Escape the Ordinary

AMERICORPS NCCC

September 2012

Volume 3, Issue 6

A Corps Member from the Atlantic Region removing debris from a house in NY

A Corps Member from the Pacific Region

working in a garden

The Southern Region’s Delta 9 taking a photo with CNCS CEO Wendy Spencer in

Memphis, TN

Ken Goodson, Region Director for the Southwest Region, greeting Class 19 Team Leaders in

Denver, CO

At the North Central Region, a FEMA Corps Team Leader greets Corps Members on their first day

A Southern Region CM

talking with a

resident affected by Hurricane

Issac

Inside this issue:

Leave Your Mark: A Corps Member Spotlight 1

Benefits of Service/Winter 2013 Update 2

An Inside Look: The Atlantic Region 3

Where Are We Now? 4

Getting Things Done: Catching Up With Buffalo 2 5

The Application Process 7

All About Us

"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.

AmeriCorps NCCC is a full-time, team-based

residential program for men and women ages

18-24. NCCC members are assigned to one

of five campuses and organized into teams of

10-12 members. Campuses are located in

Perry Point, MD; Vinton, IA; Denver, CO;

Vicksburg, MS; and Sacramento, CA. NCCC

teams serve approximately 4-6 projects

throughout their ten months of service.

NCCC serves every state, responding to

pressing local needs that are identified by

organizations in the community. Projects are

focused on the following five categories –

Natural and Other Disasters, Infrastructure

Improvement, Environmental Stewardship

and Conservation, Energy Conservation, and

Urban and Rural Development. 100 percent

of members are certified in CPR, first aid,

and disaster response; approximately 9% are

firefighter trained by the National Park and

U.S. Forest Services. NCCC teams also

support local disaster relief organizations to

help communities prepare for, respond to,

and recover from natural or man-made

disasters. Since September 2005, NCCC

members from all campuses have served

more than 9.6 million hours on 5,035

projects.

Delta 6 preparing cots in a gymnasium at the Hammond Westside Upper Elementary

Delta 10 working at the United Way Call Center in Jackson, MS.

Leave Your Mark: A Corps

Member Spotlight

Volume 3, Issue 6 Page 1

This edition of Escape the Ordinary highlights Chris Moore, an AmeriCorps NCCC Corps Member currently serving at

the Atlantic Region in Perry Point, Maryland.

A graduate of YouthBuild in Lennox, California, Chris currently serves on Buffalo Two as a Corps Ambassador

Program Representative (CAP).

I spoke with Chris about his NCCC experience and the importance of the work that he is doing.

Tell us about some of your projects thus far. Which has

been your favorite and why?

My first project was in Hookstown, PA. My team and I worked

with Raccoon Creek State Park. It was a wonderful experience

for me adjusting to the different environment. We worked in

the woods every day, clearing trails, invasive species removal, a

little construction on the older and modern cabins, and we also

learned about proper tick removal.

My favorite project thus far was in Camden, NJ. I worked with

Habitat for Humanity building homes for low-income families.

This project was my favorite because I love helping people and

working with Habitat you get to work with the families and it

just makes you appreciate life in general a lot more. Now I want

to go back home and start a volunteer group in my community.

Why did you choose to apply to AmeriCorps NCCC?

I graduated from a secondary education school called

YouthBuild of Lennox, CA. While I was there, I received a high

school diploma, a carpentry certificate and an education award

from AmeriCorps to pursue a college education. I also felt

community service was very important, not only where I live but

across the

world where

disaster can

happen at

any time.

Tell us

about

something

that you’ve

done for

the first

time this year?

Living in the woods was a first. I didn’t like it at first, but you

learn to love it. I really appreciate nature a lot more now.

What has been the most challenging part of your term of

service thus far? How did you work to overcome that

challenge?

My most challenging moment has been just adjusting to

different lifestyles and different living environments. I

overcame this by staying open-minded to new things and

differences.

During NCCC, you learn a lot about yourself and others.

What are a few things that you’ve either learned about

yourself, your teammates or other members at your campus?

