Southern Region - 20th Anniversary Edition

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AmeriCorps NCCC Southern Region Newsletter

Special Edition | Featuring Alumni Reflections

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IN THIS ISSUE:

GRACIE

RICHARD

WIL

INVITATION

KEVIN

BRIANNE

WIL & RICH CONT.

SEAN

JEN

DAVID

JONATHAN

GRIFF

DANIELLE

JONATHAN & GRIF CONT.

DAVE & GEN CONT.

CANDLES

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6

8

10

12

14

16

18

19

21

22

23

24

27

28

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TRADITIONAL MEMBER STATEMENT:

I’m a member of the National Civilian Community Corps, an

AmeriCorps Program. N-Triple-C members are 18 to 24 and

spend 10 months getting things done for America while de-

veloping their own leadership. We serve on teams to help

communities prepare for and respond to disasters, build

homes, and help the environment.

To learn more or apply, visit NATIONALSERVICE.GOV/NCCC

or call 1.800.942.2677

FEMA CORPS MEMBER STATEMENT:

The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency

Management Agency (FEMA) and the Corporation for Nation-

al and Community Service (CNCS) have launched an innova-

tive partnership to establish a FEMA-devoted unit of 1,600

service corps members within AmeriCorps National Civilian

Community Corps (NCCC) solely devoted to disaster prepar-

edness, response, and recovery.

SOUTHERN REGION COMMUNITY RELATIONS OFFICE:

Erica E. Wilson, Community Relations Specialist (CRS)

Phone: 601.630.4048 ● Email: [email protected]

Kevin Jones, Community Relations Associate (CRA)


Matthew Payne, Community Relations Support Team Leader

(CRSTL)


This edition is apart of Southern Heat, a monthly newsletter

curated and designed by Matthew Payne, CRSTL . Feedback

is welcomed.

Front & Back Cover Photos: Southern Region AmeriCorps

NCCC Campus in Vicksburg, MS

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST NCCC & FEMA CORPS DEPLOYMENT REPORT.

http://www.nationalservice.gov

http://www.nationalservice.gov/programs/americorps/americorps-nccc/nccc-and-fema-corps-deployment-reports

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I graduated high school in 2012 with no set

goals for school and did not know what I want-

ed to do exactly, but I knew I wanted to do

something with service. I did AmeriCorps National Ci-

vilian Community Corps and graduated in December

of 2013. My NCCC service term changed my life for

the better by directing my passion for service and ig-

niting a fire within myself to carry the commitment of

service with me this year and be-

yond. As an NCCC member I

served in the southern United

States and worked on environmen-

tal stewardship projects in West

Virginia and Mississippi, urban and

rural development projects in Ten-

nessee, infrastructure improvement

from disaster devastated areas in

partnership with Habitat for Hu-

manity in Alabama and with educa-

tional efforts as a Camp Habitat leader for high school

and middle school students in Kentucky. Because of

the great and new challenging experiences I had with

NCCC, I had a yearning to serve again before I started

school in the fall of 2014. So, having never been camp-

ing before and the desire to serve again I decided to

serve in Colorado this past summer as an AmeriCorps

crew member with Rocky Mountain Youth Corps to

enhance environmental stewardship. We spent all of

our summer living and working in the outdoors. This

experience has had a tremendous effect on me be-

cause with the help of my crew members, I may have

been challenged in the camping aspect but the en-

couragement I received on and off the worksite far

outweighed the challenges ahead. I learned through

my experience with AmeriCorps NCCC and RMYC

that when difficult situations arise we are called to

meet them and move on while working with the envi-

ronment, hard work, and a strong team is vital in this

process. Because of RMYC and NCCC I have no doubt

that the lessons I have learned in the woods and on the

field will benefit me both professionally and personally.

I have now returned to the DC area after my gap year

of service with goals of pursuing a degree in Govern-

ment and International Affairs, to join

the Peace Corps masters program

after college and my ultimate goal is

to be a Foreign Service Officer for

the United States. AmeriCorps

NCCC has truly changed my life for

the better and I want to continue

progressing in service skills and I

want to articulate the importance

that National Service has on our

country and future generations. I

started attending Northern Virginia College in Septem-

ber of 2014 and desire to invest my time in service,

expand my skills, gain insight on AmeriCorps, reach

out to the local community and grow my professional

skills as a leader. I accepted a volunteer position as the

AmeriCorps DC Chapter Social Committee Co-Chair.

