulching on Make a Difference Day. Its been a great year and we look forward to taking what we have learned into our communities and continuing a lifetime of service.
Andy Oh Independent
We’ve had multiple vans this year...
Sarah Chandler Andrew Donahue Michael Jeffers Aviana Jordan
Clarice Nichols Cheezy Bread Kyle Waller
“makes sense”
We’ve all grown in ways we didn’t believe possible.
uring Round 1 we found ourselves first working during the National Exercise Divi-
sion 2014 Capstone Exercise, out of the frying pan and into the fire (and no flame-resistant socks either!), already testing our newfound skills at FEMA's most intense exercise. Later we found ourselves at 800K Streeet in downtown D.C., working on Mitigation and Preparedness efforts in order to better prepare the Nation against Natural Disasters. We had a grand old time as we toured the various monuments and museums including the Nation Guard Memorial Museum,
Cherry
Blossom
Festival
and
others.
owards the end we were deployed to Vermont to work on their State's Capstone. Coast 4 had the pleasure of getting to see new parts of the nation previously unseen, and will carry these memories with us as we continue on.
or Round 2 we found ourselves back in the National Capital Region, this time working in Crystal City, a stone's throw from the Pentagon. While stationed here we performed a number of tasks related
to
the
Geographical
Information
System
(cartrography and maps) as well as other divisions. In our downtime we toured the Pentagon, the National Museum of the Marine Corps, the White House, Truman Bowling Alley, D
D
CNCS D
HQ D
D
and D
other D
D
amazing D
D
locations. D
D
or our final round Coast 4 found itself in a whirlwind tour of nearly every corner of Mississippi from Jackson to Oxford, Tupelo to Itawmba, Starkville to Bay Saint Louis and finally the Gulf Coast. We ended our Round (and year) in Jackson,
right
where
we
started.
JJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJ e were exposed to many nonprofits that operate at the local level in times of disasters, including the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), The Salvation Army, Knights of Columbus, United Way of Gulf Coast and finally Volunteer Mississippi. Whew!
Daniel Padilla Law & Order: SVU
Free Bradley Barnett Meghan Benzel Jay’on Brown Emily Casell
Andrew Moignard Cole, open the door Adriana Ortiz Sean Scott
Bridget Whittredge
Law & Order Theme Song
La furgoneta
n our first round, Coast 5 got to work for the FEMA National Exercise Division (NED) in downtown Washington D.C.. For a month and a half, we worked with FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) to help register survivors of an F-3 tornado in Tupelo, MS, and also worked for FEMA DSA in Mobile/ Baldwin County, AL registering flood survivors.
e worked in the Texas NSPC taking calls, inputting data and helping out around the office. We had multiple ISP's that we all enjoyed like working with kids a n d
p a i n t i n g
h o u s e s .
e worked in New York canvassing, going door to door with other volunteers to speak to Hurricane Sandy survivors, and taking phone calls. We also enjoyed the sights New
York provided.
Matthew Ridgeway
Kirsten Grislis
We’ve traveled 22% of the continental US and have been in every time zone
Every member of the team has their own name for the van.
Josh Hibbard Erik Hoagland Kiara Rice
Emily Schueler We have a CM born in every year from ‘89 to ‘94
Kayla Thompson
Charles Hart Ayren Hart Cole Davis David French
As seen above, everyone on the team has dressed up as a character from Sesame Street.
We had a pet raccoon named Mi
ound one Coast 6 was sent to a FEMA distribution center in Ft. Worth Texas. This was a great place for the team to start off their AmeriCorps adventure. Some people got forklift certified and really got to learn the in's and out's of logistics. The tone was set for what was expected of the team for the rest of the year. Two weeks before the round was over the team was deployed to Nogales, AZ to help work with the undocumented minors. This was a very challenging task but had many rewards for the team.
e had our fair share of ups and downs, lefts and rights, and at times, feeling a bit con-
fused by each others behavior. This round we lost a fellow teammate and friend, visited the cultural and historical landmarks of DC, and worked hard in supporting FEMA's national logistics response and recovery operations. The opportunity to support the Ohio water mission gave meaning to our year of service, demonstrating the strength and unity of the team, and how much we have all grown since February. Overall, through our failures and successes, we learned a lot about ourselves, gained some new skills/knowledge, and came together as a community."
Bruce, Dallas, and Donnie again – boy, are they a hoot! Imme-
diately upon arrival, the staff greeted us with humor and charm, food, and a bunch of resources to prepare us for the assignment. Over the series of weeks to come, Coast Six supor Coast Six’s third and final deployment, the team
ported the Urban Search and Rescue Mission, satiated our
departed Vicksburg MS, October 1st at 8AM sharp.
hunger for adventure, and explored the bounds of our person-
The familiarity of the drive - almost second nature
al and professional selves. Overall, as this wild 10-month
by now - stirred our souls and created an eager want to hit
journey comes to an end, Coast Six ran the gamut, tackling
the road. In just 2 days of travel, the team had been through 5
many challenges in and outside the work place – and ahead of
states, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and Virgin-
graduation - optimistically looking towards the future, with a
ia. The Corps Members were all excited because the team had
few new skills, memories, and a bit more equipped to face
served with the Urban Search & Rescue facility in Herndon in
life’s biggest questions.
Round 2 and was looking forward to working with FEMA POCs
The Enterprise Primus Inter Pares
Cayde Sprecker
Bear Force One The Mach 5
Aaron Albert Coty Brennan Courtni Bruce Louis Glenn
Tracy Lorimor Kentucky Colonels
Alex Rettig Cameron Tingkang
Theo Williams
Thundercougarfalconbird
“...FOR DAYS”
Lincoln Trail District Health Department & Vicksburg National Military Park
elta 1's first project was a split round; spending the first 4 weeks in Elizabethtown, Kentucky then coming back to Vicksburg for the last 4 weeks. Starting off in Elizabethtown, our team was guided by the Lincoln Trail District Health Department in the construction of a one and half mile walking trail. Our task was to straighten out the trail that had already been dug out by a skid
loader, grade the trail to prevent water from sitting on the trail, and to spread and flatten the gravel that was dropped on top of the trail. Dealing with the inclement weather was our team's major problem while in Kentucky, as rain would prevent us from being able to work on the trail, and would make it incredibly difficult to work in some sections of the trail after it rained. After we were done with the trail, we moved onto making garden boxes for the community gardens and eventually working on the community garden for a neighborhood. For the community garden, we had to fill the garden boxes with compost, then spread mulch on top of the grass around the garden boxes. F
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fter the 4 weeks in Elizabethtown, Delta 1 returned to Vicksburg to work in the Vicksburg National Military Park for the next four weeks until transition. Our team's work in the National Military Park proved to be very different from the trail we worked on in Kentucky, as our main task was just clearing brush that had grown over the trail. The trail we were working on in the National Military Park was originally established in 1979 for the intent of training Boy Scouts in the use of compasses and following map directions, and was also previously worked on by another AmeriCorps NCCC team in 2009. For twelve and a half miles we were clearing
brush that grew over the trail, painting trees with spray paint to show the path, and widening the trail. At first, we had started off slowly working on the trail, clearing only two and half to three miles we knocked out the last half of the trail within a week, after we all figured out what tools we worked best with. When we were finished with the trail our sponsor had us lined up for cleaning up and painting the various signs around Vicksburg that point out important landmarks of the Vicksburg Siege.
