NCCC Atlantic Region Get to the Point Campus Newsletter Issue 4- Volume XVII

8/7/2019 NCCC Atlantic Region Get to the Point Campus Newsletter Issue 4- Volume XVII

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Get to the Point 1

Volum e XVII Issue 4March-April 2011

Perry PointAtlantic Region

An NCCC Atlantic Region PublicationGet to the Point: The NCCC New s


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Get to the Point 2

The Quicker Stick-er Picker Up-ers: Raven 1By: Tristan Fowler

Hey Class 17, Were just writing to let you know that we did a great job withpicking up the sticks in Delaware. The state is now stick free! Some were thrownover a hill; some were thrown into the woods; some were burned; and some were

sent off in a dump truck to a mysterious site. But the coolest sticks we picked upwere from a tree that literally exploded from a strike of lighting. We heard theexplosion three miles away, and sounded like either the apocalypse or aliens.During the clean-up, we found 15 pound branches over 300 feet away. The debrislooked like spaghetti splayed across the field.

The teams favorite project on Round 1 so far was removing the cattailsfrom Cattail Pond. A few of us got to wear waders and dig around in the muck, andthe rest of us used our rakes, pitchforks and even hands to throw it away. We alsohad a major run in with a Canadian goose named Goo-Goo. Tasha defended us all.

But most of all, we bonded. It was the first day back for Maddy and Tristan fromtheir Phoenix training. It was a change of pace from picking up sticks. And it wasone of those completely ridiculous tasks that all we could do was laugh atourselves. Also, we came up with sweet dinosaur nicknames for each other, butwell tell you about that some other time.

Back at the lodge, we had frequent slumber parties among the stink bugsand played a few games of hot seat to get to know each other better. Khalid, a.k.aRed, returned to us on Tuesday, having spent the previous week at home. If youhadnt heard, he had a bad accident while playing football and needed to havesurgery on his face. Now hes our teams cyborg, with a titanium plate in his face.In other news, Eric is beginning to teach us ASL, and Ryan and Ellen are leading usin yoga. Tasha has been eating her vegetables, and our fearful leader (spiders, ticksand hugs) KJ hasnt been eating McDonalds. And just call Marcus Paul Bunyanfrom now on because with one mighty swing of his axe logs will split in two.

So that should wrap it up for us. For the next four weeks well be back homein Perry Point, probably picking up more sticks and chillaxing with the Veterans.Well keep a light on for ya, and cant wait to see you back at The Point soon!

- Raven One: Done

Inside this Issue:

RodsRuminations

DernardsVehicle Tips

Upper left clockwise: Moose1s Jaquan Johnakin showing the proper tool use. Morgan D. Morris & BrandonWilfrom dig up things in Camden. Members of Raven 7 scrub wood flooring clean. While Sophia Neil craves out concert while working with Habitat. And Raven 5s Matt Malech uses power tools to get the job done right. Center:Buffalo 6 making the A look good in the light of the Chesapeake Bay(want your photos to be on the cover page start posting to Picasa!...who knows your team could be next)

Raven 1 Update

Im a member of the National CivilianCommunity Corps, an AmeriCorpsprogram. N-triple-C members are 18 to24 years old and spend 10 monthsgetting things done for America whiledeveloping their own leadership skills.We serve on teams to help communitiesprepare for and respond to disasters,build homes, and help the environment.

Strengthen communitiesand develop leaders throughdirect, team-based national

and community service

CAP & Media

Alumni Spotlight

Hulks PT

3

5

2

4

Bursting theAmeriBubble

6

AmeriCountDown

7

AmeriMealsShout Outs

9

The A8

Specialty Role6

6

New Unit Leader

10

1011


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Jamie Casterton, served as a Corps Member in Class 16 at the Atlantic Region-Recently, we caught up with Jamie Casterton to find out her impressions on herservice year and what she is doing currently. Jamie served as a Corps Member onthe Badger 1 & Phoenix 3 team in Class XVI.

How did you find out about AmeriCorps NCCC? I foundout about AmeriCorps NCCC by word of mouth. A member of my college service organization mentioned she might apply after graduation. I plan to have a career in service, so when Istarted looking for opportunities after college, NCCC seemedlike the logical next step in my journey.