My goal as a Social Co-Chair is to network with colleg-

es, high schools, elementary schools and non-profits in

the DC and surrounding areas to do as many volunteer

events, community events and alum events as possible

to build strong relations and to represent AmeriCorps

the best way possible while building an even greater

community of AmeriCorps Alums in the Nation's capi-

tal. This is the best fit for me during this time because I

am living in the Northern Virginia area and want to to

see my community step up and serve with AmeriCorps

Gracie Billingsley

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Gracie Billingsley

in DC and my local community in Virginia and want to

coordinate service projects in DC and the surrounding

areas with a focus on youth. I don't think enough peo-

ple know about AmeriCorps and the invaluable affects

the organization has on future generations, generations

currently and of the Nation as a whole. I truly believe in

AmeriCorps and want to bring what I learned in my

service terms back home and to link up with other com-

munity leaders to raise awareness, funds and people to

answer the call to service. I am forever grateful for my

service terms because these experiences truly shaped

my life and gave me the confidence I need to fulfill my

dreams. I have learned that my task is not done when

the hard day is over or I have overcome a challenge,

rather the true accomplishment will be the realization

that I am not done because service is a life fulfilling

commitment that is unending and needed for all of hu-

manity.

Thank you so much for allowing me the privilege to

answer these questions. I have attached four photos of

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Embrace the fumes.

No, not the rankness pervading a 15-passenger

van by Week 6 of spike. The paint fumes. The

mildly brain-damaging (without proper ventila-

tion) odor from the most perennial and uncele-

brated of substances that features in every

NCCC member’s term. The smell from the rolling

and edging, whose monotony grinds at the pa-

tience of members and gives rise to an ever-

growing menu of goofy team-builders and other

people’s favorite music to pass the time.

So why the embrace?

I joined NCCC in 1998 to spend a “gap year” –

my last chance to do something adventurous and

spend some real time volunteering – away from

my career as a newspaper reporter in upstate

New York. Sixteen years later, I have yet to sit in

another newsroom, but I am regularly reminded

of those 10 months in NCCC that would redirect

my life and career.

Still warming up to my teammates on Blue 3, I

found myself in Round 1 assigned to a five-week

painting project at Sullivan’s Island Elementary

School, near the old Southern Region Campus in

Charleston, SC. A local project when all of the

other teams left for spike. And all painting, the

whole time. I can’t even say it was badly

“needed,” judging by the walls as we arrived,

but we assembled our base camp under a stair-

well and cracked open the five-gallon buckets.

There is a limit to how many cinder blocks you

can paint white and beige, in almost identical

Rich Smith

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I joined AmeriCorps NCCC in 2003. As a Corps

Member, my team helped Habitat for Humanity

in Lawrence, MA build two houses from framing

the structure to roofing. We partnered with Covenant

House, a homeless prevention and transition center in

New York City. We tutored youth and built the capaci-

ty of a charter school in Baltimore and we renovated

outdated structures at an inter-faith camp in New

Hampshire. My teammates were as varied as the work.

I learned that while we each had different motivations

for serving, we could all come together to get some-

thing done for America. I said I joined because I met

an AmeriCorps alum wearing a sweatshirt; I liked the

design so decided to volunteer ten months of my life

to get one for myself. The truth was that I wasn’t sure

what I wanted to do with my life after earning a bache-

lors degree, but I knew I wanted to do something

meaningful and feared I would end up doing some-

thing inconsequential.

AmeriCorps NCCC provided me with the opportunity

to travel and see the country – as a native Texan I had

never ventured to the northeast, so being able to walk

through the cities I had read about in our nation’s his-

tory gave me a patriotic thrill. AmeriCorps NCCC intro-

duced me to amazing people, some of who shared

little in common with me, that I found myself not only

volunteering beside, but coordinating cooking and

cleaning schedules, along with a weekly shopping list.

