ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Class XX, thank you for your
service. Carry the commitment
from this moment forward.
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.
COLOPHON
Photographs and reflections
contributed by Class XX members.
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
Deputy Director Units
Rich Smith
Deputy Director Programs
Wade Williams
Deputy Director Operations
Becky Harris
Program Associate
Joseph Holbrooks
Counselor
Leigh-Ann Dennis
Counselor
Erica Wilson
Community Relations Specialist
Kevin Jones
Community Relations Assoc.
April Bazzi
Asst. Program Director
Stephanie Gittinger
Asst. Program Director
Kelvin Rankin
Asst. Program Director
Brianne Connelly
Member Development
Mindy Brown
Asst. Program Director—Training
Tasha Butler
Program Associate
Tamika Eatmon
Training Specialist
Sharee Carlock
Member Support Specialist
Carrie Ogborn-Smith
Asst. Member Support
Paul Klockars
Support Services Specialist
Larry Henney
Fleet Manager
Andrea Gewirtzman
Resource Manager
Briana Courchesne-Owades
Asst. Resource Manager
David Condlin
Residence Coordinator
Jonathan Chan
Delta Unit Leader
Ted Rivera
River Unit Leader
Monica Ford
Bayou Unit Leader
Justin Fuller
Coast Unit Leader
Rachel Turner
Gulf Unit Leader
Chris Reed-Waddell
Summit Unit Leader
for everything you’ve done to make this year possible!
John Antolik Emily Baker Frank Kaner Nichole Letizia Michael Miller
Chassie Nix Malia Olloway Matthew Payne Sara Pearson Elizabeth Reitzell
Breanne Roseman Nicole Schultz Jaclyn Searle Natalie Siedhof Nicholas Snow
Cayde Sprecker Benjamin Tryon Kendall Uyehara
Molly Conlin Nicholas Galiardo Holly Gerring Andrew Oh Daniel Padilla
Curicé Paulüs Matthew Ridgeway
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 Carlos Gonzalez Robert Goodman Jessica Gottlob
Manuela Hincapie Stavanna Holmes-Loury Adrieanna Howard Christian Hunter Rebecca Janisch
Tanner Jenkins Jules Juniker Jerry Keys Kristina Koonce Eric Kranz
Douglas Laberge-Flowers Tracy Lorimor 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 Uniqua Samuel-Jefferson Lynika Saunders Rebecca Schmitz
Jessica Schreuder Emily Sholberg Kionte Smith Wynter Smith Kenneth Smith II
Frankie Stroud Katelyn Tharp Essence Thomas Cameron Tingkang Hannah Wendling
Heather Whitney James Wilborn Rowana Winget David Wright Nicole Yetke
Bradley Barnett Meghan Benzel Jay’on Brown Elias Buzzell Kristen Cabell
Emily Casell 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 Aviana Jordan
Doniella McKoy Andrew Moignard Miles Morgan Clarice Nichols Brianna Ortiz
Adriana Ortiz Karen Pell Ryan Rakhshan Kiara Rice Dylan Rine
Emily Schueler Sean Scott Luke Shea Erin Sliney Joshua Suiso
Kayla Thompson Brendan Toungate Kyle Waller
eam leaders arrived to campus in January for four weeks of Team Leader Training. In addition to leadership training, TLs partici-
pated 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
2,709 VOLUNTEERS LED &
COORDINATED
BY THE NUMBERS
689,461 LBS OF TRASH, DEBRIS &
VEGETATION REMOVED
20 HOMES REFURBISHED
FOR DISASTER VICTIMS
296 HOMES PAINTED OR
RENOVATED
1218 K-12 STUDENTS TUTORED
1631 AT RISK YOUTH ASSISTED
TRADITIONAL NCCC
833 SENIOR CITIZENS & PEO-
PLE WITH DISABILITIES
ASSISTED
1,278 TREES PLANTED
15,994 ACRES BURNED IN
PERSCRIBED BURNS TO
PREVENT WILDFIRE
40 COMMUNITY GARDENS
STARTED OR TENDED TO
30 NEW HOMES
CONSTRUCTED
181 MILES OF TRAIL CON-
STRUCTED OR RESTORED
Four AmeriCorps NCCC teams (36 Corps members and Team Leaders) responded to disaster re-
quests 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.
