Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Featured on the Cover- Upper left clockwise: Raven 1’s Kelsey Smith & Ryan Hatem move some, while Moose 2
TL Allen Hunt and CM Amanda Ambrass work on disaster clean-up. Leandro Lopez works outdoors and Thub-
nder 1& Buffalo 1 pose for the camera while Raven 7’s Sophia Neil picks up sticks. Center: Buffalo 2, Moose 3
and Raven 6 Plus Chris Quirk (OSTL) poses while working in a warehouse out on disaster.
Strengthen communities
and develop leaders through
direct, team-based national
and community service
AmeriCount 4
AmeriGourment 5
Stress Balls 6
Brain Food 7
Alumni Spotlight 8
Weekly Alums 9
Healthy? 11
Socializing 12
PHOENIX 2 SHOUT OUT: P2 had a ‘reel’ fun time fishing with the kids this weekend.
Nothing like a baited pond to bring out the true skills of a little fisherperson.
M2: I could really go for some Lord Voldemort7 in my life…
Hey R4 see you soon! –Logan
B5 continue killing it at the camp without me. Is there ever a bad time for DOTA? - Isaac
B4 Bring ‘em out, bring ‘em out! Jon fight on Towson Tigers! -Sam
RAVEN 6 MOOSE 4 SHOUT OUT: Shout out to our sister team raven 4!
SHOUT OUT: Danielle wants to shout out to Amelia! I
R1’s Maddy likes to cook in
her free time! Show what Happy 24th hope your bed is made!
your team does on YouTube! Birthday Darren!
AmeriCount Down
18 20 24 163
Days Until Days Until Days Until Days Until
Return to the Point Transition Summer Break Graduation
Get to the Point Volume XVII Issue 13 4
Buffalo 4: Clockwise Starting Left– TL Caleb Kulfan, John Miller, Joe Ijams, Kevante Reese, Sam Saladino (Phoenix2)
Nicole Rembold (Buffalo2) Analisa Sutherland, Kevin Slowe, Tracy Choomack, LeeAnne Jones
Directions: On metal or soaked bamboo skewers, alternately thread zucchini, yellow squash and mushrooms.
In a bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Brush some of the mixture over vegetables. Grill, uncovered,
over medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are tender, turning and basting occasionally with herb
mixture.
RAVEN 7 SHOUT OUT: Ms. Pricilla has BUFFALO 7 SHOUT OUT: Moose 2: Just you, and me, and some flowers… I
finally come around on Raven 7 and is giv- nstantaneous! .. Three! Or seven! Make it a baker’s dozen!
Oh give me a home, where the green buffalo roam… Miss you guys!
ing us snacks and refreshments all the time.
Preston, are you feeling hot hot hot? ~L, S, C
All it took was to get out of her kitchen and Emerald, I bet you can find some sort of hidden message here, if ya know what I
help with the food drive and she is the mean… ~Copper
sweetest woman in the world. Justin, are you ready for summer break and 50 ISP hours?! Hüdât! ~Carolanne
Shout out to Derwin Lee! ~Derwin Lee
Thursdays in the Square=wonderful. Ed- I can’t wait to see all the lovely ladies of 155 on transition!! Sam, where the heck is
ward Sharpe and Magnetic Zeroes for free… my letter? ~Carolanne
CMON! I miss you Lauryn and Aubrey! ~Steffi
Rob, I hope you are having a wicked fun time in Alabama! 3 more weeks till you will
We love a hayride! Well we actually love
have air conditioning! ~Steffi
riding on a cart pulled by a forklift but we Ryan, any koalas in Vermont? See you soon!
were pretending that we were in a pumpkin
patch being pulled by a tractor. BUFFALO 6 SHOUT OUT: STL SHOUT OUT: Everyone is gone. It is
Shout out to fS1! Tragically lonely here, luckily members of Freedom One
separated at birth. But soon have arrived and Laura is slowly morphing into
reunited…skalicky we will miss a Field TL while Rod is transforming back into
you, have fun with RavenUSTL. Laura listened to NPR the other
freedom ..good luck yall… day and is convinced she is going to get diabetes
BOOM – Jason mocks her. Bradley is still running.
Get to the Point Volume XVII Issue 13 6
I would like to personally extend my gratitude to Felicia Guynes, Buffalo 6 who has spear headed the
production of the stress ball program: a stress ball for every CM & TL. Each of the stress balls
were lovingly designed & put together with the assistance of some great CMs : Nicole Remboldt, George
Davis, Alexa Rossini. Ms. Felicia has logged some 50 plus hours making everyone has a stress ball.
THANK YOU FELICIA GUYNES for being instrumental in assisting every CM and TL in
practicing stress management.