The St .Bernard Project or our second round project, Delta 1 was selected to work with The St. Bernard Project in New Orleans and Chalmette, Louisiana. Before starting work with SBP (St. Bernard Project), Delta 1 corps members attended an orientation with SBP and were assigned positions. Corps members Alex Rettig and Coty Brennan were selected for serving as Assistant Carpenters, while corps members Lois Glenn, Courtni Bruce, Cameron Tingkang, and Tracy Lorimor were selected to serve as Assistant Site Supervisors. Team leader Cayde Sprecker was selected as the Assistant Supply & Logistics Coordinator. As the Assistant Site Supervisors, Cameron, Tracy, Lois, and Courtni have spent the last couple of weeks serving in several houses on different stages of construction to gain a better understanding of the process of the St. Bernard Project. For the first week of service, our Assistant Site Supervisors assisted with the mudding and priming of a house on Royal Street under site supervisor Emily. Afterwards, they switched houses every couple of days doing several tasks at each one with a different site supervisor. So far our assistant site supervisors have learned how to tile, mud dry wall, paint and prime, install doors, and how to do final punch work before a house’s
final inspection. Installing doors proved to be the most difficult task, as any mistake made can ruin the entire process, forcing you to start again from the beginning.jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj j
j eanwhile, Corps members Alex Rettig and Coty Brennan were selected to be Assistant Carpenters and have been doing something slightly
different than the others. Coty and Alex have served at many houses, completing the carpentry pre-work that is required before volunteers arrive to help. Their tasks are
very dependent on the needs of a house, which can be constructing a railing for a porch or building a stand for an AC unit. Their proudest achievement was the work they did on an opportunity house for low income families on Arts Street, where they replaced sub flooring on almost a third of the house floor as well replacing rotted out parts of the house's frame.
New River State Park ound 3 Delta 1 was nestled high up in the Appalachians in northwestern North Carolina. For two and a half weeks we were building a natural three mile trail on Mt. Jefferson for New River State Park on Mt. Jefferson State Natural Area. Our sponsor provided us with an old farmhouse the park had purchased some time ago. The house was located pretty much in the middle of nowhere about an hour from our work site but was very comfortable and peaceful compared to our last housing in New Orleans. New River State Park or NERI, for short, was incredibly great to us over the round. On rainy
days they always had something for us to do from interpretive workshops to helping out in the local library. Duing the interpretive workshops we would learn various things about different kinds of animals, geology relating to Mt. Jefferson, and environmental educational. NERI also provided us with much needed breaks from trail building by having us help out with things like the Eastern Hellbender Survey where we got to wade through the New River looking for a giant salamander species called the Eastern Hellbender with biologists from Appalachian State University. Our favorite day was probably when we participated in the Box Turtle Survey on the 21st of August. Because the
site we were doing the survey in was inaccessible by road we canoed a mile to the location and then explored a beautiful area on the New River in search of a box turtle.
hen it came to the trail however, it was a different story. We counted many rocks, from the size of a baseball to a boulder that we had to shove off the trail. And if it wasn't a giant rock we had to move, it was a tangled mess of roots that would take a lot of effort to cut out. The difficulty of the trail combined with the amount of rain days we had, we were unable to finish the trail before the end of the project. According to local rangers, the work we had done had saved them four years on the five year plan, leaving behind maybe a mile left of trail to build. Overall, this has been a great round for us, and we have learned a lot from working with the New River State Park. Thank you North Carolina State Parks and Recreation!
Tallulah Charter School
or our final project of the term, Delta 1 was stationed back on our campus in Vicksburg and worked at the Tallulah Charter School. Located across the state line in Louisiana, Tallulah has one of the worst performing school districts. In response to the poor education in Tallulah our sponsor, Dr. Candler, started the Tallulah Charter School to try and provide
a
better
education
for
the
children.
ach team member was placed in a class with a teacher from the third grade to the sixth grade. Our main duties were decided by the teacher we had but generally we helped with tutoring the children and classroom management. After the first week we started running an Art Camp for the children every Monday offering classes in sports, dancing, drawing, and face painting for any children interested.
John Antolik Batman
The Pug
Ella Allen Diana Atalla Vicki Cheung Brittany Drolet
Issac Martin We’re all introverts Allie Maynard Jovany Ponce Kionte Smith
Turn down for what
“Delta 2 doesn’t get tired”
Rivers to Ridges Heritage Trail, Inc.
ound one took place in Hurricane (pronounced hurricun), West Virginia. While there we made a ton of new friends including an AmeriCorps Vista
member who was living in our housing prior to our arrival. The work we did while there included trail building at The Esther and Norman Walter Memorial trail, painting and plumbing at the Point Pleasant river museum, trail building and painting at The Hoge House, demolition work at the Virgil Lewis house, painting for Hurricane parks and rec, and painting and beautifying Hometown Park. We also had quite a few ISP opportunities that ranged from setting up Princess Tea to pulling t-posts and cleaning up barbed wire at Sundance Ranch.
e didn’t have much free time during our first round ,but when we did we used it to explore the communities we were serving. Our wonderful sponsor set us up with a tour of the Toyota factory, the state capitol, and the Mothman Museum. He also gave us a few places to explore on our own such as Marshall University and a local hot dog place called Hillbilly Hotdogs. We all feel extremely fortunate to have had such a wonderful first round. We made so many beautiful memories that we will hold onto forever.
Habitat for Humanity of Tuscaloosa
n Round 2, we worked with Habitat For Humanity Tuscaloosa for six weeks. We worked alongside homeowners, church groups, students, and other volunteer groups. While there, we learned how to lay tile, install insulation, use various power tools, place baseboard, and many other things. One of the volunteer groups we worked with was called Project Children. Project Children, is a volunteer group of young adults all the way from Ireland! They worked on the project for a week before heading of to do internships in the U.S for a month. We volunteered at a glow run, and had a blast spraying people with colored water and blasting them with colored powder as
they ran by!