DISAST ER RESPO N SE
GETTING THINGS DONE
203 PHOTOS, VIDEOS OR OTH-
ER MEDIA GIS GEOTAGGED
BY THE NUMBERS
2,029 PEOPLE PROVIDED
DISASTER INFORMATION
8,255 HOURS OF GENERAL
ADMINISTRATIVE
DUTIES PERFORMED
1,100 INDIVIDUALS PROVIDED
FOOD & WATER
78,360 POUNDS OF SUPPLIES
COLLECTED, RECEIVED,
AND DISTRIBUTED
FEMA CORPS
1,840,000 POUNDS OF SUPPLIES
SORTED, INVENTORIED,
AND REPACKAGED
9,456 PROJECT WORKSHEETS
PROCESSED, REVIEWED,
AND UPDATED
368 TRAINING, INSTRUCTION,
OTHER MATERIALS DE-
VELOPED FOR EXISTING
ACTIVITIES
354 INDIVIDUALS REGISTERED
DOOR-TO-DOOR, AT A
FACILITY (WALK-UPS), OR
AT SHELTERS
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.
DISAST ER RESPO N SE
Molly Conlin
Breann Coats
Jared Cooper
Thomas Dutcher
Doniella McKoy
Erin Sliney
Josh Suiso
Olive Garden We have a team plant
named Priscilla (RIP)
Did you move that to
the tracker board?
Have you submitted
a request for that?
“Curbs happen”
Lucas Millman
Jessica Walton
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 com-
modities 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 contin-
ued 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
Elias Buzzell
Kristen Cabell
Micah Ehiorobo
Ashley Fagan
Miles Morgan
Brianna (Bri) Ortiz
Brendan Toungate
Chinese Buffet
Goldeen
Space Jam
DC… Again! Yay!
I Didn’t Come Here
to Die
Sarah Audley
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 re-
ceived a tour of an OEM USAR warehouse facility in Brook-
lyn which was very neat. They showed us around the ware-
house 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
round in Winchester, VA. Then they traveled
to Anniston, Boston and DC. They were all
really great trips. The work was awesome and each place
had their own unique offerings for off time. In Boston,
some people had family and friends there, so it was great
for them to be able to see some familiar faces. In Win-
chester Coast 2 worked in a warehouse helping put to-
gether some to-go kits.
n Anniston they worked at the CDP. Coast 2
met some awesome other teams there as well,
so PT was fun. On the way to DC, we even got
the chance to stop and visit CNN World Headquarters! In
DC, Coast 2 worked back in HQ, met some cool other
teams and also saw some familiar faces on other teams.
Boston was extremely fun. The POC in Boston was
astounding. She took the team into Boston to see the re-
gional office there. All in all, Coast 2's second round was
pretty phenomenal.
oast 2's final round took place in Washington
DC. Most of the team was trying to focus on
their LAA plans since it had come to that time
of the year already. The team took a trip to Great Falls for a
half day. The weather outside was perfect for that. The
work in the office was the same. Some of us had constant
work, others just worked on their LAA plans, but either way
we all kept busy one way or another.
For our National Day of Service we aided in creating neck-
laces and hats. Everyone brought their imagination and
created some pretty interesting items. Coast 2 also had a
White House Tour. Throughout the round we had the pleas-
ure of meeting some of the new FEMA Corps Class 21A
teams, so it was interesting to pass on what we have done
and our experiences to them, now they know what to ex-
pect. The team had our ups and downs, but for the most
part we became like a second family to one another and
made friends that we will keep for a while. It was fun, but
now it's time to check out and go on our next adventure
whatever life throws our way!
Holly Gerring
Tarsis Gotay
Lindsey Hirsch
Karen Pell
Ryan Rakshan
Dylan Rine
Luke Shea
Team Soccer Parmesan cheese &
hot sauce
“Montana happened”
New Jersey ended
our streak of “M”
states: Mississippi,
Maryland, Montana,
New Jersey.
Our elderly van has
taken us far
Samantha Clark
ound one was filled with many exciting ad-
ventures and events. Coast 3 worked in
national preparedness in the DC area, trav-
eled 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 Washing-
ton 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 do-
ing 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 con-
tinuing a lifetime of service.
Andy Oh
Sarah Chandler
Andrew Donahue
Michael Jeffers
Aviana Jordan
Clarice Nichols
Kyle Waller
Independent We’ve had multiple
vans this year...