The program has opened my eyes to what is possible in the world

and what I am capable of. In my life going forward I will

definitely approach things differently.

A friend from home asks you, “How has AmeriCorps NCCC

personally affected your life?” What would your response

be?

NCCC has helped me grow into becoming a better leader in my

community and my life. The program has given me confidence in

myself to succeed and get things done.

You’ve completed half of your ten months of service. What

are some of your goals for the remainder of the service

year?

First, I want to work hard to finish the program strong.

Secondly, I would like to do more Independent Service Project

hours to help out communities before I exit the program.

Thirdly, I would like to have a life after AmeriCorps plan in

place.

And lastly, please share any advice that you might have for

prospective Corps Members.

Stay dedicated and motivated! No one can do everything, but

everyone can do something.

AmeriCorps NCCC: Benefits of Service

Escape the Ordinary Page 2

Uniform—includes t-shirts, sweatshirts, BDU pants, shorts,

steel-toed boots, fleece vest, coveralls and more

Housing—campus residences are co-ed floors with same

gender roommates; spike housing is provided by the project

sponsor

Health Care—limited coverage includes payment for most

medical and surgical costs, hospitalization, prescription

drugs, and certain emergency dental, vision, and maternity

care. However, these benefits may be affected by restrictions

on payment for pre-existing conditions as well as other

exclusions.

Child Care—up to $400 per month may be available for a

custodial parent of a minor child

Personal Days—Corps Members are entitled to 3 paid

personal days off from service, as well as 2 paid Life

After AmeriCorps days (subject to approval).

Transportation—NCCC will cover the cost of a Corps

Member’s travel to a campus at the start of a service

year and back home at the end of a service year.

Living Allowance—approximately $4,000 per year (or

$200 every two weeks) before taxes

Training/Skills—CPR/First Aid and Disaster Relief

certification training from the Red Cross, leadership skills,

conflict management, team-building and lots more

Education Award—Once a Corps Member has completed

1700 hours of service and successfully completed the

program, they are eligible for the Education Award.

Currently, the award is $5,550.

Loan Forbearance—If Corps Members have Federal

Education loans (Perkins, Stafford, or Direct Loans) they

may be placed in forbearance. Once a Member earns an Ed.

Award, NCCC will pay the interest accrued on these loans

while the Member was in service.

College Credit—We currently offer, through the American

Council of Education, undergraduate credit for the following

three-credit-hour courses: Introduction to Service Learning

and Diversity in Service (available to both Team Leaders

and Corps Members); and Supervisory Skills (available only

to Team Leaders).

Certification from American Humanics in Non - Profit

Employment and Management—NCCC alumni may

enroll in this online program offered by the University of

Montana and LSU-Shreveport.

A Winter 2013 update

Winter 2013 applicants:

Thank you for your continued interest in AmeriCorps NCCC. As we

start sending invitations for the upcoming Winter 2013 cycle, please

take a moment to log in to your My AmeriCorps account and ensure

that your email and mailing address are up to date. Your acceptance

packet will include forms that will need to be sent back to us and if

your address is incorrect, this will delay the process. As a

reminder, you will have ten (10) days to return these forms.

Questions? Email us at ANCCC@cns.gov. Thank You!

An Inside Look: Atlantic Region

Volume 3, Issue 6 Page 3

Concluding our “Inside Look” series, this issue of Escape the

Ordinary will highlight the Atlantic Region campus, located in Perry Point, Maryland.

About the Perry

Point Campus

The village of Perry Point is located

in the town of Perryville, 48 miles

from Baltimore, 90 miles from

Washington, D.C., and 60 miles from

Philadelphia. Perry Point is close

enough to the city of Baltimore to

enjoy its lively Inner Harbor (see

photo at left) for cultural and

recreational events. The same can

be said of the cradle of American

history, Philadelphia. The nearby

towns of Havre de Grace and

Aberdeen have churches, shops,

public libraries and restaurants. The

town of Perryville has a train

station, library and a few

restaurants within walking distance.