Wh at was the best part of your year? It is hard to pinpoint my favorite part of my AmeriCorps experience. My favorite times mostly revolve around spending time with other Corps Members (danceparties, long talks, long runs, reflection, etc). I had the fortune of beingon 4 different teams throughout my service year; Badger 1, MississippiDisaster (tornado disaster relief in Mississippi), the Phoenix 3 fireteam, and the DoSomething.org conference team. This not only gaveme the opportunity to form quality relationships with corps members Iotherwise may not have from different units, but also offered a very

diverse service experience in regards to types of projects.

Wh at are your current plans? In my LAA in the Twin Cities, I continue alifestyle of service as a volunteer tutor for Adult Basic Education and Englishas a Second Language, and by volunteering two days a week at my localUnited Way (a pretty cool gig that I got due to my AmeriCorps experiencewith United Way Rhode Island). Both of theseopportunities will help me pre pare for m y next step - Peace Corps .On June 1 st I board a plane to Mali, Africa to spend 27months training and working as an Education andLiteracy volunteer. Peace Corps is a gr eat next stepafter AmeriCorps and m any Class XVI alumnusare no minated or h ave received invitations to

serve w ith Peace Corps. After my ser vice I planto get more involved in Disaster Response, apassion uncovered dur ing NCCC.

Ive checked out the first few GTTPs, and Class XVII is looking good! I am so excited for you all tocreate memories and have a blast this year. Youre in an incredibly unique position to make a BIG positivechange on the communities in which you serve. Believe in yourself, believe in your teammates, be proud of what youre doing, and most importantly, enjoy the ride!

Alumni Spotlight: Jamie Casterton

Jamie is featured here (left) with her team:Badger 1

Jamie Casterton, Badger 1 & Phoenix 3, Class XVI

Jamie is photographed-Left: with her compositedisaster team (RI)

Right: Jamie with a few of her teammates whileat a food bank


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Get to the Point 4

Getting things DONE for CAP & Media U p c o m i n g E v e n t s :

Raven 1, Moose 7, Buffalo 5 & Moose 1 Freestate Challenge Academy on April 4th!

Raven 5 Pittsburgh Project on April 13th, Awesome work Raven 5!

Raven 7 - Making the connections in Vermont!- April 13th Green Mountain CollegeTons of Teams are heading with Laura CRSTL to Baltimore Job Corps Career Fair! Should befun! April 14th!

Moose 5 has two upcoming events within the Camden and Philly area! Nice work guys!

Buffalo 3- Are heading to Positive Outcomes! Keep it up Buffalo 3!

S p e c ia l T h a n k s :

Regional Coordinators you folks are such a great help, thank you for all you have been doingso far in the position, keep the work up!

C o n g r a t u l a t i o n s :

Raven 4 for their recent media hit!

Moose 6 for being the first and only team to have engaged an alum!

Raven 5 & Raven 6 for completing your first CAP Event, with positive responses! Nice!

Raven 2 THE FIRST TEAM TO FINISH THEIR 3 CAP EVENTS!! AWESOME!

R e m i n d e r s :

CAP- When you are planning at CAP Event (which you need a minimum of 3) please communicate your plans

to your Team Leader a n d to your Regional Coordinator. Teams should coordinate their dates & times

b e f o r e reaching out to a recruitment partner!- Job Corps, Youth Build, Youth ChalleNGe Academy, Foster

Care & Covenant House

Media Send out the approved hometown and project releases as soon as possible!

Please follow up on releases to ensure they were received

Search online to see if the releases were published. Whenever coverage is received a media coverageform should be completed within 48 hours which is found on the portal.

There is a repor t due to Headquarters on Apr il 8th about all our Media hits . Thus far we have

about 9 media hits this round which is good. The goal by the end of the round is over 40 media hits so

sending, following up and searching for media hits is very important. Reminder: A ny information the project

sponsor puts out about the team such as a newsletter, website, etc also counts as a media hit.


