I should have announced this earlier in my blog, but please send me mail! A letter, a card, a package...anything is welcome. My address here is:
Joshua Winata
AmeriCorps NCCC
Class XVI - Team Silver 3
3427 Laurel St.
McClellan, CA 95652
Also, if you'd like a postcard or souvenir from me, please e-mail me (or snail mail!) your address as well. Hope to hear from you soon!
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Silver 3
So I'm way behind on my updates, but I do have some quick news to share before I return to our regularly scheduled programming. Since arriving, we have been in temporary teams known as "pods," but yesterday we found out our permanent teams, which we will be on for the remainder of our 10 months in Americorps NCCC.
I am proud to announce that I am now part of Silver 3, which is headed by Team Leader Jessi Carver. We are a specialized team known as an FRT, or fuel reduction team. For the majority of the year, we will be working with federal, state, and non-profit land management agencies (such as the U.S. Forest Service) to reduce the risk of wildland fires. This work includes cutting and stacking vegetation, clearing space around homes, educating community residents on fire prevention, and conducting prescribed burns. Although it is not guaranteed we will see fire, the team may also be called on for wildland fire suppression. All FRT members receive specialized equipment training in water pumps, chain saws, and other gear and will be certified as Wildland Firefighters, Type 2.
To get on an FRT, we had to complete and application and also participated in a physical fitness test. The test involved walking three miles in less than 45 minutes while wearing a 45-pound vest. When I first heard the requirement, it didn't seem that arduous, but it turned out to be a much more formidable challenge than I anticipated. My legs were burning after the first mile, but after that I quickly turned numb; most of the test was a complete blur achieved only through robotic determination. I was painfully sore for nearly a week afterward, but I am extremely proud that I managed to make the walk in just under 40 minutes.
We had all been waiting anxiously since day 1 to get our permanent team assignments, so of course the Americorps NCCC had to draw out the ordeal by making it a scavenger hunt. We first found out we were on the Silver Unit through a series of clues that had us running all over the campus. Our final stop was the old Air Force airstrip, where we found our team leaders in full uniform standing rigidly in a row. It was an intimidating vignette: a line of serious, burly young adults silhouetted against the lights of the air traffic control tower. They all introduced themselves and spent a few minutes talking up the Silver Unit's commitment to excellence and high standards.
This contrasted sharply with what I later heard about how other units introduced themselves. The Blue Unit was greeted with free candy and an ice cream social. The Green Unit played silly games as an icebreaker. I think it shows a bit of each unit's personality, and though I'm bummed I missed out on free food and games, I do have just a small chip of elitism about being on the more intense and serious unit.
My new team members seem nice enough though we haven't had much time to bond yet; there will be lots of opportunity for that later. They're not a very friendly group, but I think I prefer that to overly perky and enthusiastic teammates, which gets old really quickly. I do really miss the members of my pod, who have become close over the few days we had together. Before we disbanded, we had our final muster and shared our touchy-feely reflections and fond memories. It's nice to know I have them as a support system, but I'm also looking forward to seeing how the relationships on my new team develop.
I am proud to announce that I am now part of Silver 3, which is headed by Team Leader Jessi Carver. We are a specialized team known as an FRT, or fuel reduction team. For the majority of the year, we will be working with federal, state, and non-profit land management agencies (such as the U.S. Forest Service) to reduce the risk of wildland fires. This work includes cutting and stacking vegetation, clearing space around homes, educating community residents on fire prevention, and conducting prescribed burns. Although it is not guaranteed we will see fire, the team may also be called on for wildland fire suppression. All FRT members receive specialized equipment training in water pumps, chain saws, and other gear and will be certified as Wildland Firefighters, Type 2.
To get on an FRT, we had to complete and application and also participated in a physical fitness test. The test involved walking three miles in less than 45 minutes while wearing a 45-pound vest. When I first heard the requirement, it didn't seem that arduous, but it turned out to be a much more formidable challenge than I anticipated. My legs were burning after the first mile, but after that I quickly turned numb; most of the test was a complete blur achieved only through robotic determination. I was painfully sore for nearly a week afterward, but I am extremely proud that I managed to make the walk in just under 40 minutes.
We had all been waiting anxiously since day 1 to get our permanent team assignments, so of course the Americorps NCCC had to draw out the ordeal by making it a scavenger hunt. We first found out we were on the Silver Unit through a series of clues that had us running all over the campus. Our final stop was the old Air Force airstrip, where we found our team leaders in full uniform standing rigidly in a row. It was an intimidating vignette: a line of serious, burly young adults silhouetted against the lights of the air traffic control tower. They all introduced themselves and spent a few minutes talking up the Silver Unit's commitment to excellence and high standards.
This contrasted sharply with what I later heard about how other units introduced themselves. The Blue Unit was greeted with free candy and an ice cream social. The Green Unit played silly games as an icebreaker. I think it shows a bit of each unit's personality, and though I'm bummed I missed out on free food and games, I do have just a small chip of elitism about being on the more intense and serious unit.