As you know, stress is the number one health problem in the world due to the harm it can
cause the body. A stress ball is one tool that can be used to combat stress; it can be easily squeezed to
decrease muscular and emotional tension. Stress balls can be used anywhere!
When you squeeze your stress ball, you create grip and your muscles
relax. As you squeeze the stress ball and tense and relax your muscles, breathe
deeply to help yourself relax fully. Did you know by squeezing a stress ball, you
are diverting your attention away from the source of your stress?
What is NCCC-Activity:
Win the PRIZE! Answer the question to CRSTL
Laura Mack and win (but you have to be the first
one so hurry up with your answer)
RAVEN 2 SHOUT OUT: Raven 2 just left camp and are on our
way to help at the Lackawanna Valley Bike Tour. We are
really excited for what it has in store for us!!
Ellen, our time together was too short, please return to the safe
space soon.
discovered NCCC. I was in the middle of applying to the Peace Corps at the time, but I decided
to apply to NCCC anyway because it sounded like such a unique experience. When I found out I
got in, I withdrew my Peace Corps application to do NCCC!
From the National Conference on Volunteering and Service in New Orleans, we want to share
a powerful new video. National Service: Count On Us tells the story of service and volunteering in
times of crisis. From forest fires and floods, to hurricanes and tornadoes, to terror attacks and oil spills,
participants in CNCS programs have provided critical support to millions of Americans affected by disasters
since 1994.
The National Conference showcased the work we do in Disaster, here are some Atlantic Region images.
AmeriCorps Alumni are involved in a great amount of Disaster Relief.
Connect & Network with Alumni (even while in the program), there are opportunities such as networking,
chapter involvement, job postings, trainings, etc…
Connect:
www.americorpsalums.org
Follow on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/#!/americorpsalums
Get to the Point Volume XVII Issue 13 10
Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant experienced full meltdowns at three reactors in the wake of
an earthquake and tsunami in March, the country's Nuclear Emergency Response Headquarters said
Monday. Japan's nuclear emergency agency goes further in describing the extent of damage. The
Fukushima Daiichi plant was badly affected by an earthquake and tsunami in March. Tokyo Electric Power
Co. has avoided calling the event a meltdown. (cnn.com)
The latest caffeine product takes a new form: It's a stamp-sized gel sheet
that dissolves in the mouth like a breath freshener. The product,
called Sheets, is sort of like an energy drink without the water. A
promotional video shows NBA star LeBron James, in black and white,
placing a bright red gel strip on his tongue. James is not just endorsing the
product — he is a co-founder of the company. Caffeine has many well-known
benefits. Even so, last week the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a
report recommending that children and adolescents never use energy drinks.
(npr.org)
More than 100 people were killed Monday in and around the northern Syrian city of Jisr Al-Shugur in the
third consecutive day of violence there, according to reports from the government and opposition groups.
State television blames "armed gangs" for setting government buildings afire. (cnn.com)
Continuing failure to identify the source of the deadly German outbreak of E. coli poisoning points to a
flawed investigation that could shake faith in the global public health system. German officials reported
that initial tests showed that vegetable sprouts were not the cause of the food poisoning outbreak that has
killed 22 and sickened at least 2,300, including more than 660 people with a life-threatening complication
of infection that attacks the kidneys. (msnbc.com)
Apple announced the introduction of iCloud, a music service that will allow users to listen to their music
from almost any Internet-connected device. (npr.org) iCloud, a breakthrough set of free new cloud services
that work seamlessly with applications on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac or PC to automatically and
wirelessly store your content in iCloud and automatically and wirelessly push it to all your devices. When
anything changes on one of your devices, all of your devices are wirelessly updated almost instantly. (Apple
Press)
A jogger who Greensboro police said wasn't paying attention was injured by running
into the back of a stopped bus at about 8 a.m. The jogger suffered minor injuries,
police said . (msnbc.com)
Get to the Point Volume XVII Issue 13 11
Here below are ten rules to follow if you are using social media related to
AmeriCorps NCCC. AmeriCorps NCCC is a program of a federal agency which is an
entity. You must remember at all times while using social media that represents NCCC
that you are representing the program and not yourself.
Therefore:
1. Do not follow or like and/or make status updates & posts about political parties,
political commentators, political candidates, state & local officials, celebrities, athletes, sports teams,
musicians or public figures
2. Do not follow/like any brands, any products to include books/movies, etc, companies or
entities other than project sponsors and recruitment partners
3. Do not post or upload pictures/videos with any brands or products visible
4. Do not post pictures/video with Members not in uniform- no casual photos, no casual videos
5. Do not post pictures/videos of Members not in full proper uniform at all times - no backward
hats, shirts not tucked in, etc.
