Get to the Point, Volume XIX, Issue 9

GET TO

THE POINT T H E N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E N C C C A T L A N T I C R E G I O N

T H U R S D A Y , M A Y 9 , 2 0 1 3

V O L U M E X I X , I S S U E 9

Alumni Spotlight Laura Rosenthal, Corps Member

Western Region, Class III

Team Leader Spotlight What Does a Support Team

Leader Actually Do?

Photo Gallery Week One of

Round Two Projects

2 MAY 9, 2013 / GET TO THE POINT

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 developing 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, visit AmeriCorps.gov/NCCC or call 1.800.942.2677

CONNECT WITH AMERICORPS NCCC ATLANTIC REGION

Sam McKenzie, Community Relations Specialist (CRS)

Phone: 202.528.3755 ● Email: [email protected]

Mona Hillstrand, Assistant Community Relations Specialist (ACRS)


Ben Dillon, Community Relations Support Team Leader (CRSTL)


facebook.com/ncccatlanticregion

twitter.com/americorpsnccc

americorps.gov/nccc

03 Gallery Images from the first week of

Round 2 projects

05 Bulletin Board A Reminder for Project

Outreach Liaisons

& An Update of ISP Hours

06 Alumni Spotlight Laura Rosenthal, Corps Member

Class III, Western Region

08 AmeriStars Get to know Class XIX members

09 Team Green What does an STL do?

10 Corps Contests

Class XIX Photo Contest

A Crossword Team Builder

11 Shout Outs

12 Project Map

About the cover

Moose 4 Team

Leader Ryan

Abdelnour places a

fence post at

Franklin Square’s

Sunflower Village in

Baltimore during the

Mayor’s Day of

Service on April 26.

ISSUE IN THIS

CONTENTS

↑ Raven 3

member Kris Hall

displays the

day’s work on

his uniform.

GET TO THE POINT / MAY 9, 2013 3

GALLERY

↑ Raven 2 members Lewis Cuthair and Jeremy Flores construct a green

house for The FARM Institute in Edgartown, Mass.

→ A Phoenix 2 member patrols the fire line during a prescribed burn in

Virginia.

↓ Buffalo 4 member Courtney Amburg replaces insulation under a trailer

home in Moonachie, N.J., that was damaged by floodwaters during

Hurricane Sandy.


GALLERY

↑ Moose 3 members set up scaffolding at a Habitat for Humanity work

site in York, Pa.

→ James Hubbard and Gaby Gardose of Raven 4 pause for a picture

while spackling a home near Tom’s River, N.J. The team is working

with Jersey Cares to renovate homes that were damaged by

Hurricane Sandy.

→ Corps Members joined hundreds of volunteers for Rebuilding Day, a

day of service hosted by Rebuilding Together Baltimore.

→ Laura Mahoney of Moose 5 serves on Vermont Green Up Day near

Brattleboro.

↓ The Raven 3 team meets family members of Wiz Khalifa, hip-hop artist

and Pittsburgh native, while working with Rebuilding Together.


“I start with the premise that the function of

leadership is to produce more leaders, not more

followers.”

-Ralph Nader

Members of composite team Patriot 1 pause for a group

picture while touring Boston. The team is serving with

Cardinal Cushing Centers in Braintree, Mass., to improve

recreation areas for people with intellectual disabilities.

Two weeks into Round 2, the

Buffalo Unit remains ahead of the

Raven Unit with more than one

third of the required Independent

Service Hours completed.

ISP Hours Complete

Buffalo: 36%

Raven: 34%

Moose: 29%

Attention: Project Outreach Liaisons!

Day of Service Snap Shots are due

Friday, May 10

BULLETIN BOARD

Alex Slater, a member of composite team Peter Pan 1,

constructs a primitive bridge at a Girl Scout Camp in

Northeastern New York. The team is led by Raven Unit

Support Team Leader Stephanie Ferguson.


ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

How did NCCC impact your life?

NCCC provided me with direction. I knew that I wanted to

do something to give back, but I wasn't sure what. After

graduation from college, NCCC gave me an opportunity to

try on some different volunteer opportunities (with police

setting up a neighborhood watch, with veteran's groups in

LA, with environmental kids camps in San Diego, with

community organizations in Alaska), and see what fit best

with my skills and interests. NCCC also got me up to

Alaska, which was a hugely formative place for me. After

two months up there, I knew that I wanted more time to

experience such a raw, natural beauty and work with a

unique community.