This exposure to different cultures and backgrounds,

which occasionally led to sitcom-tv worthy conflicts and

restoration, gave me the skills and experience to thrive

Wil Dalton

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Kevin Jones

The journey of a lifetime.

It was March 2009. I was serving my first AmeriCorps

term as a Volunteer Coordinator for Hands on Gulf

Coast (now Hands on Mississippi). A colleague of

mines, an NCCC alum, recommended that I apply to

be a Team Leader for Ameri-

Corps NCCC. My initial re-

sponse was “hell no”! Fast

forward six months to Sep-

tember 11, 2009. It was the

first 9/11 Day of Service and

Delta 1, an NCCC Southern

Region team was working

with us for our big event.

Again, my colleague kept

pushing for me to apply but I didn’t see it happening.

AmeriCorps NCCC was an unknown territory for me

and I didn’t like venturing into the unknown. Howev-

er, during that day of service, I took 3 minutes to

speak with the Delta 1 Team Leader and within those

3 minutes, I was sold. A month later, while sitting up

at 3am, I decided that it was time to apply.

Two and a half months ago, I found myself on a 6am

flight from Memphis to Baltimore. What I didn’t know

was that this year was going to be the most adven-

turous, challenging year of my life. My eleven months

of service saw my team and I serve all across the north-

east United States and New Orleans. During my elev-

en months of service, I gained a plethora of profes-

sional skills that would come in handy as I transitioned

into other professional opportuni-

ties.

While I had intended on serving

just one term of NCCC, my Unit

Leader asked me if I would be

interested in returning and after

some long reflection, I figured

that another year couldn’t hurt.

This time around, I decided that I

would drive from Mississippi to

Perry Point. Upon arriving at the campus, there was a

moment in which I asked myself, “Are you ready to do

this again”? Indeed, I was ready to do it again and my

team and I found ourselves responding to multiple

disasters, pulling invasives, working on an organic farm

and lots more.

While there were many moments in which I struggled

as a Team Leader, ultimately, AmeriCorps NCCC was

one of the best experiences of my life. I have made

friends that will play a major part in my life moving

forward. I managed 18 amazing, hard-working, loving

human beings that taught me some great lessons

about life.

For any person that is not sure about their next steps

in life, I whole-heartedly recommend AmeriCorps

NCCC. It will not always be easy but at the end of this

experience, you will walk away with so many new skills,

revelations about yourself, and memories that you will

carry for a lifetime.

Kevin Jones

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We’ve

spent 20

years

getting

things

done for

America. LEARN MORE AT WWW.AMERICORPS.GOV

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Why did you join NCCC?

A friend of mine from college, Cyndie, graduated a

couple years before me and joined NCCC in Charles-

ton. When went on a Habitat for Humanity spring

break trip there, I met up with her and she shared

what an awesome experience she was having.

What was your favorite part?

Becoming something in between friends and siblings

with my teammates and being exposed to amazing

work that put me out of my comfort zone.

What was it like to serve?

Serving in NCCC was like a constant adventure and

personal growth opportunity.

What was your most interesting project?

The most interesting project I worked was doing in-

processing for the Red Cross in New Orleans two

months after Katrina.

What was the most challenging aspect of your ser-

vice year?

The biggest challenge during my service year was

learning to take time for myself by being alone.

Can you tell us a story in which you learned some-

thing about yourself through service?

Through setting up ISPs, I learned that initiating some-

thing positive in our communities is not hard, it should

be expected of us all.

What advice would you give to current Corps Mem-

bers or prospective applicants who are interested in

NCCC?

Unless you hate living with other people, you need to

join this program. You won't regret it.

Where are you now in life and how did AmeriCorps

affect your life path?

I am back with AmeriCorps NCCC. I left for a while to

teach and manage a few community-based nonprofits.

I doubt I'd work for AmeriCorps now if I hadn't been a

corps member or team leader.

How have you continued to serve beyond NCCC?

I love to dance so I have continued to offer free dance

fitness classes in the communities where I've lived.

