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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
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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)
Phone: 769.203.1904 ● Email: [email protected]
Matthew Payne, Community Relations Support Team Leader
(CRSTL)
Phone: 769.203.1923 ● Email: [email protected]
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.
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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
22
Why did you join NCCC?
I joined because I love to travel and volunteer; and
when I heard about AmeriCorps NCCC I couldn't pass
up the opportunity!
What was your favorite part?
The relationships that I built with my teammates as
well as all the construction skills that I have learned.
What was it like to serve?
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.
What was your most interesting project?
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
23
Why did you join NCCC?
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.
What was your favorite part?
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.
What was it like to serve?
It was the an incredible time of growth and develop-
ment and put me on my current life path.
What was your most interesting project?
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.
How have you continued to serve beyond NCCC?
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
How have you continued to serve beyond NCCC?
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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