Cheezy Bread
We’ve all grown in
ways we didn’t be-
lieve possible.
“makes sense”
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 our-
selves 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 Ver-
mont 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 Na-
tional Capital Region, this time working in Crys-
tal 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, CNCS HQ and other amazing locations.
D D D D D D D D D D D D
or our final round Coast 4 found
itself in a whirlwind tour of near-
ly 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.
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J
e were exposed to many non-
profits that operate at the local
level in times of disasters, in-
cluding the Mississippi Emergency Manage-
ment Agency (MEMA), The Salvation Army,
Knights of Columbus, United Way of Gulf
Coast and finally Volunteer Mississippi.
Whew!
Daniel Padilla
Bradley Barnett
Meghan Benzel
Jay’on Brown
Emily Casell
Andrew Moignard
Adriana Ortiz
Sean Scott
Law & Order: SVU Free
Cole, open the door
La furgoneta
Law & Order Theme
Song
Bridget Whittredge
n our first round, Coast 5 got to
work for the FEMA National Exer-
cise Division (NED) in downtown
Washington D.C.. For a month and a half, we
worked with FEMA Disaster Survivor Assis-
tance (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.
We’ve traveled 22% of
the continental US and
have been in every
time zone
Matthew Ridgeway
Kirsten Grislis
Josh Hibbard
Erik Hoagland
Kiara Rice
Emily Schueler
Kayla Thompson
Every member of
the team has their
own name for the
van.
We have a CM born in
every year from ‘89 to
‘94
We had a pet raccoon
named Mi
Charles Hart
Ayren Hart
Cole Davis
David French
As seen above,
everyone on the
team has dressed
up as a character
from Sesame
Street.
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 un-
documented 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 cultur-
al and historical landmarks of DC, and worked hard in
supporting FEMA's national logistics response and re-
covery 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."
or Coast Six’s third and final deployment, the team
departed Vicksburg MS, October 1st at 8AM sharp.
The familiarity of the drive - almost second nature
by now - stirred our souls and created an eager want to hit
the road. In just 2 days of travel, the team had been through 5
states, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and Virgin-
ia. The Corps Members were all excited because the team had
served with the Urban Search & Rescue facility in Herndon in
Round 2 and was looking forward to working with FEMA POCs
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 sup-
ported the Urban Search and Rescue Mission, satiated our
hunger for adventure, and explored the bounds of our person-
al and professional selves. Overall, as this wild 10-month
journey comes to an end, Coast Six ran the gamut, tackling
many challenges in and outside the work place – and ahead of
graduation - optimistically looking towards the future, with a
few new skills, memories, and a bit more equipped to face
life’s biggest questions.
Cayde Sprecker
Aaron Albert
Coty Brennan
Courtni Bruce
Louis Glenn
Tracy Lorimor
Alex Rettig
Cameron Tingkang
Theo Williams
Primus Inter Pares
The Enterprise
Bear Force One
The Mach 5
“...FOR DAYS” Thundercougarfalconbird
Kentucky Colonels
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 con-
struction 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 F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F = =
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 Ken-
tucky, as our main task was just clearing brush that had grown over the trail. The trail we were working on in the National Mili-
tary 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.
Lincoln Trail District Health Department & Vicksburg National Military Park
or our second round project, Delta 1 was select-
ed to work with The St. Bernard Project in New
Orleans and Chalmette, Louisiana. Before start-
ing work with SBP (St. Bernard Project), Delta 1 corps
members attended an orientation with SBP and were as-
signed positions. Corps members Alex Rettig and Coty
Brennan were selected for serving as Assistant Carpen-
ters, 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 con-
struction 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 pro-
cess, forcing you to start again from the begin-
ning.jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj
j j
eanwhile, Corps members Alex Rettig and Coty
Brennan were selected to be Assistant Carpen-
ters 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 con-
structing 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.
The St .Bernard Project
ound 3 Delta 1 was nestled high up in the Appa-
lachians in northwestern North Carolina. For
two and a half weeks we were building a natu-
ral 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 inter-
pretive 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 pro-
vided 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 look-
ing for a giant salamander species called the Eastern
Hellbender with biologists from Appalachian State Univer-
sity. 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.
New River State Park
hen it came to the trail however, it was a differ-
ent 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 rang-
ers, 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!