What was your most interesting project in NCCC?

We worked with a number of NFPs in Fairbanks, including

a Boys and Girls Club, and other community

organizations. We built a playground, ripped out a gym

floor, and were so welcomed in the community—we were

invited to be in a parade, we were invited to go camping

with an Athabascan gentleman and clear their summer fish

camp, we went camping in Denali, and we went white

water rafting. It was an experience that has never been

equaled in my life and led to my staying in Fairbanks as a

VISTA the next year.

Can you tell us a story in which you learned

something about yourself through service?

I gained confidence in myself, and learned to be a bigger

risk-taker in life. I was always interested in service and

giving back, but the experience in NCCC showed me that I

was stronger and more capable than I'd realized. I could

be responsible for a full team traveling from San Diego to

Alaska. I could learn construction skills. I could safely

supervise a group of young kids, even when a rattlesnake

showed up on the trail. I had confidence to tell our

sponsoring director that I wanted to stay in Alaska, and I

could start up a Boys and Girls' Club, and then, I did

it. That confidence has followed me through life, and I'm

grateful to my time in NCCC for helping me develop it.

Continued on page 7

Laura Rosenthal Class III Corps Member, Western Region

Interview by Ian Slingsby Raven 3 Member


ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

What was the best part of NCCC?

I loved my team. It was an amazing group of

diverse people, committed to service and joy.

How have you continued your

commitment to service?

After founding and running a Boys and Girls'

Club in North Pole Alaska (immediately after

NCCC), I went back to graduate school to get a

Master in Public Administration. I've since

been working at New York State, managing

the budgeting and financing for community

programs (child welfare and mental health

programs, specifically).

What advice would you give to current

Corps Members?

Embrace the challenges, stay flexible, and

have fun! You are doing things that can

dramatically impact peoples' lives, and that's a

gift that gives to both you and those that you

help.

Where are you now in life and how did

AmeriCorps affect your life path?

I'm an upper-level manager for New York

State's Budget Division, and I have budgeted

child welfare and mental health programs.

There is no question that my experiences with

NCCC led me to my career. My areas of

expertise and interest are all based on

community service, and I have brought my

passion for helping people to my role in

budgeting for social programs.

How did your experience as an NCCC

member affect your reaction to

Hurricane Irene?

I believe that I was probably more prepared,

as I'd been trained in disaster preparedness

while in NCCC. After the emotional punch of

losing the first floor of our house, I knew how

to reach out to state, federal, and community

resources for help.

Are there any other fun facts or "words

of wisdom" you would like to share

with Class XIX?

I'm still in touch with people from Class III. I

still think about the experiences of my NCCC

year. I am who I am today because of those

people and experiences. Embrace your

experiences and live them fully. Giving back

to others will give to you. Thank you all for

your service to our communities.

“Embrace your experiences and live them

fully. Giving back to others will give to you.”

← Laura Rosenthal was

a Corps Member with

Class III in the Western

Region (now called the

Pacific Region)

between 1996 and

1997. During her service

term, she served on

projects in Alaska and

had the opportunity to

go white water rafting

with her team.


AMERISTARS

SIERRA TAYLOR MOUNT HOLLY, N.J.

BUFFALO 1

How old are you?

19 years old

What is one thing you miss?

I miss being a regional gymnast.

What is your favorite food?

Tacos.

What is your biggest fear?

Death.

Why did you join AmeriCorps NCCC?

To give back to the community.

DENASIA AVERY ROCKY MOUNT, N.C.

MOOSE 4

What is one thing you miss?

My family.

What is your favorite quote?

“Don’t let the fear of the time it will take

stop you from doing it, because the

time will still pass.”

What is your biggest fear?

Going bald.

Who is one person who changed your

life for the better?

Ms. Thompson, who believed in me

when I didn’t have the strength to

believe in myself.

What is favorite AmeriMemory thus far?

Mini-spike, when we almost completed

our task.

CARSON SCHERER RICHMOND, TEX.

RAVEN 2

What is your most prized possession?

My most prized possession is the road

bicycle that I bought while I was

studying abroad in the United Kingdom.

It took me wherever I needed to go

and I have a lot of memories tied to it,

both in the U.K. and the U.S.

If you could travel anywhere for free,

where would you go and why?

If I could travel anywhere for free, I

would go back to the United Kingdom

so I could visit my friends again and visit

Wales and Northern Ireland.