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Get to the Point 5

Connecticut #3

Bursting the AmeriBubble

Libyan rebels continued their westward advance Sunday, taking operationalcontrol of two key cities, Ras Lanuf and Brega. It's believed NATO launchedanother round of airstrikes against the capital and also on targets in Sirte, Libyanleader Moammar Gadhafi's hometown. In eastern Libya, anti-Gadhafi rebels wereconsolidating their gains after retaking the strategic towns. (cnn.com)

OMG! It is no longer a just a teenage expression, but officially a word found in the dictionary."FYI" (foryour information), "LOL" (laughing out loud) and "OMG" (oh my god) are all now formally recognized by theOxford English Dictionary, one of the world's principal English-language dictionaries. (cnn.com)

Federal agents busted a suspected gunrunning ring that allegedly includes the mayor, police chief and a city councilman of Columbus, N.M. The government alleges the officials used the power and privileges of office tobuy weapons destined for a Mexican drug cartel. Federal agents swooped down on this remote borderoutpost and arrested Mayor Eddie Espinoza, Police Chief Angelo Vega, village trustee Blas Gutierrez and

seven others. They've all been indicted for conspiracy to smuggle guns and making false statements to obtainfirearms. (npr.org)

Elizabeth Taylor, the English-American actress who became a star at age 10 and an icon by the time she was30, died. Taylor died of congestive heart failure at a Los Angeles hospital. She was 79. (npr.org)

Charlotte County Sheriff's deputies arrested 22-year-old Robert Tuttle for allegedly attackinghis 60-year-old mother with an ax, threatening to kill her, and forcing her to stay in hisbedroom and watch movies with him for several hours. (msnbc.com)

Mounting problems, including badly miscalculated radiation figures andinadequate storage tanks for huge amounts of contaminated water,stymied emergency workers Sunday as they struggled to nudge Japan'sstricken nuclear complex back from the edge of disaster. Workers areattempting to remove the radioactive water from the tsunami-ravagednuclear compound and restart the regular cooling systems for thedangerously hot fuel. (Associated Press)

Reese Witherspoon is legally married. She tied the knot to entertainment agent Jim Toth. (people.com)

A poisonous cobra has vanished from an enclosure outside public view at the Bronx Zoo, and its Reptile

House remained closed Sunday as a precaution while zoo workers searched for the missing reptile. Once thesnake gets hungry or thirsty enough to leave its hiding place, workers will have their best opportunity torecover it. In the meantime, the Reptile House remained closed indefinitely. (msnbc.com)

Heres your bracket update:

Evacuees where the troubled nuclear power plant is

Libyans hold pictures of Gadhafi

Watch this!

Kentucky #4Semi-Finals

VCU #11

Butler #8


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Get to the Point 6

The 3rd w eek Service Learning Sum mar y is due to Glenn and Melissa by Friday, April 1st .

You do not need to have all 3 formal service learning events completed but please fill out the sectionsfor the number of events that you have completed.

For Project Outreach Liaison the Day of Service Snapshot were du e last week.

232Days Until

Graduation

In the Corner with The Hulk: Physical Training

The AmeriCount- Countdown

31Days Until

Round 2 Deploy

24Days Until

Spring Break

23Days Until

Return to the Point

Specialty Role Updates

Hulk Move of the Week:

BROADJUMP HOP (Fork Yukon Young People and Walsh)

Materials- One short pointed stick for each player.

Players- Any number.

Procedures- Each player grabs a stick. Starting from a line or other marker, each player jumps landing on

both feet (as far as possible). They then jump again landing on one foot. Keeping the foot up (foot must

not touch the ground). They hop again landing on the same foot. After this second one foot jump they

reach as far forward as possible and stab the stick into the ground. During this reach balance can not be

lost and the raised foot cannot touch the ground. The stick is taken out and the series of three jumps

continues. Make sure to determine the end line. Rather than ever person playing individually you can

split the team in half and set the activity up like sprints with other activities.


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Get to the Point 7

The A & What It Stands For:As adapted from Timothy Stowell, Alumni Reflection Induction March 11, 2011

The A stands for a more than AmeriCorps; it stands for the principles you demonstrate as a person

and as a team member.