Q&A

Brianne Connelly

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classrooms and endless hallways, before you

question what on earth you’re doing here. Minor

arguments ensued – politics, bands, etc. – and

personality quirks became exposed with such

excessive time for nitpicking. A few contemplat-

ed quitting. But as the project came to a close,

our skills deepened, our team strengthened, and

our pride grew as we realized that almost every

inch of this sprawling place of learning was fresh-

ened by our hands. A Thanksgiving party with the

students in one of our newly painted rooms

capped it all off.

We had embraced

the fumes – a.k.a.

the journey.

Later that year, I

became our Team

Leader. I returned

in Class VI to lead a

different-in-every-

way-but - just -as -

memorable Blue 3.

Many houses were

built, children tutored and invasive exotic plants

slaughtered along the way. I have served in a va-

riety of staff positions ever since. I even married

and had a daughter with the sister of one of my

members.

They say that memory is tied to smell more than

any other sense. Today when I pry open a can of

paint to spruce up my home, the smell wafting

into my sinuses transports me to that school. And

to the friends and sense of community, the ideal-

ists, the weird, the laughter, the weekend frolics,

and the people I would have never known and

the places I would have never been without

Rich Smith

in a diverse and global workplace.

Volunteering with AmeriCorps

NCCC, I learned first hand about

many community problems and

was inspired by the many commu-

nity driven solutions. The exposure

to difficulties facing my fellow

Americans matured me as a person

as I learned that to address large

problems, I couldn’t rely on just

myself (or any one person), but

that large community problems

required a communal response.

I returned to AmeriCorps NCCC in 2005 as a Team

Leader, where in addition to serving America

through various service projects, I also served my

team through encouragement and motivation. We

assisted a camp serving city youth in New York as

counselors; we removed invasive species in the

Eastern shores of Maryland; we partnered with Hab-

itat for Humanity in Massachusetts; and as I men-

tioned at the beginning, we helped in the emergen-

cy response to Hurricane Katrina.

For the year I served as an AmeriCorps NCCC Team

Leader, my team was recognized as the most-

bonded and closest team at the end-of-service

recognition ceremony. The fulfillment I received

helping encourage and motivate my fellow corps

members that year eventually led me to pursue a

career in student affairs, where I currently work, ad-

vising and hopefully inspiring college students to be

the best they can be - and like my AmeriCorps

friends – to do something meaningful with their

lives – and to get things done for America. (“To get

things done for America” is kind of a password for

AmeriCorps NCCC alums, it’s the opening phrase in

the AmeriCorps NCCC pledge).

Wil Dalton

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I joined AmeriCorps NCCC because a good

friend, Brianne Connelly, recommended the

program and felt I would enjoy being a team

leader. I had just graduated from college and was not

sure that I wanted to be a police officer at the time

and took the NCCC opportunity. It turned out to be

one of the best deci-

sions of my life. It gave

me great professional

opportunities and I also

met a woman who I

eventually married.

My team was Fire 1 and

consisted of a group of

characters from every

corner of the country.

My team was constantly

in flux as we were losing

and gaining members every round. I had two firefight-

ers on my team that spent half the year on fire deploy-

ments so they came and went regularly. I had mem-

bers transferred to my team both temporarily and per-

manently so it was always a challenge to manage the

team dynamic. We had great projects in Baton Rouge,

LA, Biloxi, MS, Bay St. Louis, MS, and Maumee, OH.

During the year, my unit leader became the deputy

director and I applied for the UL position. I wasn’t sure

I had a chance, but during the third round, they of-

fered me the job. Making the transition from team

leader to unit leader was a big jump. I went from wor-

rying about a few team members who were usually

within eye sight to members all over the country. I was

only 23 at the time, but I got my first taste of parental

responsibility then. I really enjoyed the travel and field

work of being a team leader but being a unit leader

was even better. Being able to play such a major role

in projects, training, and mentoring the unit was awe-

some.

After a few years as unit leader, I still wondered daily

about being a police officer. When I had an opportuni-

ty to move back to the area I grew up and work for a

first rate department, I took the

new challenge. Serving in Amer-

iCorps NCCC gave me a great

base for being a police officer.