Camp Easter Seals & Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
ur first month was at Camp Easter Seals UCP
sive plant species. We all grew close to our sponsor there
working with people with physical and intellec-
and had a lot of fun. we went on several field trips including
tual disabilities. We worked 100+ hour weeks
a swamp walk! Our last week was spent in Rookery Bay
with little personal time. A lot of our campers required
cutting and spraying Brazilian Pepper. We were lucky
round the clock care. We assisted at meal time, bed time,
enough to stay in a resort for our time there! We met a ton
bath time, play time and more. It was challenging for a lot
of cool people this round including a volunteer at the Na-
of people on our team, but they pushed through it and did
ples Cat Alliance who was kind enough to take a few of us
an awesome job! The next two and a half weeks we spent
out on his boat! We also were able to volunteer at Shy Wolf
at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary spraying and pulling inva-
Sanctuary were we cleaned in and around enclosures!
St Marks National Wildlife Refuge
his round was bittersweet! It was our last round and we were all excited to go home and see our friends and family again, but we will miss each other terribly. Our first week was spent at Crystal River posting boundary signs and cleaning up around their visitor center. Our last five weeks were spent working at St.Marks National Wildlife Refuge. We have learned so much these past weeks and have made many new friends. We had the chance to work on the whooping crane pen, hold a gator, touch butterflies, and see manatees! This was a great round to finish off our AmeriService.
Nicole Schultz Betty White
Kentucky Colonels Stavanna Holmes Eric Kranz Shea Miller Armando Ortiz
Starla Reno Deerbra David Wright
The time David fixed the VCR
Asheville
Kentucky Department of Parks
or Round 1, we worked with two Kentucky state parks; Cumberland Falls and Carter Caves. We approached the projects with the willingness "To Get Things Done" and we left our mark by assisting with trail maintenance; rerouting 10.75 miles of trails, repairing 30ft of irrigation systems, treating 2730 Hemlock trees from the parasitic insect, Wooly Adelgid, planting 555 trees, and doing cave restoration. We also volunteered with the community in creating a playground border, and packing lunches for children in low income families. Team Delta 3's adventures has just begun!
East MS Community College & Green Light New Orleans
elta 3 had a really unbelievable round... even though it was a very short round, we were able to learn new skills real quick. From
constructing a gazebo at EMCC for 2 weeks then working in the office and installing light bulbs for Green Light. The atmosphere was great and with that we were able to get things done. Rather rainy days or hot crazy days just know that we learned something new everyday. This round was really a learning experience that we will carry on for the rest of our lives.
Mississippi Children’s Home Services & South Asheville Cemetery Association
or Delta 3's split round took place in Tuscaloosa, AL working with Tuscaloosa Habitat for Humanity. The majority of our work was construction which consisted of creating the foundation of new homes, installing flooring, doors and appliances, also painting the interior and exterior of homes. Our second part of the
project was in Asheville, NC at the South Asheville Cemetery. Delta 3 worked on 2 acres of cemetery restoration to help discover more possible graves from the 1800's. We cleared out brush, removed unwanted stomps, installed a wooden fence, and also gave history tours on the cemetery to fifty 9th graders. Overall, the team enjoyed the hard work on both projects by learning the aspects of construction and restoring a historical site.
Dana Road Elementary
or Delta 3's last round, we were placed at Dana Road Elementary School located in Vicksburg, MS. The team was given assigned class rooms to help tutor and mentor kids in subjects such as reading, math, language arts, we also assisted the teacher when the children attended field trips. The team helped out with painting ceiling tiles, decorating the hallways, and classrooms to beautify the school campus for the kids and staff. For a day Delta 3 has helped with celebrating kids positive behavior by having a Sock Hop party where kids would wear crazy socks, dance, and play. At Dana Road Elementary School, whether it be greeting the children with a "Good Morning", giving them hugs or asking them how their day went, we all felt that we made an impact on the kids. Delta 3 has had a lot of unforgettable, enjoyable moments with the kids.
Sara Pearson Peace, love and positivity
The Golden Goose
Michelle Desch Carlos Gonzalez Jerry (Jamal) Keys Ryan Lundstrom
Kristi Marcera “Burn� by Ellie Goulding
Frankie Stroud
Thompson Barjebo Trey Collins
Tortilla Chips
D4 Turtles
Natchez Trace Parkway & Francis Marion National Forest
ound One started off with our team, along with
hen we arrived at the Francis Marion we met
Southern Region's Delta 7, traveling to Tishomin-
with the fire team and many members of staff in
go State Park near Tupelo, MS for two weeks of
other departments. We learned how to work
fire training. While there we learned a large amount of
alongside helicopters, bulldozers, and different types of
information about how to properly fight fires and how to stay safe. While in Tishomingo, we made new friends and experienced new adventures that we will never forget. At the end of our training we completed our first prescribed burns and said our goodbyes as we were then off to The Francis
Marion
National
Forest
near
Charleston,
SC.iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
fire engines. We started prescribed burns soon after we arrived and we were put to work. Our team aided in burning approximately 14,000 acres of forest to help reduce the risk of wildfires to surrounding urban interface and to help the native species thrive. More than just fire work, we also aided with the recreation department in disaster recovery work after the ice storms in February, and also with the Archaeology department who provided many Service Learning opportunities during our time in South Carolina. It was an experience that we would never trade for anything and will forever carry with us.
NECHAMA: Jewish Response to Disaster & Cumberland Trail State Scenic Trail
uring Round two, Delta 4 served a split round,
There we hiked a mile up a mountain each morning and
first in Itawamba County, MS doing disaster
dug trail and built amazing rock steps! We also worked in
relief from recent tornadoes. Here we demol-
an area that is soon to opened up as Tennessee's 56th
ished a home, gutted many others, cleaned up tons of de-
State park! The work included some trail building, leveling
bris, chainsawed and gathered loads of limbs for the local
out the ground to be handicap accessible, building fence,
community who suffered a lot of storm damage. For the
and doing some major landscaping around tree-lings! All
second part of our round we traveled to Lafollete, TN to do
in all we had a fantastic round and enjoyed the nature,
trail building on the Cumberland Trail State Scenic Trail.
culture, and experiences we had in both locations!
City of Rolling Fork & Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumpter
or the first two weeks we served in Rolling
Fork, Mississippi doing beautification projects around the city. The entire community including our sponsor was very welcoming throughout our stay and we truly enjoyed our time there! From Rolling Fork we traveled to Eustis, Florida for the remainder of our round working with Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter. The Delta 4 team has picked up on a variety of skills including installing vinyl flooring and doors and A LOT of painting experience! We also had the opportunity to explore the local and surrounding cities in the area.
Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge
he last and final round Delta 4 spent their time in Folkston, GA working with the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. The team worked hard doing canoe trail maintenance using tools such as brush cutters, pole saws, and sickle saws to widen the canoe trails. Another portion of the work went to forestry preparation for upcoming burns within the refuge. Throughout the time spent there the team was also involved in some exciting events including the annu-
al Okefenokee Festival Parade. Some members even got to dress up as mascots for the refuge's float which one first place!