1. The A stands for Ability , the skills and motivation to handle any task given to you. You will

be given a large number of tasks that far exceed what you think youre capable of, but you and your

team will accomplish it all, and fast! That kind of work will assist people far beyond your short term

involvement with them, so you really have the capability to change someones life.

2. The A stands for Awareness , the understanding of your surroundings and desire to reach out.

Approach everything AmeriCorps throws at you with an open mind. When out in the community,

make sure to ask questions of the people youre helping and working with to really get a sense of theimpact youre making. Service learning is crucial to making the most of your experience, but

awareness also refers to being conscious of your team. They can your best friends or you might

not hit it off as well as you hoped, but you all have at least one thing in common, and thats the fact

youre dedicating 10 months of your time to service. Consider the feelings of those around you and

enjoy your time with them while it lasts.

3. Finally, the A represents Ambition , your willingness to help others and persevere in the face

of adversity. Without this, AmeriCorps wouldnt have appealed to you, but the fact that youre here

means youre devoted to this cause and will carry the lessons learned in this program with you for

the rest of you lives. Always keep service as a passion in your lives and you will be very successful.

Even if you dont end up working for a non-profit, you can always be active in your communities

and your efforts will be greatly appreciated. You only wear the A for your time with AmeriCorps,

but keep the principles of the A close to your heart to face any challenge ahead of you.

Im a member of the National Civilian Community Corps, an AmeriCorps Program. N-triple-Cmembers are 18 to 24 years old and spend 10 months getting things done for America whiledeveloping their own leadership skills. We serve on teams to help communities to prepare for andrespond to disasters, build homes, and help the environment.


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Get to the Point 8

Meet the New Unit Leader; The Ranger... Shes home

...home, home..home...on the Range...

Sharon Ke llogg , from everywhere (Military Family, but considers

Maryland her home) joins the Buffalo Unit as their fearless leader.

She is familiar with the aspects of AmeriCorps NCCC Atlantic Region,

since she has worked with the VA-Maryland Healthcare System which

allowed her to train at Perry Point, where she was able to observe

members throughout the years. She is excited to be able to be

involved in the corps life, and to be able to use her leadership skills.

Unit Leader Sharon Kellogg stated, My leadership skills have been

developed to better the American community and those who serve it!

We are excited to have her join and spread this passion and

development. Kellogg, has been working as an Emergency Response

Manager at the University of Maryland Medical Center using her

masters degree in Emergency of Disaster Management.

When asked about the Buffalo , since that is the unit name she inherited, she spoke of the representation of

the buffalo and the ideal AmeriCorps member; In Chinese astrology the Buffalo represents the worlds

hardest workers. Those born under that sign are not complainers and they can withstand considerable

pressure. Go Buffalo!

We sat down with Sharon Kellogg to ask her some very i m p o r t a n t q u e s t io n s .

Laura CRSTL : What type of food or food item do you consider to be your comfort food?Sharon Kellogg : There are so many, probably chocolate...as my sister says chocolate fixes everything,and I totally agree.

Laura CRSTL : Shark vs. Octopus Who would win?

Sharon Kellogg : OctopusLaura CRSTL : Snickers vs. Reese Which would you pick?Sharon Kellogg : Snickers, but I do like both

Laura CRSTL : A Buffalo, Raven and Moose are stranded on a deserted islandWhat skills would aBuffalo bring for their survival?Sharon Kellogg : Buffalo of various types are used around the world to build and sustain communitiesthrough their great strength and persistence so the Buffalo would provide shelter and food. Their freespirit would allow them to enjoy the solitude.


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Get to the Point 9

Rods Ruminations: Awkward Circumstances

Today I want to talk to you about the most awkward social circumstance humanbeings face on a day to day basis. Im sure you all have experienced this situation,considering how many people you live with currently. Im talking about theuncomfortable exchange that occurs when one person is using the bathroom andanother person knocks on the door.

Lets look at this from both sides. From one perspective, you have the knocker, who approaches thebathroom needing to use it. The door is closed (or at least I would hope it is), so they assume the room isin use. However, there is that small and deranged demographic of people who close the bathroom doorafter they leave. So, in the back of the knockers mind, there is that seed of doubt saying Maybe it isactually empty?