My new team members seem nice enough though we haven't had much time to bond yet; there will be lots of opportunity for that later. They're not a very friendly group, but I think I prefer that to overly perky and enthusiastic teammates, which gets old really quickly. I do really miss the members of my pod, who have become close over the few days we had together. Before we disbanded, we had our final muster and shared our touchy-feely reflections and fond memories. It's nice to know I have them as a support system, but I'm also looking forward to seeing how the relationships on my new team develop.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Make A Difference Day
Last Saturday, we had our second service project as part of national Make A Difference Day. We started the morning by heading to the Sacramento Theatre Company for a group photo of all the Pacific Region corps members and an orientation. We received printed programs upon arrival that listed almost two hours worth of speakers, which initially had me concerned. After weeks of sitting in training sessions, I wasn't necessarily looking forward to yet another presentation.
Fortunately, the panel of speakers was absolutely phenomenal. We had a brief visit from Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson (who also happens to be a former Phoenix Suns point guard) who has been doing a lot to promote service in the city by setting a goal of 500,000 hours of community service by the end of 2009.
Karen Baker, the California Secretary of Service and Volunteering (the first state Cabinet position of its kind in the country), gave a particularly inspiring speech. She was witty and engaging and personal and made us really proud to have committed a year of our lives to national service. She reminded us that our enthusiasm and optimism not only gets things done but also encourages the people we consider our role models who work in public service and the non-profit sector.
We also heard from the St. John's Shelter Executive Director Michelle Steeb, who runs a non-profit serving homeless women and their children; Loaves and Fishes Executive Director Libby Fernandez, who works to feed the house the homeless; and Turning Point Executive Director John Buck, a former drug addict who now provides mental health community programs. Each spoke about the challenges facing their respective programs, especially in the midst of the poor economic climate, and the importance of volunteers like us.
For a different perspective, Sean McGlynn, a former homeless man, spoke about his journey to recovery. His talk gave a very intimate and real face to the problem of homelessness and helped us realistically see how we can have an impact on the issue. I wish I could let you listen to all of the talks by these tremendous speakers and role models, but I only had the foresight to capture the last one. Hopefully you'll be inspired by Mr. McGlynn's story as well.
Click on the image to watch a video of the presentation by Sean McGlynn
Our task for the day was to plant native species around California Department of Food and Agriculture building as a sort of demonstration garden and a form of "edible landscaping." The gardens are intended to be educational; they show the public various types of plants indigenous to the area and how to grow them. It also helps raise awareness among city-dwellers about the delicate balance required to successfully cultivate crops, even in a beautiful climate like California's. On that particular day, we planted strawberries, various herbs, and a Native American garden that contained flora handy for cooking, basket weaving, medicine, and other practical uses. We also dug trenches around the perimeter of the beds so the irrigation wouldn't run out into the sidewalk It was long, dirty labor, but it was nice being in the shade, and we actually got a whole lot more work done than our sponsor expected.
Afterward, our host was nice enough to take us across the street to the California State Capitol for an impromptu guided tour. I'd been before to walk the grounds, but this time we actually got to go inside. It was near closing time, so we were forced to run through the huge building in about 10 minutes, but we did get to see Arnold's (a.k.a. "the Governator's") office! I still don't know if it's as nice as the Texas Capitol, but I do definitely have a new respect for the beauty in the details, which consist of a lot of intricate hand-carved and hand-tiled corridors and a lovely marbled rotunda.
I'm a little behind in my posting, so this was actually the last service project I had with my beloved Pod 22. As I mentioned in previous postings, I am now part of Silver 3, so hopefully I'll have time in the upcoming weeks to post about the adventures on my new team.
Fortunately, the panel of speakers was absolutely phenomenal. We had a brief visit from Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson (who also happens to be a former Phoenix Suns point guard) who has been doing a lot to promote service in the city by setting a goal of 500,000 hours of community service by the end of 2009.
Karen Baker, the California Secretary of Service and Volunteering (the first state Cabinet position of its kind in the country), gave a particularly inspiring speech. She was witty and engaging and personal and made us really proud to have committed a year of our lives to national service. She reminded us that our enthusiasm and optimism not only gets things done but also encourages the people we consider our role models who work in public service and the non-profit sector.
We also heard from the St. John's Shelter Executive Director Michelle Steeb, who runs a non-profit serving homeless women and their children; Loaves and Fishes Executive Director Libby Fernandez, who works to feed the house the homeless; and Turning Point Executive Director John Buck, a former drug addict who now provides mental health community programs. Each spoke about the challenges facing their respective programs, especially in the midst of the poor economic climate, and the importance of volunteers like us.
For our actual service, my pod went to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, where we were met by Secretary of Agriculture A. G. Kawamura. Despite his impressive Cabinet title, he was an unpretentious and friendly host in his tropical print shirt, blue baseball cap, jeans, and work boots. As a true farmer, his only flaw was perhaps being too interested in his work as he gave us a long-winded but very informative and engaging spiel on the challenges facing agriculture in California, one of the most fertile and productive regions in the nation.