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 spon-
sor, 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 start-
ed running an Art Camp for the children every Monday
offering classes in sports, dancing, drawing, and face
painting for any children interested.
Tallulah Charter School
John Antolik
Ella Allen
Diana Atalla
Vicki Cheung
Brittany Drolet
Issac Martin
Allie Maynard
Jovany Ponce
Kionte Smith
“Delta 2 doesn’t get
tired”
The Pug
We’re all introverts
Turn down for what
Batman
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 Vir-
gil 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 Sun-
dance Ranch.
Rivers to Ridges Heritage Trail, Inc.
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 insu-
lation, use various power tools, place baseboard,
and many other things. One of the volunteer groups
we worked with was called Project Children. Pro-
ject Children, is a volunteer group of young adults
all the way from Ireland! They worked on the pro-
ject 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
working with people with physical and intellec-
tual disabilities. We worked 100+ hour weeks
with little personal time. A lot of our campers required
round the clock care. We assisted at meal time, bed time,
bath time, play time and more. It was challenging for a lot
of people on our team, but they pushed through it and did
an awesome job! The next two and a half weeks we spent
at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary spraying and pulling inva-
sive plant species. We all grew close to our sponsor there
and had a lot of fun. we went on several field trips including
a swamp walk! Our last week was spent in Rookery Bay
cutting and spraying Brazilian Pepper. We were lucky
enough to stay in a resort for our time there! We met a ton
of cool people this round including a volunteer at the Na-
ples Cat Alliance who was kind enough to take a few of us
out on his boat! We also were able to volunteer at Shy Wolf
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 mana-
tees! This was a great round to finish off
our AmeriService.
Nicole Schultz
Stavanna Holmes
Eric Kranz
Shea Miller
Armando Ortiz
Starla Reno
David Wright
Kentucky Colonels Betty White
Deerbra
Asheville The time David fixed
the VCR
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, re-
pairing 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 pack-
ing lunches for children in low income families. Team Delta
3's adventures has just begun!
Kentucky Department of Parks
elta 3 had a really unbelieva-
ble 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 in-
stalling 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 experi-
ence that we will carry on for the rest of
our lives.
East MS Community College & Green Light New Orleans
or Delta 3's split round took
place in Tuscaloosa, AL working
with Tuscaloosa Habitat for Hu-
manity. The majority of our work was con-
struction which consisted of creating the foundation of new
homes, installing flooring, doors and appliances, also paint-
ing 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.
Mississippi Children’s Home Services & South Asheville Cemetery Association
or Delta 3's last round, we were placed at Dana Road Ele-
mentary 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 class-
rooms 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.
Dana Road Elementary
Sara Pearson
Michelle Desch
Carlos Gonzalez
Jerry (Jamal) Keys
Ryan Lundstrom
Kristi Marcera
Frankie Stroud
Peace, love and
positivity The Golden Goose
“Burn” by Ellie
Goulding
D4 Turtles Tortilla Chips
Thompson Barjebo
Trey Collins
ound One started off with our team, along with
Southern Region's Delta 7, traveling to Tishomin-
go State Park near Tupelo, MS for two weeks of
fire training. While there we learned a large amount 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
Natchez Trace Parkway & Francis Marion National Forest
hen we arrived at the Francis Marion we met
with the fire team and many members of staff in
other departments. We learned how to work
alongside helicopters, bulldozers, and different types of
fire engines. We started prescribed burns soon after we
arrived and we were put to work. Our team aided in burn-
ing 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,
first in Itawamba County, MS doing disaster
relief from recent tornadoes. Here we demol-
ished a home, gutted many others, cleaned up tons of de-
bris, chainsawed and gathered loads of limbs for the local
community who suffered a lot of storm damage. For the
second part of our round we traveled to Lafollete, TN to do
trail building on the Cumberland Trail State Scenic Trail.
There we hiked a mile up a mountain each morning and
dug trail and built amazing rock steps! We also worked in
an area that is soon to opened up as Tennessee's 56th
State park! The work included some trail building, leveling
out the ground to be handicap accessible, building fence,
and doing some major landscaping around tree-lings! All
in all we had a fantastic round and enjoyed the nature,
culture, and experiences we had in both locations!
or the first two weeks we served in Rolling
Fork, Mississippi doing beautification pro-
jects 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 re-
mainder of our round working with Habitat for Humani-
ty 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.