A number of shopping malls and two

multi-screen theaters are within 20

miles of the Perry Point campus.

The NCCC sign located just outside of B-15 (the administrative building at the Atlantic Region)

The Mansion House on campus. No one

lives here now, but George Washington was known to stay here, and the horror

movie "From Within" was filmed here, and on other parts of campus as well.

PERRYVILLE!

The main entrance to 9H, where Corps Members live in dormitory-style housing.

We have 3 teams from the Atlantic

Region currently posting to our National

Blog. Check it out at the link below:

http://ncccblog.americorps.gov/

Wh

ere

Are

We

No

w?

Escape the Ordinary Page 4

Atlantic Region

Perry Point, MD

North Central Region

Vinton, IA

Pacific Region

Sacramento, CA

Southern Region

Vicksburg, MS

Southwest Region

Denver, CO

Click these links to visit each

campuses’ Facebook page.

Note: You will have to be

logged in to access each page.

Bridgeport, CT - The Atlantic Region’s Raven 3 are currently working with Habitat for Humanity—Coastal Fairfield County. The

team is painting, framing, and coordinating volunteers for a Corporate Build and a Blitz Build. Members will also support the

development of the Habitat for Heroes program which is the organization's first build to support a local veteran.

Rapid City, SD - Cedar 5, representing the North Central Region is currently working with Black Hills Workshop. The team will be

working as support volunteers in program areas, developing and facilitating classes for people with disabilities, performing facility

maintenance, and preparing and implementing the annual Black Hills Haunted House Food Drive.

Philadelphia, PA - Moose 4, from the Atlantic Region, is currently working with SERVE Philadelphia. The team is working with

community leaders in twelve neighborhoods to assist in clearing vacant lots and creating community gardens.

Wauwatosa, WI - The North Central Region’s Oak 6 is currently working with the Milwaukee County Department of Parks,

Recreation and Culture. The team is performing ecological restoration projects through tasks such as invasive species removal,

collection of native plant seed, hiking trail construction/repair, building construction, and fire break installations.

*****************************************************************************************************

Southern Region - No projects are listed as traditional NCCC teams are back on campus for transition. FEMA Corps teams

have been deployed on their 1st round service assignments.

Pacific/Southwest Region - Team Leaders are currently in the middle of training and Corps Members will be arriving in

October.

North Central Region - FEMA Corps members are in Alabama for their FEMA training for the next two weeks before

heading out on their 1st round service assignments.

Want to Serve for a Day? Serve with a current team of NCCC members at a project in your area!

Contact ANCCC@cns.gov for more information.

**Please note, we may be unable to accommodate all “Serve for a Day” requests due to sponsor restrictions.**

Getting Things Done: Catching up with

Buffalo 2

Volume 3, Issue 6 Page 5

What were your team’s thoughts as you

arrived at your spike location for your

3rd round project?

When we first arrived in Connecticut, the

team was excited to explore a new state

but did not quite know what our 6 weeks

would entail. Some members were

wondering how we were going to teach

summer school kids about emergency

preparedness. One member was thinking

to herself, “yay, no more trail work!” but

she soon found out that we would be

spending a good portion of our time on the

trails. Even with all of the research we do

in preparation for the project brief, there

is really no way of knowing exactly what to

expect in a project until we actually get

there and get things done.

What has been the most surprising

moment of your project thus far?

Hands down, the most ‘surprising’ moment

of 3rd round was when one of the

members got seriously injured while

working on the Appalachian Trail. We had

hiked about an hour and a half into the

trail when the member injured his head

and had a concussion. It was a scary

moment for all of us, but everyone stayed

calm and awaited help. We eventually

wheeled the member out of the trail of a

stretcher, with every

member of the team and the

volunteer EMTs taking turns

carrying the stretcher, and a

helicopter took the member

safely to the hospital.

Thankfully the member is

safe and came back to our

team in no time.

What has been the most

trying moment?