If you were an animal, what kind of

animal would you be?

If I were an animal, I would be a fox.

Foxes are cunning, resourceful, nimble,

and individualistic—qualities that I find

useful in life.

To allow Corps Members to better know their peers, Get to the Point will periodically feature three members of Class XIX.

Each team’s Health and Wellness Liaison has been provided with AmeriStar questionnaires, which should be completed by

each team member and returned to Laura Tuck. Selected answers from these questionnaires are used for the AmeriStar

spotlights.


TEAM GREEN

What Does A Support Team Leader Do? Amidst many discussion items in meetings

with the Region Director over Round 2

transition, Community Council

Representatives expressed the Corps’

general bewilderment about one thing:

What does a Support Team Leader

actually do at the Perry Point campus?

The answer: A lot of things. To diffuse

some of the mystery, the next few issues

of Get to the Point will feature profiles on

Support Team Leaders that explain how

and why they do what they do.

General Duties of Unit Support Team Leaders (USTLs):

Meet with Unit Leaders (ULs) and STLs to ensure

communication and collaboration across Units

Assist the UL in maintaining TL/CM

accountability by tracking member absences

and Independent Service Project forms

Support the ULs in gathering, tracking, and

routing weekly reports from the field

Assist ULs in trainings, team meetings, and

overall unit readiness for service

Assist ULs in coordinating transition week

schedules with TLs and teams to include all

Corps activities

Provide support for CM team specialty roles, as

assigned

When possible, join the Unit Leader on site visits

Work alongside local teams at least twice a

month.

STEPHANIE FERGUSON

RAVEN UNIT SUPPORT TEAM LEADER

Why did you want to be a Unit Support Team Leader (USTL)?

Last year, I served as a Field Team Leader (FTL) for the North Central

Region. Although it was a challenging experience, I knew I wanted to

serve as a Team Leader again. I wanted something different out of this

year, however. With the STL position, I am able to utilize things I learned

last year to really be a solid support for the FTLs. I also am able to see

this organization from a different point of view, which will be beneficial

for my career, since I want to work with NCCC after my term of service.

What is your favorite part your position?

I love that I get to be part of everything in a way and I feel that I can

really support my fellow TLs. I also enjoy working closely with the staff in

other departments, which is something I didn't get as much experience

with last year. And although I don't get to live in a new city every five

weeks, I get to travel around visiting teams, so I get to see a lot.

Why are STLs important?

There is always so much going on within the Corps that it is difficult for

staff members to handle everything on their own. STLs act as liaisons

between staff and FTLs. For the USTL position, I am able to help clarify

details about a particular team or project. I also assist with planning

meetings and staying connected with Raven Unit teams.

What is one of your responsibilities that Corps

Members may not know about?

As the Raven USTL, I coordinate the disaster

availability list that is sent to the American Red

Cross every week. I basically assist with all

aspects of ARC since Jen Horan (Raven Unit

Leader) is the main point of contact from our

campus. If a disaster happens this year, you will

hear from me a lot!


CORPS CONTESTS

c r o s s w o r d c

n t e s t

CLASS XIX

PHOTO CONTEST

Teams can email their best

photos to Ben at

[email protected] for

a chance to be featured in

Get to the Point and win a

prize. Staff members and

Support Team Leaders will

select one photo from each

category at the end of

every project round.

Directions: All members of the team must participate to create a crossword with answers to

the following questions. First team to create*, complete, and send back to campus—

attention to Megan, either by mail or email attached with a picture—wins a laminated

certificate that can be proudly displayed on the dashboard of their 15P a.k.a. bragging

rights. Good Luck!

*Statements and numbers can be switched around as needed, but each question must be

addressed.

ACROSS

1. TL: Positive characteristic of the Sponsor

2. SLI: New term learned, related to work

3. Media: Name of newspaper in area

4. CAP: Recruitment Tool

5. POL: Need fulfilled of team’s last ISP

DOWN

1. HaWL: Favorite Team Builder

2. FT: Team’s Favorite PT activity

3. ATL: Newly learned responsibility

4. CCR: Activity to do in the area

CATEGORIES:

Van vs. Mini

Team Meetup

“CAPture the Moment”

(Best CAP Event Photo)

Alumni Engagement

(Working with alumni)

On the Job

(Action/Working Photo)

Unit Pride

Team Meals


SHOUT OUTS

The Buffalo Unit warmly

welcomes the new Buffalo 1 Team

Leader, Rico!