Every day I work with people

from all walks of life. Ameri-

Corps NCCC is service based,

which on a deeper level is root-

ed in compassion for others.

When I became a UL, my wife

(who was a friend at that point)

told me that the most important

thing to remember when I dealt with team leaders and

corps members was to have “compassion”. Every TL

and CM gave something up to join NCCC and decided

to serve others. Regardless of how similar or different

they were, they all had that in common. It was a mes-

sage I tried to pass on to my unit every year. It also

helped restore perspective when the days got long or

difficult…by reminding me and reminding others what

NCCC is really about.

Sean Kuether

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L ooking back at my "NCCC career", I feel

blessed to have bared witness to so many

historical moments in NCCC's storied histo-

ry. AmeriCorps NCCC was a major player in my life

from 1997 - 2014. I've watched it grow from a pilot

program to an organization celebrating it's 20th year

in existence. NCCC members have been "getting

things done" for two decades now, but no ones steps

up to the plate quite like our organization when disas-

ter strikes. From 9/11 to Katrina to Sandy, we have

answered the call each and every time. What service

organization do you know makes a 5 year commitment

to rebuilding the gulf states devastated by Hurricane

Katrina in 2005...and honored it. Once the water re-

ceded, taking the media attention and nation's focus

with it, we stayed. We rebuilt. We gave hope. We re-

stored.

Each service year has a natural ebb and flow. It is to be

expected that there be a dip in motivation towards the

end. As the days towards graduation grow nearer,

members are torn between their NCCC life and the

one that awaits them back home. When I was a Unit

Leader, I termed the phrase, "cattle prod time." Your

TLs and CMs are tired, restless and anxious. You try to

make things as seamless as possible to end the year

with as little disruptions as possible. After asking them

to be flexible for 10 months its the least you can do.

So, imagine the scenario laid out before me on Octo-

ber 29th, 2012 when Hurricane Sandy dealt a mighty

blow to the eastern seaboard...15 days before gradua-

tion. I knew what was needed and that we were the

ones who could pull it off. But, I also knew what I was

asking of them. I was asking members who had given it

their all for 10 months to give even more. I didn't ex-

pect much. History should have taught me better.

Jen Horan

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In February of 2011, I boarded a plane from Provi-

dence, Rhode Island to Cedar Rapids, Iowa to begin

serving as a Corps Member in Class 17 at the North

Central Region campus. As I was en route to Iowa, I

didn’t know what to ex-

pect. I was issued a uniform

shortly after arriving at

campus. I remember the

feeling I got when I first

wore the grey shirt with the

AmeriCorps NCCC logo. I

felt relieved that I had

made it. It was a humbling

feeling that I was ready to

serve and “leave my mark.”

One of our spike projects

was in Mississippi where we

performed debris cleanup

in several communities that

had been affected by tornadoes. I remember how

shocked I was when I saw so many homes destroyed.

I was even more shocked at how positive some of the

locals were after such a devastating occurrence. I

never imagined I’d be back in Mississippi in such a

relatively short period of time.

Our team was sent to Minot, North Dakota to assist

in flood relief. Over 2,000 homes had been de-

stroyed. Personally, this was the most challenging

spike for me. Not only was it a very emotional project

to serve on, but I was tasked with leading our team

for a two-week period while my Team Leader went

on emergency leave. I was proud to lead our team in

accomplishing the task of mucking and gutting over

20 buildings in that community.

We also served as camp counselors at Camp Coura-

geous of Iowa; a year-long special needs camp. I

loved this project because we got to lead a different

group of campers each week on camp activities and

trips. Most campers attend

Camp Courageous for one

week each year. It is the one

week of the year they look

forward to the most! I was

thankful to be apart of their

camp experience, and I was

even more grateful that they

were apart of mine.

I returned for a second year

of AmeriCorps NCCC as a

Team Leader at the Pacific

Region campus in Sacramen-

to, California. This was a

whole new AmeriCorps expe-

rience for me as I was now responsible for a team of

diverse young adults. My Team Leader year tested

my confidence and decision-making skills during

stressful times. I was proud that our team served in

New York City during the Hurricane Sandy relief ef-

fort. A majority of our time was spent at a shelter and

food pantry. I remember how cold it was and how

long people waited in line to simply get food and

clothing. This was a very moving experience for our

team. It made us realize how desperate people were

and how much help they needed.