Frank Kaner The 6 Deltateers
ShaNayNay Jared Crenshaw Robert Goodman Christian Hunter Chris Pierson
Rebecca Schmitz Roberto’s Tacos
Water Buffalo
Dominated a team of middle schoolers in basketball.
New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity
elta 5 left their mark with Habitat for Humanity of the New Orleans area. During their time with Habitat for Humanity Delta 5 has learned many new skills relating to construction and donation centers. They have led hundreds of volunteers while constructing 5 different
houses
in
their
first
round.
ot only has Delta 5 worked on the construction sites, but they also got to experience working in the Habitat for Humanity ReStore where they helped customers and sorted over 150,000 lbs of donations. Alongside of the ReStore and construction work, Delta 5 had the opportunity to lead volunteers in a neighborhood revitalization program called “Attack the Block.� They worked with volunteers to clear many vacant lots and to make the neighborhoods a safer place. Delta 5 will carry the skills they have learned with habitat for humanity into future projects and experiences.
City of Vicksburg
elta 5 had the privilege of staying in Vicksburg for Round 2 and having a wonderful time! We started off our first week by painting 75% of a parking garage located in downtown Vicksburg. We also worked with the Vicksburg Salvation Army every Monday of the project. During our time at the Salvation Army, the team did a little bit of everything. Del-
ta 5 often could be found doing tasks such as organizing the family thrift shop, doing maintenance jobs such as weed whacking or painting, or helping clean up
after
the
soup
kitchen.
he team spent the majority of their time working with the Vicksburg Police department supervising children in the Randy Naylor Summer Street Ball program! The team loved the staff and loved having the opportunity to help with the students. On a daily basis, the team completed tasks such as leading stretching or games as well as resolving conflicts that arise. We also did things such as dance or arts and crafts with campers. The team also helped put on a banquet at the end of the year which the team really enjoyed helping at. Overall, Delta 5 loved this project!
Pickett CCC Memorial State Park
or the first week of the project, the team served at the National Governor's conference in Nashville. The whole team loved Nashville and getting a chance to meet some very influential people. After the conference was over, Delta 5 headed to Jamestown, TN to work with the Pickett CCC Memorial State Park! he teams main project at the state park was to help build a 3 mile trail to the Pouge Creek Overlook which has a breathtaking view! Delta 5 also worked on several other
projects
including
looking for artifacts from different
archaeological
sites, building fencing to protect
the
Cumberland
Sandwort, building 2 boardwalks, clearing a canoe passage that had fallen trees blocking the path, as well as clearing
several
different
trails around the park. The staff at the park has been nothing but welcoming and even took the team on a camping/caving trip. The team is definitely going to miss the staff and the natural beauty of Tennessee.
River to Ridges & Conservation Legacy-Appalachian Trail Conservancy
elta 5 had a split round for their final project! We started off in Scott Depot, WV working with the Rivers to Ridges Heritage Trail. During our time here the team accomplished many tasks such as repairing and painting playground equipment, painting picnic shelters and painting over the graffiti-covered basketball court. The team also had the opportunity to help deconstruct the historic Virgil Lewis House which
the materials will then be used for a quiet park next to the library.hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
fter spending several weeks in Scott Depot, the team moved on to the beautiful Sugar Grove in Virginia working with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. During our time here, the team had 3 main tasks. The first task was the relocation of a section of the Appalachian Trail which the team seemed to really enjoy. Another project we helped with was boundary monitoring of certain sections along the Appalachian Trail. This was like a treasure hunt where we had to use compasses to find monuments along the way. The team also got to assist with invasive species removal for several days. We loved this project as we got to experience and work in such a beautiful and natural area.
Malia Olloway Spiderman or Dumb & Dumber
Would you rather... Lauren Brink Angela Glinn Rebecca Janisch Grace Magee
Qwamella Manning We LOVE Saracha & Buffalo
Edward McCall Jonathan Mclendon Mosiah Rock
Alta Casas Feel so close by Calvin Harris
Grrrousssss
Mississippi Roadmap to Health Equity Inc. & Boys and Girls Club of Central Mississippi
or our team, Delta 6, we had the opportunity to work 2 different projects in a split round. We got to work at the Boys and Girls Club of Central Mississippi for the first month of our spike. The second half we were at the Mississippi Roadmap to Health Equity, Inc. which is located in Jackson, MS. We enjoyed being able to help both of these groups with what they needed to get done to make things easier on them and it was amazing to see how much can evolve in such a short period of time
when we are all working together to get things done. Ccfff f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f
ext we served at the Mississippi Roadmap to Health Equity Inc. which is an organization that promotes healthy eating and awareness in the communities surrounding them. While we were here we worked on multiple different projects. We did everything he first part of our round at the Boys and Girls
Club of Central Mississippi consisted of helping them beautify their building. The whole place had some much needed work to be done and we got to come in and help them make it look nicer so it could be more appealing and welcoming. We painted the entire building including the restrooms, art room, gymnasium, art room, library, main lobby, game room, computer room, any room in the place, we painted it! We also got to put together an air hockey table, table tennis and foosball table for the kids to play with. It was so fulfilling to see how appreciative the staff and kids that go there every day were and
how drastic of a change it made to the place. DDDDDDD
from building raised beds, putting the soil down and planting all the flowers and vegetables. One of the gardens we built was at one of the local middle schools where we did flower beds in the front and vegetables gardens in the back so the kids have something to plant during the summer and when they come back to school. At the roadmap building we also did a lot work, we took an entire field and tilled it, built rows and planted all kinds of vegetables as well as re-soiled and planted flower beds in the front to make their building look more appealing. Besides the gardening we did a lot of other small chores and tasks around like painting, cleaning and organizing.
Dismal Swamp National Wildwife Refuge
elta Six was given the opportunity to work alongside The Great Dismal Swamp for the first few weeks and Back Bay for the other weeks. Delta Six spent their time in Suffolk, Virginia building a boardwalk allowing access for hikers and people in wheelchairs so they can explore the swamp. When Delta Six traveled to Norfolk, Virginia they worked alongside Back Bay and began clearing invasive species and allowed various trees to grow fuller and healthier without being tangled in the mist of other species.
Metro Changers
or our 3rd round, Delta 6 worked in Birmingham, AL with an organization called Metro Changers. Over the 9 weeks we had various projects that we worked on. Metro Changers works with the city and all the surrounding neighborhoods of Birmingham doing repairs and reconstruction of existing houses. We did anything from painting houses to building decks, repairing and cleaning siding and any other needs that had to be met. Every house we finished we also landscaped and give it final touches. For a couple weeks we also got to supervise groups of volunteers that came to help as well. Delta 6 was lucky to have a great supervisor and sponsor. We are very thankful for them and for all the things they taught us these past 2 months. We learned a lot this round and we are sad to leave them but overall it was a great round!