6. Do not disregard the privacy and personal information of your Team Members
7. Do not make posts/status updates related personal/individual opinions about anything
non service related
8. Do not post videos or pictures of any behaviors or activities not permitted while in service
9. Do not make posts/status updates related to any religious or spiritual subjects/issues
10. Do not post gripes or negative content about the program, projects, the team, the staff or
Members
BUFFALO 3 SHOUT OUT: Disaster told in haikus:
Word: 'bama needs us
MOOSE 3 SHOUT OUT: Sunshine misses R6 at the warehouse
Quick! pack van floor to ceiling
already :( Have fun in the Big Easy M6! Shout out to all of my Much love Georiga, peace
housemates and AmeriHomies! Cant wait to see you all during
transition. <3 Sunshine Big wheels keep turning
West to Ameri- camp ground
Each day something new
Teach me how to govie. Teach me, teach me how to govie. All my
green team love me. All my all my Green Team love me...it's Work in Birmingham
Finding peace at a convent
been great working and being with some of you down here in What next? No one knows :)
Bama. Can't wait to see everyone else so very soon. Miss you all.
Word to Marlee / Word to all our disaster compatriots,
keep up all of your incredible work!
Get to the Point Volume XVII Issue 13 13
Stress
By: Laura Tuck, Campus Counselor
NCCC team members will experience stress for a variety of reasons, some of which arise from
the particular nature of our work and structure. How NCCC team members monitor and
manage their stress may dictate their successes throughout their Corps year.
Some sources of stress are unique to the NCCC and NCCC teams:
1.Team members will confront personal challenges, take on new responsibilities
2.Issues from home, unresolved personal issues, relationship issues
3.Team dynamics: unresolved issued between Corps members, issues with the team and team leader
4.Changes in location, living conditions and projects
What is stress anyway? Merriam Webster’s Dictionary-Stress is a constraining force or influence as:
A physical, chemical, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension
A state resulting from stress, especially one of bodily or mental tension resulting from factors that
tend to alter an existent equilibrium (Job related stress)
Strain, pressure: The environment is under stress to the point of collapse
Hans Hugo Bruno Seyle, an endocrinologist reported that there are two kinds of stress with
positive and negative effects. He called them eustress and distress.
Eustress derives from the Greek word meaning “good or well”. When attached to stress it actually
means “good stress” Some examples of eustress are: finding out that you have been accepted to NCCC or to
a composite team, planning a wedding or holiday, riding a roller coaster, engaging in exercise or weight
training, love, or coming in first in a race.
What are some sources of negative stress that you can think of in the NCCC? What are some
ways that you can tell that you are experiencing negative stress?
The effects of stress over time: Chronic stress is the response of the brain to unpleasant
events for a prolonged period over which an individual perceives he or she has no control.
If this continues over a long period of time, it can cause damage to an individual’s physical
and mental health.
Physical Symptoms:
Frequent Illness Weight loss or Gain Back Pain
Gingivitis Nausea Missed Menstrual Cycles
Rash Hemorrhoids Gastrointestinal Issues
Cardiovascular Disease
Get to the Point Volume XVII Issue 13 14
On a Continuum:
Irritability Edgy Poor sleep
Cannot stop worrying Fear of loss and control Emotional withdrawal
Shortness of breath Avoidance of social situations Chest pains, tightness
Sweating , trembling Interference with work Explosive emotional reactions
Looks sad or flat Rigid negative thinking Crying spells
Restless Agitated Poor concentration
Feelings of guilt, worthlessness Self-defeating behaviors Isolates self
Thoughts of harm to self or others
If you notice the signs of stress in yourself, what are some things to try?
Don’t try to “push through”. If you are feeling overwhelmed, take a step back. Pay attention to yourself
Breathe slowly and deeply and move slowly to calm yourself
Exercise reduces adrenaline and releases dopamine (happy chemicals)
Avoid negative, repetitive thoughts. Find something “to replace the tape”
Fight anxiety by visualizing, rehearsing success
Identify what you can control and focus on that.
Set limits
Set measurable goals
Talk to somebody. Talking makes you feel better.
If you are interested in wearing the green next year, the first step is to
log into the web portal and complete an application.
Applications can be found under the NCCC TEAM LEADER selection
and submitted to WINTER 2012.
Typically our process is to review all applications and then determine how many we want to move forward
to the interview stage. It is important to note that some current members who submit an application may
not get an interview.
If you have any questions about the process, please contact your respective Unit Leader, Vivian
(vnewstate@cns.gov) or the STL Staff Point of Contacts: Community Relations STL-Sam McKenzie,
Program Office STL-Robin Nixon, Operations Office STL-Dernard