City of Rolling Fork & Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumpter
he last and final round Delta 4 spent their
time in Folkston, GA working with the Okefe-
nokee 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!
Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge
Frank Kaner
Jared Crenshaw
Robert Goodman
Christian Hunter
Chris Pierson
Rebecca Schmitz
The 6 Deltateers ShaNayNay
Roberto’s Tacos
Dominated a team
of middle school-
ers in basketball.
Water Buffalo
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
d i f ferent houses in their f irst 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 dona-
tions. Alongside of the ReStore and construction work,
Delta 5 had the opportunity to lead volunteers in a neigh-
borhood 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 car-
ry the skills they have learned with habitat for humanity
into future projects and experiences.
New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity
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 park-
ing garage located in downtown Vicksburg. We also
worked with the Vicksburg Salvation Army every
Monday of the project. During our time at the Salva-
tion Army, the team did a little bit of everything. Del-
ta 5 often could be found doing tasks such as organ-
izing the family thrift shop, doing maintenance jobs
such as weed whacking or painting, or helping clean
u p a f t e r t h e s o u p k i t c h e n .
he team spent the majority of their time working with the Vicks-
burg 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 confer-
ence 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 board-
walks, clearing a canoe pas-
sage 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 work-
ing with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. During our
time here, the team had 3 main tasks. The first task was the reloca-
tion of a section of the Appalachian Trail which the team seemed to
really enjoy. Another project we helped with was boundary monitor-
ing 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 re-
moval for several days. We loved this project as we got to experience
and work in such a beautiful and natural area.
Malia Olloway
Lauren Brink
Angela Glinn
Rebecca Janisch
Grace Magee
Qwamella Manning
Edward McCall
Jonathan Mclendon
Mosiah Rock
Would you rather... Spiderman or Dumb
& Dumber
We LOVE Saracha &
Buffalo
Grrrousssss
Alta Casas
Feel so close by
Calvin Harris
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 Cen-
tral 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
Mississippi Roadmap to Health Equity Inc. & Boys and Girls Club of Central Mississippi
he first part of our round at the Boys and Girls
Club of Central Mississippi consisted of help-
ing 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 togeth-
er an air hockey table, table tennis and foosball table for
the kids to play with. It was so fulfilling to see how appre-
ciative the staff and kids that go there every day were and
how drastic of a change it made to the place. DDDDDDD
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
from building raised beds, putting the soil down and plant-
ing 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 build-
ing 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 paint-
ing, cleaning and organizing.
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 wheel-
chairs so they can explore the swamp. When Delta Six trav-
eled 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.
Dismal Swamp National Wildwife Refuge
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 neighbor-
hoods 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 land-
scaped 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 includ-
ing clearing trails, painting benches and maintenance work.
Emily Baker / Natalie Siedhof
Kyndra Beatty
Jahkeel Connor
Manuela Hincapie
Matt Roderick
Emily Sholberg
Nicole Yetke
We are the beavers. Quilting
We eat too much
mayo.
We ain’t afraid of no
ghost.
We bond over food.
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 im-
plement prescribed fires. The team worked on over 200 miles of
the Natchez Trace across three states including Mississippi, Ala-
bama, and Tennessee. The main focus of this team was to imple-
ment 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 fur-
ther the burn program with the assistance of the team and was
able to accomplish its mission to use fire as a tool to restore park-
lands 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 interpre-
tation 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 edu-
cate the public of the history that surrounds them and the im-
portance of preserving such important history. Delta Seven’s
involvement with the Natchez Trace Parkway allowed for burn-
ing projects to be completed more efficiently and helped to in-
crease the amount of acres burned each day.
Palmetto Conservation Foundation & Glendale Outdoor Leadership School
uring Round two, Delta seven went to Spartan-
burg, South Carolina to work with the Palmetto
Conservation Foundation and the Glendale Out-
door 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 Universi-
ty 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 sum-
mer 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 Lafa-
yette, LA to work with Habitat for Hu-
manity. The team led and supervised
volunteer groups from around the country in vari-
ous landscaping and construction projects. Ulti-
mately, 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, con-
structed two boardwalks, and assisted in 6 miles of re-fencing.