Friends of Infinity Acres & Mason Neck State Park
or our 4th and final round, Delta 6 worked a split round out in Virginia. The first 3 weeks were in Ridgeway, VA where we worked with Infinity Acres Ranch helping them clear out their pond of invasive plants, built a trail for the llamas and most importantly we built a fence around the perimeter to keep the animals in and safe. Our final 3 weeks were in Woodbridge, VA at the beautiful Mason Neck State Park. We started at the Wildlife Refuge and ending up doing various projects at the state park including clearing trails, painting benches and maintenance work.
Emily Baker / Natalie Siedhof Quilting
We are the beavers. Kyndra Beatty Jahkeel Connor Manuela Hincapie Matt Roderick Emily Sholberg We eat too much mayo.
Nicole Yetke
We bond over food.
We ain’t afraid of no ghost.
Natchez Trace Parkway
elta Seven, while deployed on their first project at the Natchez Trace Parkway (NTP) with the National Park Service (NPS) increased the ability of the NTP to implement prescribed fires. The team worked on over 200 miles of the Natchez Trace across three states including Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee. The main focus of this team was to implement prescribed fires along the trace to help restore the Trace to its historical value, remove invasive exotic species, and restore the large wood forest. The goal of the team was to also protect historical structures and sites along the trace and to encourage the preservation of the local wildlife. The NPS was enabled to further the burn program with the assistance of the team and was
able to accomplish its mission to use fire as a tool to restore parklands and to reduce fuel loadings which could lead to damaging wildfires. The team also helped in the restoration of the Blackbelt Prairie in the restoration of historically open woodlands. Eastern Red Cedar, is a native species, however it has been encroaching on the Blackbelt. Team members assisted in ignition and holding operations in burns at the Natchez Trace Parkway Visitor Center Head Quarters, Meriweather Lewis Park, Stones Rivers National Battlefield, and the Confederate Grave Site Natchez Trace burning a total of approximately 720+ acres.
n addition to conducting prescribed burns, exotic invasive species removal, fire line construction, sawing and trail maintenance, Delta Seven also
participated in park events. The team helped the park interpretation and resource management departments with events and office work such as binder building and cataloging. The team participated in the Colbert Ferry War of 1812 encampment event, wildlife weekend, wildflower walk, a volunteer banquet and a Dulcimer concert event. This was all in effort to inform and educate the public of the history that surrounds them and the importance of preserving such important history. Delta Seven’s involvement with the Natchez Trace Parkway allowed for burning projects to be completed more efficiently and helped to increase the amount of acres burned each day.
Palmetto Conservation Foundation & Glendale Outdoor Leadership School
uring Round two, Delta seven went to Spartanburg, South Carolina to work with the Palmetto Conservation Foundation and the Glendale Outdoor Leadership School (GOLS).
We built and
maintained 50 miles of the mountain to sea trail in order to support the Palmetto Conservation Foundation’s mission of aiding in the fight against obesity by providing well maintained trails to the public. We also built trails at the South Carolina School for the Deaf and Blind and at the University of South Carolina. In addition, we constructed a trail at GOLS, refurbished their auditorium stage, fell trees and cleared brush from around their ropes course to prepare for the upcoming summer camps. We also cut up a fallen tree and cleared brush from a historic cemetery with gravesites dating back to the 1800s.
Habitat for Humanity of Lafayette
uring Round 3, Delta 7 went to Lafayette, LA to work with Habitat for Humanity. The team led and supervised volunteer groups from around the country in various landscaping and construction projects. Ultimately, the team aided in the construction of 5 new homes.
The Nature Conservancy-Disney Wilderness Preserve
uring Round Four, Delta 7 went to Kissimmee, Florida to work with the Disney Wilderness Preserve. We participated in four prescribed burns with The Nature Conservancy, Fish and Wildlife Services, and the Disney Wilderness Preserve at Tiger Creek, Archbold Biological Station and at Carter Creek. We also cleared around three eagle nests in preparation for an upcoming burn, refurbished an old barn, removed invasive species like Cogon grass and rattlebox, constructed two boardwalks, and assisted in 6 miles of re-fencing.
Matthew Payne Riding around in the electric wheelchair
Taking team engagement photos Aaron Albert Chelsea Crinson John Edwards Shea Miller Chelsea’s Apple Crisp
Open Space Technology
Arguing over paint colors ;)
Big Ugly Community Center
he Big Ugly Composite Team had a wonderful time serving in rural West Virginia. Not only did the team accomplish a great deal of work renovating the local community center, but the team felt like they were able to truly connect with the community. In total the team renovated over 10 rooms, most notably giving the kids a new art room, STEM science room and library. The team had the opportunity to host a week long summer camp for kids which included a book fair and a day of service aimed at “Keeping Big Ugly Beautiful�. Overall, the team was a high functioning group that
truly left their mark on the Big Ugly Community Center.
Emily Baker Ziggy
Movie Nights Coty Brennan Sabree Koonce Grace Magee Alex Rettig Essence Thomas Everything. We had a passion for food!
David Wright
Musicals!
Testing Grace on her script of Matilda
Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission
jord 1 assisted NSVRC on a wide variety of tasks geared towards preparation for their Point In Time Count which takes place every January, as federally mandated. The point of the PIT Count is to get an accurate representative number of the homeless population in the area. These numbers are then used to obtain proper funding needed to assist the homeless population. Fjord 1 assisted in completing numerous telephone conversations with local organizations in regards to the homeless population, completed multiple surveys, assisted in data entry and data cleansing, and more in preparation of the PIT Count. Fjord 1 also worked with organizations such as Salvation Army and United Way. They worked at thrift stores, community dinners, food pantries, and more! Fjord 1
greatly enjoyed their time in Front Royal, Virginia. They participated in numerous activities including Sky Line Drive and hiking at Shenandoah National Park. The scenery was breathtaking, team moral was exceptional, the weather was beautiful, and the work was meaningful. This was a truly enriching experience for each and every Fjord 1 team member.
Elizabeth Reitzell “the struggle is real”
Memphis 2 Raphael Bean Mayo Campos John Edwards Douglas Laberge-Flowers
Jo-Anne Majek Awarded Vicksburg
Rowanna Winget
“Key To The City”
Anything scary!
Bohemian Rhapsody
City of Vicksburg
iver One's first project was with The City of Vicksburg in Vicksburg, Mississippi doing infrastructure improvement at city parks. We painted batting cages and park facilities, such as concession stands and bathrooms at the park. Because this was
during the rainy season, we worked at our two inclement weather sites often. For inclement weather, River One rotated working at The Salvation Army, sorting donated items, and Southern Cultural Heritage Center, cleaning out historic cultural buildings.
The Youth Academy Inc.
he second project was in Sumter, South Carolina doing rural development with The Youth Academy, Inc. In this project, we worked closely with children at a Christian camp for underserved children. The team also readied the farmland on the church grounds for the camp, clearing debris from a recent wildfire.