Our team also served at an elementary school in Ore-

gon where we beautified a community garden that

hadn’t been tended to in over two years. It was

amazing how much better it looked in only a couple

David Condlin

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I joined because I love to travel and volunteer; and

when I heard about AmeriCorps NCCC I couldn't pass

up the opportunity!


The relationships that I built with my teammates as

well as all the construction skills that I have learned.


Like I tell all my CMs, you will have a lot of fun but you

will have a lot of problems that you need to work out

along the way.


Saint Bernard Project in Chalmette, LA, during my Cm

year was my favorite project. I personally led 117 vol-

unteers repairing homes and, by far, picked up the

most useful home repair skills.

What was the most challenging aspect of your service

year?

Leading a Team of 12 members my TL year. I had to

set aside my ego and pride and really listen to my Cms.

I adapted my leadership skills and technique through-

out the year to fit and work with each individual mem-

ber.

Can you tell us a story in which you learned something

about yourself through service?

I learned that I could really stretch my limits both men-

tally and skill wise. I never thought I could supervise 15

volunteers at one time to rebuild a home devastated

by Hurricane Katrina.

What skills did you gain as an NCCC member?

The most valuable would be my construction skills and

ability to work with a diverse group of people.

Q&A

Jonathan Chan

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I joined NCCC so that I could get know the United

States. I was looking at doing Peace Corps after col-

lege, but felt like I didn't know enough about my own

country.


I enjoyed the people. It is incredibly motivating to be

around fellow Corps Members and Team Leaders. Al-

so, the project sponsors, volunteers, community mem-

bers were a big part of my service years.


It was the an incredible time of growth and develop-

ment and put me on my current life path.


When I was a Corps Member we served at a wildlife

sanctuary in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The pro-

ject was unique and the community support for the

organization was inspiring.

What was the most challenging aspect of your service

year?

The challenge was when we were deployed to respond

to tornadoes that hit Alabama. We worked long hours,

with little time off. Keeping my team mentally and

physically motivated was a challenge at times, but we

focused on the survivors and their needs.

Can you tell us a story in which you learned something

about yourself through service?

I learned from a site supervisor something that I will

never forget. He said that a life dedicated to the ser-

vice of others will always be a fulfilling one. That has

stuck with me and is what has kept me in NCCC.

Q&A

Griff Ryan-Roberts

24

A pproximately 5 years ago, I did my phone

interview with NCCC after applying on a

whim. Originally when I put in the appli-

cation, I had a job I loved and was in a great situation

that I could hardly imagine myself leaving and I pre-

sumed even I was accepted, despite the fact it

seemed pretty interesting, I probably wouldn’t end up

doing it. Nevertheless for some reason I turned in that

application. By the time September rolled around,

long after I had forgotten about filling out that appli-

cation, and the phone rang for the interview, my situa-

tion had changed completely, AmeriCorps seemed

like a breath of fresh air, a new start.

In my AmeriCorps year, I travelled the country

(Baltimore, Rhode Island, New Orleans, New Hamp-

shire and Long Island, NY), and bonded with 10 com-

pletely unique individuals from all over the US, who

started out as strangers and became like family. We

lived together, worked together, and we adventured

together. Of course we bickered and fought some-

times, but the memories and experiences we had were

unforgettable and I can honestly say are some of my

fondest. Whether it was biking ridiculously steep hills

in New Hampshire, building houses in New Orleans,

adding firewood to the fire pits in the river in Provi-

dence (RI), checking out the view of Baltimore from the

roof of the abandoned school we were living in or rid-

ing in the back of a Nature Conservancy scientist’s

pickup truck to collect samples on a secluded island

(Shelter Island, NY), or just dancing to our favorite

song (Telephone by Beyonce and Lady Gaga) in our

team van, we lived every day to the max. I think the

Danielle Lambert

25

coolest thing about AmeriCorps is that every team’s

experience is completely different. The projects are

different, which makes the experience different, but

also the individuals are different which can affect the

experience almost as much the project. To say

AmeriCorps NCCC is life-changing is only really

touching the tip of the iceberg and there is no way

to fully describe the effect the program has had on

my life. It not only broadened my horizons and

opened my eyes to new places, ideas, and issues, it

made me a better and stronger person.