Matthew Payne
Aaron Albert
Chelsea Crinson
John Edwards
Shea Miller
Taking team engage-
ment photos
Riding around in the
electric wheelchair
Chelsea’s Apple
Crisp
Arguing over paint
colors ;)
Open Space Tech-
nology
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 ren-
ovated over 10 rooms, most notably giving the kids a new art
room, STEM science room and library. The team had the oppor-
tunity to host a week long summer camp for kids which includ-
ed 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
Coty Brennan
Sabree Koonce
Grace Magee
Alex Rettig
Essence Thomas
David Wright
Movie Nights Ziggy
Everything. We had
a passion for food!
Testing Grace on
her script of Matilda
Musicals!
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 organiza-
tions 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 Salva-
tion 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 meaning-
ful. This was a truly enriching experience for each and
every Fjord 1 team member.
Elizabeth Reitzell
Raphael Bean
Mayo Campos
John Edwards
Douglas Laberge-Flowers
Jo-Anne Majek
Rowanna Winget
“the struggle is real” Memphis 2
Bohemian Rhapsody Anything scary!
Awarded Vicksburg
“Key To The City”
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 conces-
sion 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.
City of Vicksburg
he second project was in
Sumter, South Carolina do-
ing rural development with
The Youth Academy, Inc. In this project,
we worked closely with children at a
Christian camp for underserved chil-
dren. The team also readied the farm-
land on the church grounds for the
camp, clearing debris from a recent
wildfire.
The Youth Academy Inc.
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 non-
profits 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.
Be Ready Alliance Coordinating for Emergencies (BRACE)
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 un-
wanted underbrush around the historic mounds. At D'Arbonne, the team worked on
completing renovation of a 500 foot pier on a manmade lake.
Land Trust for the MS Coastal Plain & Louisiana State Parks– Poverty Point
Chassie Nix
Chelsea Crinson
Tatiana Samuel-Jefferson
Linda Nag
Cindy Robertson
Katelyn Tharp
We work like men, but
walk like women.
Mac N Cheese
We’re lean mean
dancing machines.
“THING”
We fight like sisters,
but we wouldn’t
change a thing.
Maurice Redd
ound one was spent in Eustis, FL, working for Habitat for Hu-
manity. 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 every-
day. 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!
Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter, FL
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 Vicks-
burg and worked with Service Over Self. We worked
on repairing homes with a group of summer volun-
teers for one week, and then tackled a whole week
alone. It was such an amazing experience!
iver 2 has had quite the round! Starting in a
mentally challenging project in Sumter SC
working with kids of all ages coming from under
privileged homes, organizing and creating daily schedules,
we were more than happy to jump in with our ideas! River 2
then traveled to the blues capitol Clarksdale MS, teaming
up with the city completing one of the phases in making the
The Youth Academy Inc. & City of Clarksdale
pool of Clarksdale more functional by adding a concrete
slab, and beautifying one of the parks with a new play-
ground and freshly painted equipment. Also spending a few
days working with the local animal shelter we were able to
get our hands dirty and feel the reward of completing a
project and seeing it!
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 clos-
er, 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
Kirsten Flick
Larsen (Alex) Garrison
Adrianna Howard
Lynika Saunders
Heather Whitney
Greenville, MS The Mystery Machine
Ratchet
Basketball is our
favorite sport, you
like the way we drib-
ble up & down the
court.
Rather Be by Clean
Bandit
Samuel Bederaux-Cayne (River 7)
Nikko Jackson (River 7)
Kimberly McInchak (River 7)
Tanae Molden
Jordan Phillips
Rebecca Schiller (River 7)
Brittney Smith
Urban Oasis Project
or Round 1, River 3 partnered with the Urban Oasis
Project to clear out 22 acres of invasive and over-
grown plant species, added additional farming
space, planted and harvested fresh fruits and vegetables, as-
sisted the fresh produce market, and worked with the commu-
nity after-school program. The work was hard and rigorous.
The days were long and sweltering. Despite the weather we
were able to accomplish even more work than we had antici-
pated. We could never have imagined the great impact that we
would have on the Verde Community or the equally great im-
pact that they would have on us. We're excited to have had this
amazing opportunity and hope that future a NCCC team will be
able continue the work that this resilient community has start-
ed.JJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJ
hile working in the Homestead community our
housing was situated in the heart of Miami Beach
along the Lincoln Road Mall thanks to the gracious
Miami Beach Community Church. During our leisure time
there was no shortage of activities to enjoy. Relaxing days in
beautiful blue water beaches, cultural dinners at restaurants
with delicious menus you would expect to see in Paris, France,
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, or any of the variety of cultures that
have found a home in Miami Beach. Living in Miami Beach
allowed our team to experience and interact with people from
cultures all around the world. These experiences have un-
doubtedly impacted our world view and will help us in continu-
ing to be open and accepting of diversity in all forms from all
over the world.