The most trying part of the

round was working 10 days

straight with the Appalachian Mountain

Club. We had assumed that the round

would be all about working with kids, so

when we found out from the sponsor that

we were going to do some trail work when

we are not presenting to kids, we were not

exactly sure what to expect. Especially

when we were asked to work a 10-day

stretch with the AMC, hiking 2 miles into

trails and clear trails, move boulders, and

dig holes, we were not physically or

mentally prepared for it. But, a part of

being in AmeriCorps NCCC is being

flexible, so we quickly switched gears and

got used to the change in scenery.

What was the most rewarding or

memorable moment?

A project with kids was something the

team had been asking for since day one, so

when we were assigned this project, we

were all ecstatic. Something about

working with young kids and teaching them

important lessons gave us all a sense of

‘we are directly impacting people.’ It was

especially memorable when the sponsor

suggested that at the end of each session,

we teach the kids our unit chant, “The

Buffalo Chant,” and seeing the kids singing

it and calling us “The Buffalo People” was

amazing.

Through the 6 weeks in Connecticut, the team’s primary assignment was collaborating with the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) of the Torrington Area Health District to deliver Emergency Preparedness and Health & Safety messages to summer school students between 2nd and 7th grade. The team spent a total of 3 weeks visiting summer school programs and playing educational games in order to teach the students on essential elements of preparing for different types of emergencies. We also worked with the Medical Reserve Corps of the Pomperaug Health District, where Buffalo 2 beautified a community garden and collected public health data in two towns from their district. The team was provided iPads with a questionnaire that forwarded data directly to a live database. We went into the community and conducted two surveys: one on whether citizens are personally prepared for an emergency and whether they felt their community is prepared for a disaster, and another on whether the citizens would like a community center built, and if so what activities and services it should offer. Aside from collaborating with the health districts and promoting emergency preparedness, the team also worked with the Appalachian Mountain Club, Southbury Land Trust, Southbury Conservation Commission, and the Norfolk Land Trust to assist in trail work. We cleared trails of invasive species, built a small footbridge, blazed a new trail and dug a few irrigation trenches. I spoke with members of Buffalo 2 about their 3rd round experience and their advice for prospective members.

Continued on Page 6

Good thing we’re all CPR

& First Aid certified.

Escape the Ordinary Page 6

Would you promote NCCC to other young people?

Why?

Yes. We are all for promoting NCCC to other young

people. This is such a unique experience that allows for

young people to see new parts of their country and give

back to communities. The things you see and experience

in this program are invaluable and at times life changing.

Also, this program is good for those who are still in the

process of trying to figure out what they want to do with

their life. Different projects give you an opportunity to

try a whole bunch of new things, which might lead to

someone discovering their passion through this program.

And finally, what is one piece of advice you would give

to prospective Corps Members?

Some pieces of advice that the team would like to offer

prospective Corps Members are:

Be kind to others.

Don’t over pack. Just bring the bare necessities.

Be yourself.

Come in with an open mind and willingness to try new

things so you don’t miss out on opportunities to learn

cool things.

“Get to the Point” is a weekly newsletter produced by the Atlantic Region for their members. Click on the

above photo to read the latest edition.

Burn out with Raven 1 member Andre as he

fights wildfires

Click on Andre’s

photo to read

about his

experience as a

wildland

firefighter.

AMERICORPS NCCC

1201 New York Ave

Washington, DC 20525

Phone: 800-942-2677

Fax: 202-606-3456

E-mail: ANCCC@cns.gov

Follow NCCC Online:

We’re on

the Web

www.americorps.gov/nccc

What does my NCCC status mean?

You’ve heard about the amazing things that AmeriCorps NCCC

members do and now you’re ready to be a part of this great program.

You apply but then you ask, “What does Under Review mean”? Well,

we’re going to break down those statuses right here.

How does placement work in

NCCC?

NCCC employs a “rolling

admissions” process, similar to

many colleges. We have a few

rounds of placements during the

application period and additional

rounds of placements once our

application period closes. We

continue to offer positions as they

become available, including up to

the day before a campus opens.

All selections and placements are

random. We have far more

qualified applicants than positions

available, and unfortunately cannot

guarantee a position to all qualified

applicants.