Buffalo Unit

Phoenix 2

B3 would like everyone to know

how classy we are.

Buffalo 3

Shout out to all the other teams

out there working hard these past

few weeks. Keep up the great

work and keep “Getting Things

Done!” Still looking forward to

meeting up soon with Moose 1 and

Raven 5 in the big city!

Buffalo 4

Moose up in this Rockaway

See them rock that work each day

“Thanks so much!” the people say

To Moose up in this Rockaway.

Moose go running on the beach

Run so fast they’re out of reach

Ain’t no buff could ever teach

Us Moose how to run on the

beach.

Moose be reppin’ A the best

Flyin’ high above the rest

Winning every challenge and test

‘Cause it’s Moosicorns that be the

best!

Moose 1

Moose Deuce is having a blast

learning about the species of

animals here on Martha’s

Vineyard and hanging out with

Raven 2!

Moose 2 Moose Force received a crash-

course in trail skills training by

professionals associated with the

SCA that have worked all over the

country. Shout out to Jessie, Rob,

and Jed for their detailed and

tactful instruction, easygoing

personalities, and for having a

great time with us this past week!

We highly appreciate the

techniques, insight, finishing

details, and laughter.

Moose 4

We are AmeriCorps Strong to

help keep Boston Strong.

Patriot 1

To the other composite team,

Patriot 1: Keep working hard and

we hope you are having as much

fun as we are!

From Peter Pan 1 ATL to Patriot 1

ATL: Hope you are succeeding as

an ATL, because I know I am!

Peter Pan 1

Everyday we put our lives on the

line... for the Woodpecker.

Raven 1

Get ready for an amazing recipe

book! We have been testing out

some of your entries and we are

VERY impressed!

Raven 2

We miss you guys, Carson and

Brad! Heck ya! Having a blast

catching chickens, cows and

building a green house on

Martha’s Vineyard!

Raven 4

May the Force be with all of you,

especially Amir, Sean, and Jared

on your composites and fire.

For Round 2, Class XIX teams are slated to complete 21

projects across 10 states. Seven teams will continue

hurricane recovery efforts in New Jersey, New York,

Rhode Island, and Vermont. Five teams will focus on

environmental stewardship in recreational

camps and conservation areas in

five different states. Four teams

will help better develop low

-income urban

communities through

housing and

facilities

improvements.

Lastly, one team will

improve energy

efficiency of homes

and another will

improve facilities

for youth

programs.

Where in the Atlantic Region Are They? Round 2, Week 2

BUFFALO 1

Bath, Me.

Habitat for Humanity – 7 Rivers

Energy Efficiency

BUFFALO 3

Wells, Me.

Wells NERR

Environmental Stewardship

BUFFALO 4

Hackensack, N.J.

Volunteer Center of Bergen County

Disaster Recovery

MOOSE 1

New York, N.Y.

St. Bernard Project

Disaster Recovery

MOOSE 2

Edgartown, Mass.

MA Audubon Society – Felix Neck


MOOSE 3

York, Pa.

Habitat for Humanity – York

Urban & Rural Development

D.C.

MOOSE 4

Claryville, N.Y.

Frost Valley YMCA


MOOSE 5

Brattleboro, Vt.

SerVermont

Disaster Recovery

PATRIOT 1 (BUFFALO 5)

Braintree, Mass.

Cardinal Cushing Centers


PETER PAN 1 (RAVEN 6)

Galway, N.Y.

Girl Scouts of Northeastern N.Y.


PHOENIX 2

Suffolk, Va.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Disaster Response

RAVEN 1

Middletown, De.

Boys & Girls Club of Delaware

Infrastructure Improvement

RAVEN 2

Edgartown, Mass.

The Farm Institute


RAVEN 3

Pittsburgh, Pa.

Rebuilding Together – Pittsburgh


RAVEN 4

Tabernacle, N.J.

Jersey Cares

Disaster Recovery

RAVEN 5

New York, N.Y.

New York Cares

Disaster Recovery

MAINE

VERMONT

NEW YORK

NEW HAMPSHIRE

MASSACHUSETTS

CONN. R.I.

PENNSYLVANIA

MARYLAND

VIRGINIA

WEST

VIRGINIA

NEW

JERSEY

DELAWARE

Documents

Get to the Point, Volume XIX, Issue 9