This seed of doubt inevitably forces the person to knock, precipitating the most awkward five

seconds known to man. The person using the bathroom is taken by surprise by this interruption. Whatshould they say? At this point sheer reflex takes over and one of several phrases is muttered: Theres theubiquitous Hello? or the blatantly obvious Im in here, and my personal favorite, a simplistic Yo!Whichever one is chosen, the person in the bathroom is left feeling rushed and startled, while the knockeris left feeling intrusive and foolish. In the end, we all lose here.

Im sure sociologists and other academics have pondered solutions to this dilemma for eons. Ibet cavemen had an even worse time with it. I mean, they couldnt even build doors, let alone operatethem correctly. So there was probably a lot of barging in on people and vicious club beatings as a result.However, my second grade teacher Mr. Hitchcock solved this problem years ago, and he did it without a

fancy liberal arts degree. He simply hung a big round cardboard circle on our classrooms bathroomdoor and painted one side red and the other side green. The system was brilliant in its simplicity: youflipped the circle to red when you went into the bathroom, and back to green when you left. This signifiedwhether the room was open for business or closed forwellbusiness. The scheme ended all awkwardbathroom encounters, freeing all of us eight year olds from crippling embarrassment and stunted socialgrowth.

I encourage you all to consider adopting old Mr. Hitchcocks brilliant bathroom managementsystem on your team. I think it promotes a sense of social harmony and will enable you to enjoy your ownrumination time, free from intrusion.


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Get to the Point 10

Dernards Doggone Too Easy Vehicle Tips: Brake fluid Reservoir Should Also Be At An Optimum Level

AmeriGourmet: The Cooking Corner

1 pound Rigatoni, fusilli or small shells, dried

2 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon Basil, dried1 cup Crushed tomatoes in heavy puree

1 package Italian blend cheese (8 ounces divided -mozzarella, mild cheddar, provolone, and asiago)1/4 cup gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

5 Cheese Pasta

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.

Boil pasta two minutes less than the package directs in plenty of well-salted water and set aside.Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix together the cream, crushed tomatoes, basil, 1 1/2 cups of Italian cheeseblend, and gorgonzola cheese.

Add cooked pasta to the cream and cheese mixture. Stir to combine. Pour into prepared casserole dishand top with remaining 1/2 cup of Italian cheese blend. Bake for 30 minutes, or until top is brownedslightly and pasta is bubbling hot.

Serve immediately. Severing y ields about 6-8

Reservoir should be at optimum level with the fluid type.

flashing brake warning light

squealing, chirping or grinding noises

pulsations in the brake pedal

shaky steering wheel

increased stopping distance

car pulls to one side when you stop

... your brakes may require servicing...


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Get to the Point 11

Go Ahead, Make My Day...Give me a Shout OutBUFFALO 1- Sunday night we did a Family night with Buffalo 6 and it was awesome. We played aquestion game, Never have I ever, Water Pong, and just spent the night together as a family. Itwas successful and a way for the two teams to bond without alcohol.

BUFFALO 3-

Sledge hammer to the thigh, no problem.Intense soccer leaving the surviving limping to the showers, too easy.30 minute fire hydrants, ridiculous, but no sweat.B3!B3!!B3!B3!B3!B3!..... and so on

BUFFALO 4-Fresh off a 70+ hour week, Buffalo 4 is returning to Baltimore for some much needed time outsideWhats cooler than being served three hot meals a day? How about getting to work at a robotics competition ifor four days! Also Tom Hanks called, he wants his voice back.Shout out to Nate! The team (especially Joe) has been screaming out your name randomly (even Johns missiyou but hes too proud to admit it). Hope the fires are good and hot!

BUFFALO 5- Somebody once asked could I spare some change for gas, I need to get myself away from thispla-ace. I said, yep, what a concept, I could use a little fuel myself and we could all use a littleCHAAAAAAAANGE!!!

BUFFALO 6-B1 and B6 played an intense battle of water pong on family night we challenge any team to a battle royal

BUFFALO 7-Buffalo 2, you make our dreams come true.