Where I am today was started by a chain of events

that began in AmeriCorps (New Orleans to be spe-

cific). Although going through the exact story would

take more space than the allotted 750 words available,

today I am sitting at my desk in my home in Tilaran,

Costa Rica, where I have been living with my husband

since 2012. We are planning to move back to the USA

this year (or whenever they finally approve his visa). In

2015, we want to work and travel our way around the

country (stopping in to visit my old AmeriCorps pals

and perhaps some of our old projects) before settling

down for a while in Virginia.

Danielle Lambert

26

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What advice would you give to current or pro-

spective members?

Come here without expectations. Develop goals

and desires as you grow in the program. I found

that having specific expectations limits member's

ability to take full advantage of all the different

opportunities that are available in AmeriCorps

NCCC.

Where are you now in life and how did Ameri-

Corps affect your life path?

I am currently a Unit Leader for the Unit I served

in as a member. My Unit Leader inspired me to

improve myself and I realized just how much

helping and mentoring others means to me.


I serve by being a force multiplier. As a Unit Lead-

er I help my members serve multiple communi-

ties. I also became an Assistant Scoutmaster

where I am able to help mentor other youth in an

educational/service program.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Join AmeriCorps NCCC!!! It is life changing and

you get to travel and learn and serve and meet

the most amazing people in the world!

What skills did you gain as an NCCC member?

I gained the ability to trust in my skills and

know that no challenge is too great. I also

learned that often times all anyone needs is just

to be heard.

What advice would you give to current or pro-

spective members?

Take advantage of every opportunity that comes

your way. You never know what door you may

open to find your true passion.

Where are you now in life and how did Ameri-

Corps affect your life path?

Well, I'm still with NCCC, so clearly it has had a

huge impact. I love and believe in


After my NCCC years, I served as an AmeriCorps

VISTA with the California Conservation Corps. It

was great to experience another corps and how

they operate.

Anything else you’d like to add?

If you are thinking of coming back as a Team

Leader, please consider the beautiful Pacific Re-

gion!

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Not only did they respond, they did it with

the most dedication I've ever seen in my

entire NCCC tenure. I had never been

prouder of our organization. These "kids"

systematically set up and operated emer-

gency shelters for 600+ displaced residents

when basic resources were minimal and

support from national relief agencies was

lacking. They worked round the clock, they

did personal care for the elderly, they com-

forted the children, they fed the hungry and

throughout, they never once complained.

They knew, like I knew, that they were ex-

actly where they needed to be and that

they would look back on those last two

weeks for the rest of their lives and be

grateful for having had the experience.

They came home three days before gradua-

tion, raised their right hands to say the

pledge one last time together and left the

Ameri-World for good. I've never been

more inspired to have been a part of this

amazing organization and am so honored to

have called myself a proud member for 15

out of the 20 years it has been changing this

country for the better.

Jennifer Horan

of weeks! We also created nature trails in the

woods behind the school which the students

absolutely loved.

During our final round project, our team was

camping in central California when I received a

call from the Southern Region Campus in

Vicksburg, Mississippi. I interviewed for a posi-

tion, and I am now proud to say that I have

been the Residence Coordinator at the Ameri-

Corps NCCC Southern Region campus for over

a year.

AmeriCorps NCCC has taught me so much

about myself and others as well. I am proud

that during my service, we were able to ac-

complish so much good for so many people. I

am grateful for the skills I have learned and the

confidence the program has instilled in me. As

I meet new NCCC members beginning their

journey, I am hopeful that they will have similar

positive experiences. When I see the Ameri-

Corps NCCC logo on their uniforms, I am re-

minded of that same humbling feeling I got

when I first put on my grey shirt.

Dave Condlin

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Documents

Southern Region - 20th Anniversary Edition