Be Ready Alliance Coordinating for Emergencies (BRACE)
e worked with Be Ready Alliance Coordinating
for
Emergencies
(B.R.A.C.E.) in Pensacola, Florida for our third round. In this disaster relief project, the team worked with many different nonprofits in Pensacola, all of whom had been
affected by recent flooding. The team served primarily at Heritage Oaks Affordable Housing, Manna Food Pantries, Truth for Youth, and other affordable housing sites in the area.
Land Trust for the MS Coastal Plain & Louisiana State Parks– Poverty Point
n the first half of our split round, River One worked with Land Trust for Mississippi Coastal Plain in Biloxi, Mississippi. Much of the team's envi-
ronmental stewardship work in Biloxi, Moss Point, and Gulf Shores dealt with invasive species removal. The team focused on removing unwanted trees and plants in different wetland sites, and also did a bit of trail blazing.
iver One spent the second half of Round Four working with Louisiana State Parks, both at Poverty Point World Heritage Site and D'Arbonne State Park. At Poverty Point, the team cleared invasive species and unwanted underbrush around the historic mounds. At D'Arbonne, the team worked on completing renovation of a 500 foot pier on a manmade lake.
Chassie Nix
Chelsea Crinson
We fight like sisters, but we wouldn’t change a thing.
Mac N Cheese
Tatiana Samuel-Jefferson Linda Nag Cindy Robertson
Katelyn Tharp We’re lean mean dancing machines.
Maurice Redd
“THING”
We work like men, but walk like women.
Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter, FL
ound one was spent in Eustis, FL, working for Habitat for Humanity. From our first day with construction training to our last day working on a roof we had an amazing time. The skills we learned this round will never be forgotten. Our sponsors were first time sponsors and rocked it! we felt so welcomed and appreciated. our site supervisors Bob and Doris were so dedicated to making each and every home perfect for the families. They were always willing to help in anyway [possible, keeping the work environment fun and exciting everyday. River 2 was able to broaden our work skills and social skills on this round. we had the best time getting to know everyone and hated saying good bye, but we’re ready for our next grand adventure!
New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity & Service Over Self
e traveled to the amazing New Orleans to help build affordable housing with Habitat for Humanity! We learned new skills, had some great supervisors, and of course stayed in such a historical city with so many sights to see! We worked on 3 new homes and branched off with Brush With Kindness and repaired 5 existing homes! We then traveled back to our AmeriCorps home in Vicksburg and worked with Service Over Self. We worked on repairing homes with a group of summer volunteers for one week, and then tackled a whole week alone. It was such an amazing experience!
The Youth Academy Inc. & City of Clarksdale
iver 2 has had quite the round! Starting in a
pool of Clarksdale more functional by adding a concrete
mentally challenging project in Sumter SC
slab, and beautifying one of the parks with a new play-
working with kids of all ages coming from under
ground and freshly painted equipment. Also spending a few
privileged homes, organizing and creating daily schedules,
days working with the local animal shelter we were able to
we were more than happy to jump in with our ideas! River 2
get our hands dirty and feel the reward of completing a
then traveled to the blues capitol Clarksdale MS, teaming
project and seeing it!
up with the city completing one of the phases in making the
C.H. Nash Museum at Chucalissa
his last round was great! Our sponsors were the C.H. Nash Chucalissa
Museum,
T.O.
Fuller State Park and the Westwood Neighborhood Association. We worked hard with each one to get things done! From trail maintenance with T.O. Fuller, and working with veterans beautifying another veterans home, to building a rain shelter and renovating a hands on lab for
C.H. Nash museum our experience was amazing. we only had 6 short weeks, but within those weeks our team grew closer, we met amazing passionate people, and GOT THINGS DONE FOR AMERICA! What a term we've had, and this was the perfect project to complete our service! GO RIVER 2!
Breanne Roseman Greenville, MS
The Mystery Machine
Kirsten Flick Larsen (Alex) Garrison Adrianna Howard Lynika Saunders
Heather Whitney Ratchet Samuel Bederaux-Cayne (River 7) Nikko Jackson (River 7) Kimberly McInchak (River 7) Tanae Molden Jordan Phillips Rebecca Schiller (River 7) Brittney Smith
Rather Be by Clean Bandit
Basketball is our favorite sport, you like the way we dribble up & down the court.
Urban Oasis Project
or Round 1, River 3 partnered with the Urban Oasis
hile working in the Homestead community our
Project to clear out 22 acres of invasive and over-
housing was situated in the heart of Miami Beach
grown plant species, added additional farming
along the Lincoln Road Mall thanks to the gracious
space, planted and harvested fresh fruits and vegetables, as-
Miami Beach Community Church. During our leisure time
sisted the fresh produce market, and worked with the commu-
there was no shortage of activities to enjoy. Relaxing days in
nity after-school program. The work was hard and rigorous.
beautiful blue water beaches, cultural dinners at restaurants
The days were long and sweltering. Despite the weather we
with delicious menus you would expect to see in Paris, France,
were able to accomplish even more work than we had antici-
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, or any of the variety of cultures that
pated. We could never have imagined the great impact that we
have found a home in Miami Beach. Living in Miami Beach
would have on the Verde Community or the equally great im-
allowed our team to experience and interact with people from
pact that they would have on us. We're excited to have had this
cultures all around the world. These experiences have un-
amazing opportunity and hope that future a NCCC team will be
doubtedly impacted our world view and will help us in continu-
able continue the work that this resilient community has start-
ing to be open and accepting of diversity in all forms from all
ed.JJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJ
over the world.
Habitat for Humanity Lafyette
Rural Appalachian Improvement League, Inc. (RAIL) iver 3 worked in Mullens, WV with Rural Appalachian Improvement League (RAIL) & Ravencliff, WV with Friends Of Milam Creek. At Wyco Church, the team made renovation improvements to the basement for future community events. Tasks included painting, mudding, installing sheetrock, constructing pillars and beams, electrical wiring, lighting, and putting in installation. At the Friends Of Milam Creek Community Center, River 3 also demolished flooring, installed completely new flooring, re-
moved a staircase, painted, fixed holes with mortar, weeding, and added wooden trim to the walls.
City of Greenville & Habitat for Humanity of Southwest Alabama
iver 3 served with the city of Greenville, Mississippi beautifying
the
city
by
painting park equipment and clearing weeds out of major intersections. The team also served with Habitat for Humanity in Mobile, Alabama, and worked on houses in different stages of construction.