Shout out to B7. We doin it big up in NY. ~Derwin

Hey Justin, good job on winning with the ISPs. Youre welcome. ~Agent Copper

What up, Patrick!

MOOSE 1-Moose 1 had a blast demolishing buildings at the camp this week! Moose 1 LOVES tearing down buildings!

MOOSE 2-Man on the corner selling hats and drankMichaels team

MOOSE 3-*We w ould like to give a shout out to Terrell (Star) Price. We miss yoursmooth R& B vocals and your attractive Dougie moves.*Rachel on Phoeni x 1 keep doing well in the community Mark*Steve Kerr I miss your curly locks Bethany*Green Team Miss you like woah! Hope you are all having a great first round!

MOOSE 4- Moose 4 is loving NOLA!

MOOSE 6-Much love to Moose 1 for their most excellent card full of Moose-worthy love! Moose 6 iscurrently preparing our response, and we believe you will enjoy!

(Continued on page 12)


12/12

Get to the Point 12MOOSE 7- Team Work, Makes the Dream Work.

RAVEN 1-Raven One just finished getting it done in Delaware. Now its time to get it done at the VA. Whos bad?What kinda work? TEAMWORK!

RAVEN 2-~Laura Mack- Im not dead, so thanks for checking in on me! I miss you and love ya beautiful J~KJ- HOW YOU DOIN??!!!~Griff & Julian- Its about to go down!!!!

~Amelia- I miss you so much roomie! And I love ya like a fat kid loves cake, haha!!!~Leeann & Hunter- I miss you pretty ladies! Hope all is well J~To all of the Green Team- Have a wonderful week and with whatever you do, please never forget to. EHHHH, PUT IT ON THE PIZZA!!!~Dania (Raven 6)- Thats what she said!!!~I would blow my sphincter out my backside like one of those unrolling paper streamers you get at childrens parties-I daresay it would evengive a merry toot-and bleed to a messy death in my sleeping bag. ~A Walk In The Woods~ (Raven Unit Book Club)(IS THIS APPROPRIATE???)

RAVEN 3-Raven 3 worked with a group of students from the University of Illinois and a church groupfrom North Carolina on the construction site. While the members of Raven 3 could be found leadingthe charge towards the construction of a new home, the church group, comprised of (12) 70+ yearold members, constantly put to shame the college students doing the same job. It provided Raven 3with extreme admiration towards the senior citizen community and gave them something to aspireto in their later years.

RAVEN 4-50 baby chickens arrived in the mail this week. Weve been busy attending to their needs. We also sleep like mummies in our tents durinfreezing cold nights.A Haiku:Fifty baby chicks One day you will be dinner Yum yum yum yum yum

RAVEN 6-The team had a great impact at the Food Bank of Delaware during their rainy day work.

RAVEN 7-Raven 7 has been working with the lovely and talented Ms. Vaughn Pinkett this week. Martha Stewart aint got nothin on her but jail time, baby.

Little known facts about Raven 7Carl hates when Stringer and Avon are wrongly identified. Sophia always has her sassy pants on. Nicki loves the way her AmeriSweatshirt looks. Colin May is traveled. Dominique creates an interestingsmell with his cologne and flatulence. Kitty sleepdrinks from the water fountain. Gillian defends like a beast and has apowerful warrior cry. Rob can drink more Muscle Milk than you. Zac hates gloves. Ariel is a professional UltimateFrisbee player. Julian laughs like a 50 year old woman, just so you know. You are now more acquainted with Raven 7.

STL S eh...put it on the pizza just isnt the same without the whole green team around. Melissa is wanderingaround the village aimlessly looking for anyone in a green shirt to talk to...often times these wanderings seem

more like pacing, for her sake we are all hoping green team comes home soon. Laura has taken to leavingher to fend for herself...Laura and her hotbox/white lighting/white terd (aka her mini-van) have become bestfriends and hold long conversations about the amazing creation that is goldfish I mean honestly ITS THEONLY SNACK THAT SMILES BACK!We miss everyone seriously please come back!

Documents

NCCC Atlantic Region Get to the Point Campus Newsletter Issue 4- Volume XVII