Habitat for Humanity Lafyette
Rural Appalachian Improvement League, Inc. (RAIL)
iver 3 worked in Mullens, WV with Ru-
ral 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 paint-
ing, 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 mor-
tar, weeding, and added wooden trim to the walls.
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.
City of Greenville & Habitat for Humanity of Southwest Alabama
Jackie Searle
Jesse Brammer
Jules Juniker
Emily (Rachelle) McClellan
Edward Rich
Brittany Robinson
Hannah Wendling
“To the Top!!!” &
“You heard it here
first”
White Russian Lady
Broccoli
The Dream Team “Let It Go” from Frozen
Johnathan Toles-Blunt
Jonathan Jasper
Asha Pritchett
Amber Tompkins
everly, West Virginia was a beautiful place
with wonderful people. River 4 spent 8
weeks partnering with The Beverly Histori-
cal 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 ex-
pand the salamander's habitat.
Historic Beverly Preservation, Inc.
Vollintine Evergreen Community Association (VECA) & Windshape Camp
iver 4 spent Round 2 mostly in Memphis, Ten-
nessee with the non-profit, Vollintine Evergreen
Community Association, or as it is more com-
monly known as, VECA. River 4 spent most of their time
working outside beautifying their 100 blocks of neighbor-
hood. The neighborhood itself has many abandoned homes
and VECA takes it upon themselves to upkeep them. By
doing this they believe home owners will take pride in their
neighborhood and ultimately the crime rate will go down.
The team learned how to mow lawns, weed wack, maintain
trail and build fences. When the team wasn't working they
were busy with serving the church where they were
housed. They assisted in serving at their food kitchen and
their food box distribution, stained their patio and built a
bike rack. The team also served at FedEx Family Housing,
and The Chucalissa Museum. For one week the team
served in Vicksburg, Mississippi with WinShape Camps for
Communities. This camp was founded by Truett Cathy of
Chick-fil-A. The team tapped into their inner child and
served children from all over the community by playing
games, singing songs, and assisting in different sports
activities.
iver 4 spent 9 weeks working with a non-
profit 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 work-
ing with R3SM they were busy serving the neighboring
non-profits such as Christian Services, the Animal Shel-
ter 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.
R3SM, Inc. (Recover, Rebuild, Restore Southeast MS)
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!
Florida Park Service
Benjamin Tryon
Jessica Gottlob
Mark O’Brien
Paul Podawiltz
Kenneth Smith
Wynter Smith
#SELFIE by The
Chainsmokers
Pizza, by default
Half our team got de-
ployed on disaster.
“Pants are optional”
We’ve been to every
state in the Southern
Region besides Florida.
Maureen Brown
Tony Seljan
Calvin Wimberly II
uring round one, River 5
cleared historic ceme-
teries, constructed fish
damns, participated in biological
data collection, and completed
many other projects to help in-
crease the health of the Morris
Creek Watershed and the people
living in Montgomery, WV.
Morris Creek Watershed Association
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 nutri-
tion.
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 in-
stalled 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 pro-
ject! The team was lucky enough to work
with Guilford County's Passive Parks pro-
gram. 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 South-
ern 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!