Jackie Searle
Jesse Brammer
“To the Top!!!” & “You heard it here first”
White Russian Lady
Jules Juniker Emily (Rachelle) McClellan Edward Rich
Brittany Robinson Broccoli Hannah Wendling
Johnathan Toles-Blunt Jonathan Jasper Asha Pritchett Amber Tompkins
“Let It Go” from Frozen
The Dream Team
Historic Beverly Preservation, Inc.
everly, West Virginia was a beautiful place with wonderful people. River 4 spent 8 weeks partnering with The Beverly Historical Society, a group dedicated to preserving the town's
history. River 4 specifically worked on two buildings dating back to the Civil War. The team learned a lot about how to preserve materials, the Civil War and the battles specific to that area. When the team was not working on the Civil War buildings they were busy serving the surrounding counties. They worked at an animal shelter and planted 5400 spruce trees to expand the salamander's habitat.
Vollintine Evergreen Community Association (VECA) & Windshape Camp
iver 4 spent Round 2 mostly in Memphis, Ten-
were busy with serving the church where they were
nessee with the non-profit, Vollintine Evergreen
housed. They assisted in serving at their food kitchen and
Community Association, or as it is more com-
their food box distribution, stained their patio and built a
monly known as, VECA. River 4 spent most of their time
bike rack. The team also served at FedEx Family Housing,
working outside beautifying their 100 blocks of neighbor-
and The Chucalissa Museum. For one week the team
hood. The neighborhood itself has many abandoned homes
served in Vicksburg, Mississippi with WinShape Camps for
and VECA takes it upon themselves to upkeep them. By
Communities. This camp was founded by Truett Cathy of
doing this they believe home owners will take pride in their
Chick-fil-A. The team tapped into their inner child and
neighborhood and ultimately the crime rate will go down.
served children from all over the community by playing
The team learned how to mow lawns, weed wack, maintain
games, singing songs, and assisting in different sports
trail and build fences. When the team wasn't working they
activities.
R3SM, Inc. (Recover, Rebuild, Restore Southeast MS)
iver 4 spent 9 weeks working with a nonprofit in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Recover, Repair,
Restore
Southeast
Mississippi.
R3SM as they are more commonly known as serves the community and surrounding counties through disaster relief efforts from the 2013 tornado. River 4 partnered with R3SM to serve the community by repairing roofs, walls, floors and ceilings. When the team wasn't working with R3SM they were busy serving the neighboring non-profits such as Christian Services, the Animal Shelter and Fieldhouse for the Homeless. River 4 felt the love in Hattiesburg for sure and was proud of the work they accomplished for the families.
Florida Park Service
iver 4 spent their fourth and final round with the Florida
Park
Services.
Chainsawing, painting a historical home, removing invasive species and trail maintenance were the highlights of the round. This round the team got to experience lots of wildlife by camping for two weeks! The weather was perfect, the staff was incredible and most importantly we made so many memories. It’s hard to show in just a hand full of pictures, but here are some of our best!
Benjamin Tryon #SELFIE by The Chainsmokers
Pizza, by default Jessica Gottlob Mark O’Brien Paul Podawiltz Kenneth Smith
Wynter Smith Half our team got deployed on disaster. Maureen Brown Tony Seljan Calvin Wimberly II
We’ve been to every state in the Southern Region besides Florida.
“Pants are optional”
Morris Creek Watershed Association
uring round one, River 5 cleared historic cemeteries, constructed fish damns, participated in biological data collection, and completed many other projects to help increase the health of the Morris Creek Watershed and the people living in Montgomery, WV.
MS Quest Fitness Community Outreach, Inc.
uring Round Two, River 5 helped manage and lead a children's fitness camp. The team taught kids how to play many sports such as football, basketball, soccer volleyball, and other fitness games. In addition, the team taught kids the importance of healthy eating and nutrition.
Fall Creek Falls State Park/Virgin Falls State Natural Area
uring Round Three, River 5 helped build and maintain trails in Fall Creek Falls State Park and Virgin Falls State Natural Area. The team built over 50 stone steps, cleared overgrown brush from over 10 miles of trail, and installed waterbars to decrease trail erosion. Although this project was extremely physically demanding, we had a great time working here!
Guliford County Open Space & Southern Crescent Habitat for Humanity
ound four was River 5's first split round project! The team was lucky enough to work with Guilford County's Passive Parks program. There, the team built a brand new 2.5 mile trail that connects a county park to a historic mill site. For the last half of the project, River 5 worked with Southern Crescent Habitat for Humanity where we helped
renovate three homes and build a new one. These projects were awesome and a fantastic way to end our term of service!
Nichole Letizia Frozen
Chipotle William Custus Tanner Jenkins Sabree Koonce Jessica Schreuder
Essence Thomas Melvin & Marvin (our rooster & snake)
James Wilborn
Joshua Evans
Ain’t It Fun by Paramore
“leggo peeps”
Growing Hope Initiative
uring their first round serving for AmeriCorps NCCC Class 20 Southern Region, the River 6 team was stationed in the beautiful Florida Keys! Our sponsoring organization was Growing Hope Initiative, a Florida Keys nonprofit organization that was working towards sustainable living and farming in the Keys. We were working on clearing and restoring an edible fruit garden called Grimal Grove. The tasks that River 6 worked on
varied from clearing Brazillian Pepper (an invasive species), clearing brush, cleaning up debris, emptying and cleaning cisterns, running an organic produce market, and more!kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk
he River 6 team really learned a lot about themselves and the environment during this round. The work was hard, the weather was hot, and team tension was high! The River 6 team pushed through it and came out on top, better than ever. We will never forget our adventures in the Florida Keys. This was truly a once in a lifetime experience!
All Hands Volunteers & Camp Habitat
irst, we were sent on tornado disaster response for Itawamba County and were living in Tupelo, Mississippi. We helped with debris removal,
demolition, and city cleanup. ……………………...
ater, we were stationed in Franklin, Kentucky volunteering with the local Housing Authority and helping with Camp Habitat! We led groups of young adults through a series of beautification projects throughout the community. During our stay in Franklin, we visited many tourist attractions and educational attractions. One of the most fascinating things we got to experience as a team was visiting Mammoth Caves, which is the largest cave network in the United States.
Conservation Legacy VISTA Program
he team started out in Beckley, West Virginia. They were working with the Chamber of Commerce in Raleigh County doing jobs for Raleigh County Make It Shine. They dealt with erosion and trail repairs. Next they worked in Glen Jean with the National Park Service at Camp Brookside. The River 6 team was assigned numerous projects to restore the old camp for future use. The River 6 team then moved to Tornado, West Virginia and worked with the Coal River Group. They kayaked the Coal River cleaning up tires and worked on many beautification projects at the local recreation areas. The River 6 team then moved to Morgantown, West Virginia and worked with Friends Of Deckers Creek, a local watershed. They were dealing with Acid Mine Drainage. The River 6 Team's final stop was in Whitesburg, KY where they were working with another watershed group. Their jobs included creating rain gardens and beautifying properties!
Project Homecoming
ound 4 was bittersweet for the River 6 team. They were stationed in one of the greatest cities in the United States, New Orleans! However, it was also their last round as a team. Suddenly, the fact that the program was almost over seemed all too real to many of the team members. They
had spent the past year getting to know one another and had become quite attached! The River 6 team vowed to make their last project round one to never forget.NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN iver 6 was volunteering in New Orleans with Project Homecoming. New Orleans is still under recovery from Hurricane Katrina and Project Homecoming is just one of the many organizations that is attempting to rebuild the city. Project Homecoming is in charge of many tasks including building homes, revitalizing unstable buildings, and
helping citizens reclaim ownership of their properties. The River 6 team assisted with remodeling numerous project sites. They were in charge of a wide variety of tasks including sanding, painting, flooring, and more. River 6 greatly enjoyed their time in New Orleans. Not only was there plenty of important work to do but their free time was very diverse as well! There was always something new and exciting to do. This adventure will be something River 6 team members shall never forget.
Boys & Girls Club of Central Mississippi & Sherman Ave. Elementary
iver Seven has had an amazing experience working at Sherman Avenue Elementary School (SAE). River Seven worked at Sherman Ave. in Vicksburg, Mississippi, tutoring more than 700 students in kindergarten through third grade. The team supported over 60 teachers and other staff, acting as classroom assistants, individual mentors for at-risk youth, one-on-one assistants for struggling students, and coordinators of both during and after school activities. Many students are atrisk youth who dealt with high-intensity life challenges, including
he team spent a day volunteering at a school-
learning disabilities, lack of parental guidance or other problems
organized yard sale to raise funds for a new play-
at home, and trying to learn English for the first time. The team
ground. Members also attended Family Math Night,
worked alongside the administration of SAE to satisfy the personal
Family Reading Night, and field trips to see an opera, choir, a
needs of all students by giving them extra attention and support
blues band, and the Special Olympics. NCCC Members orga-
that they may not receive elsewhere. For example, NCCC mem-
nized events to reward positive student behavior such as a mini-
bers greeted the students individually every morning by helping
carnival, a popsicle party, a pizza party, and “Smile Day.” The
them out of their cars or welcoming them off the bus, eating lunch
AmeriCorps members ate lunch with their classes, played at
with them, playing at recess, and attending field trips. Many spe-
recess, and also participated in “special area” classes like gym,
cial bonds were formed between team members and students.
music,
Team members undertook new life roles, including mentor, confi-
Our team formed relationships and made memories that will
dant,
more.
surely last a lifetime. Sherman Ave. is a wonderful place, doing
In addition to working inside the classroom, River Seven also par-
amazing things for their students. River Seven feels honored to
ticipated in a number of extra-curricular activities.
be a part of their amazing community.
role
model,
believer,
teacher,
and
art,
science,
and
computer
lab.
Habitat for Humanity Bay Waveland Area
he community of Bay-Waveland, along with the local surrounding cities have benefited from the services provided by Team River Seven. The team’s efforts in helping to reconstruct and renovate the Habitat for Humanity office space and warehouse did a great deal of indirect service to the community. Habitat for Humanity Bay-Waveland has assisted its area with constructing new homes, making repairs and renovations, and weatherizing homes over the past 8 years. River Seven’s efforts provided Habitat for Humanity the opportunities to continue implementing vocation and goodwill towards the community’s needs.
iver Seven was able to meet home owners in the community and engage in a more personable service. Members of the community were able to see Corps members energetic in attending to their needs.
As a result of the home
weatherization projects, the team was able to create an energy efficient home, which in turn helped the homeowner in lowering their energy bills.
Natalie Siedhof We. Ate. Too. Much.
Sneezy Moose Lauren Brink Will Custus Kirsten Flick Rachelle McClellan
Heather Whitney Myyy momma gave me a nickel!
Skipping around the room
Dress up
Camp Easter Seals
he Camp Easter Seals composite team spent 6 weeks in New Castle, Virginia volunteering as camp counselors for adults and children with physical and intellectual disabilities. While this team was composed of members from various teams within the Delta and River units, this incredibly exciting round was a great way to spend time working together and forming new bonds. Members of the composite team gave hands on, round the clock care to their assigned campers while assisting with activities such as swimming, rock climbing, fishing, paintball, archery, horseback riding, arts and crafts, and nature projects. Logging over 100 hour work weeks became the norm, while sleeping became a thing of the past! Overall, every member of the team left camp after that short round with some amazing memories and meaningful friendships. Some members are already working on possibly returning to work there next summer!
STAY CONNECTED, GET INVOLVED! Dear NCCC Alumnus, It may have been just a few months or over a decade since you wore the “A” on your sleeve. However long it’s been, please know NCCC values our alumni as a resource for the contributions you can continue to make to our program. Here are a few ways for you to stay connected and get involved.
HOW DO YOU GET IN TOUCH WITH THE CAMPUS IN YOUR REGION? Atlantic Region Marcia Simms at msimms@cns.gov
CONNECT WITH AN NCCC TEAM SERVING IN YOUR AREA Contact the campus in your region to find out where our teams are located and how you can serve
Connecticut, District of Columbia,
or interact with them.
Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey,
Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto
GET INVOLVED WITH RECRUITMENT You know best what qualities make for an ideal NCCC member. Contact the campus in your region
Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Vermont
to learn more about recruitment opportunities and to obtain recruitment materials.
North Central Region Angela Sarrels at asarrels@cns.gov
SPONSOR A TEAM Do you know or work for an organization that could use a team? Contact the campus in your region
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan,
to learn more about project development and becoming a service project sponsor for an NCCC
Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota,
team.
Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin
SERVE AS A RESOURCE If you are interested in speaking with future and potential applicants about your experience, send
Pacific Region Sandra Hajt at shajt@cns.gov
your contact information to ACNCCC@cns.gov Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, GET INVOLVED WITH A CAMPUS Help with campus life activities, assist with training and Life After AmeriCorps programming,
Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming
participate with the campus working group, or attend a special event. STAY CONNECTED WITH NCCC ONLINE
Southern Region Erica Wilson at ewilson@cns.gov
Facebook.com/AmeriCorpsNCCC — Like us and join the community!
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North
Twitter @AmeriCorpsNCCC — Get short, regular updates!
Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia
LinkedIn — Search for the network “AmeriCorps NCCC Alumni (Official Group)” to network with alumni, friends, and supporters of NCCC and national service
Southwest Region Heather Dirck at hdirck@cns.gov
AmeriCorpsNCCC.tumblr.com — See what’s happening right now with an NCCC team Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, AmeriCorpsAlums.org — Free job listings, resources and networking groups
Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico,
Oklahoma, Texas NCCC Headquarters ncccalumni@cns.gov
Autographs
Remember that time...
Autographs
“ “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure
around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” — Marianne Williamson
“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, Nothing is going to get better. It's not.” — Dr. Seuss
“Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”
“
― Martin Luther King Jr.