Chipotle
Nichole Letizia
William Custus
Tanner Jenkins
Sabree Koonce
Jessica Schreuder
Essence Thomas
James Wilborn
Frozen
Melvin & Marvin (our
rooster & snake)
“leggo peeps”
Joshua Evans
Ain’t It Fun by Par-
amore
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 Initi-
ative, a Florida Keys nonprofit organization that was work-
ing towards sustainable living and farming in the Keys. We
were working on clearing and restoring an edible fruit gar-
den called Grimal Grove. The tasks that River 6 worked on
varied from clearing Brazillian Pepper (an invasive spe-
cies), clearing brush, cleaning up debris, emptying and
cleaning cisterns, running an organic produce market, and
m o r e ! k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k
Growing Hope Initiative
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 deal-
ing with Acid Mine Drainage. The River 6 Team's final stop was in Whitesburg, KY where they were working with another water-
shed 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. Sud-
denly, 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
f o r g e t . N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N
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 organiza-
tions 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 Sev-
en 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, act-
ing 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 at-
risk youth who dealt with high-intensity life challenges, including
learning disabilities, lack of parental guidance or other problems
at home, and trying to learn English for the first time. The team
worked alongside the administration of SAE to satisfy the personal
needs of all students by giving them extra attention and support
that they may not receive elsewhere. For example, NCCC mem-
bers greeted the students individually every morning by helping
them out of their cars or welcoming them off the bus, eating lunch
with them, playing at recess, and attending field trips. Many spe-
cial bonds were formed between team members and students.
Team members undertook new life roles, including mentor, confi-
dant, role model, believer, teacher, and more.
In addition to working inside the classroom, River Seven also par-
ticipated in a number of extra-curricular activities.
he team spent a day volunteering at a school-
organized yard sale to raise funds for a new play-
ground. Members also attended Family Math Night,
Family Reading Night, and field trips to see an opera, choir, a
blues band, and the Special Olympics. NCCC Members orga-
nized events to reward positive student behavior such as a mini-
carnival, a popsicle party, a pizza party, and “Smile Day.” The
AmeriCorps members ate lunch with their classes, played at
recess, and also participated in “special area” classes like gym,
m u s i c , a r t , s c i e n c e , a n d c o m p u t e r l a b .
Our team formed relationships and made memories that will
surely last a lifetime. Sherman Ave. is a wonderful place, doing
amazing things for their students. River Seven feels honored to
be a part of their amazing community.
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 indi-
rect service to the community. Habitat for Humanity Bay-Waveland has as-
sisted its area with constructing new homes, making repairs and renova-
tions, 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 com-
munity 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 home-
owner in lowering their energy bills.
Natalie Siedhof
Lauren Brink
Will Custus
Kirsten Flick
Rachelle McClellan
Heather Whitney
We. Ate. Too. Much. Sneezy Moose
Myyy momma gave
me a nickel!
Dress up
Skipping around the
room
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!
Camp Easter Seals
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.
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
or interact with them.
GET INVOLVED WITH RECRUITMENT
You know best what qualities make for an ideal NCCC member. Contact the campus in your region
to learn more about recruitment opportunities and to obtain recruitment materials.
SPONSOR A TEAM
Do you know or work for an organization that could use a team? Contact the campus in your region
to learn more about project development and becoming a service project sponsor for an NCCC
team.
SERVE AS A RESOURCE
If you are interested in speaking with future and potential applicants about your experience, send
your contact information to [email protected]
GET INVOLVED WITH A CAMPUS
Help with campus life activities, assist with training and Life After AmeriCorps programming,
participate with the campus working group, or attend a special event.
STAY CONNECTED WITH NCCC ONLINE
Facebook.com/AmeriCorpsNCCC — Like us and join the community!
Twitter @AmeriCorpsNCCC — Get short, regular updates!
LinkedIn — Search for the network “AmeriCorps NCCC Alumni (Official Group)” to network with
alumni, friends, and supporters of NCCC and national service
AmeriCorpsNCCC.tumblr.com — See what’s happening right now with an NCCC team
AmeriCorpsAlums.org — Free job listings, resources and networking groups
HOW DO YOU GET IN TOUCH WITH THE CAMPUS IN YOUR REGION? Atlantic Region
Marcia Simms at [email protected]
Connecticut, District of Columbia,
Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts,
Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey,
New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto
Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Vermont
North Central Region
Angela Sarrels at [email protected]
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan,
Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota,
Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin
Pacific Region
Sandra Hajt at [email protected]
Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho,
Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah,
Washington, Wyoming
Southern Region
Erica Wilson at [email protected]
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky,
Louisiana, Mississippi, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee,
Virginia, West Virginia
Southwest Region
Heather Dirck at [email protected]
Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado,
Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico,
Oklahoma, Texas
NCCC Headquarters
STAY CONNECTED, GET INVOLVED!
Autographs
Remember that time...
Autographs
“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, Nothing is going to get better.
It's not.”
— Dr. Seuss
“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?' Actual-
ly, 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
“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.
“ “