Our task for the day was to plant native species around California Department of Food and Agriculture building as a sort of demonstration garden and a form of "edible landscaping." The gardens are intended to be educational; they show the public various types of plants indigenous to the area and how to grow them. It also helps raise awareness among city-dwellers about the delicate balance required to successfully cultivate crops, even in a beautiful climate like California's. On that particular day, we planted strawberries, various herbs, and a Native American garden that contained flora handy for cooking, basket weaving, medicine, and other practical uses. We also dug trenches around the perimeter of the beds so the irrigation wouldn't run out into the sidewalk It was long, dirty labor, but it was nice being in the shade, and we actually got a whole lot more work done than our sponsor expected.
Afterward, our host was nice enough to take us across the street to the California State Capitol for an impromptu guided tour. I'd been before to walk the grounds, but this time we actually got to go inside. It was near closing time, so we were forced to run through the huge building in about 10 minutes, but we did get to see Arnold's (a.k.a. "the Governator's") office! I still don't know if it's as nice as the Texas Capitol, but I do definitely have a new respect for the beauty in the details, which consist of a lot of intricate hand-carved and hand-tiled corridors and a lovely marbled rotunda.
I'm a little behind in my posting, so this was actually the last service project I had with my beloved Pod 22. As I mentioned in previous postings, I am now part of Silver 3, so hopefully I'll have time in the upcoming weeks to post about the adventures on my new team.
About Americorps NCCC
Before I share anymore about my life at Americorps NCCC, I think it is important to give you some additional background information on what the program is all about. I've been a little bit vague about what it is I'm doing, partly because how we serve is so varied. Service areas include disaster relief, infrastructure improvement, environmental conservation and stewardship, energy conservation, and urban and rural development. We partner with a variety of non-profits, municipalities, state and federal governments, national and state parks, Indian tribes and schools to identify and engage in these projects.
The NCCC, or National Civilian Community Corps, is an Americorps program created in 1990 by the senior President George Bush and was subsequently strongly promoted by President Bill Clinton. It was later placed under the umbrella of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). Established by the federal government in 1993, the organization is designed to promote service and volunteerism, distribute grants, and create opportunities for American citizens to give back to their communities.
Of the many Americorps programs available to U.S. citizens of all ages, NCCC is unique because it is the only full-time, residential program open to ages 18 to 24. This arrangement allows the NCCC to be extremely adaptable and flexible while also providing reliably trained service workers. There are currently five NCCC campuses, each serving a different region of the country, located in Sacramento, California; Denver, Colorado; Perry Point, Maryland; Vinton, Iowa; and Vicksburg, Mississippi. The NCCC was initially formed to provide employment to former military personnel and still has many organizational structures in common. It was also modeled in part after the Civilian Conservation Corps, which was created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as part of the New Deal.
Hurricane Katrina was a major turning point in the development of NCCC. Prior to this natural disaster, the program was on the brink of being cut from the federal budget. However, due to the excellent coordinated response of all campuses, the NCCC received renewed positive attention and, consequently, funding. The focus of the NCCC has since shifted toward an emphasis on disaster response and is still heavily invested in rebuilding the Gulf Coast.
President Barack Obama has been a strong supporter of the Americorps NCCC. In April 2009, he signed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, which greatly expanded national service programs. Under the act, the number of AmeriCorps positions is expected to increase from 75,000 to 250,000. For NCCC members, the educational grant award we receive under the program was increased from $4,725 to $5,200.
There are numerous benefits that come from serving with NCCC. In addition to the education grant award, we receive a small bi-weekly living allowance totaling approximately $4,000 over 10 months. We also receive free uniforms, travel to and from our designated campus, room and board, basic health coverage, and loan forbearance. Less tangible gains include networking opportunities and skills building. All corps members are certified in first aid and CPR, van driving, and use of various tools and have the opportunity to work with agencies such as the Red Cross, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the U.S. Forest Service. There are also several national volunteering awards and certifications that can be obtained during the course of the program.
So what does all this look like on the ground level? Corps members are divided into teams of 10 to 12 people, each lead by a Team Leader, and are assigned to various projects, each about six to eight weeks long, as the needs arise throughout our region. I am based in the Pacific region, which serves Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, and the Pacific Territories. We usually will not know what our specific project is until days before we leave. Prior to departing, we receive a briefing about what we will be doing and the organization we will be working with. Then we pile in a 15-passenger van and drive out to wherever the project is being hosted. Housing is provided by the sponsoring agency or government while we are out on projects.
Got questions? Leave comments!
The NCCC, or National Civilian Community Corps, is an Americorps program created in 1990 by the senior President George Bush and was subsequently strongly promoted by President Bill Clinton. It was later placed under the umbrella of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). Established by the federal government in 1993, the organization is designed to promote service and volunteerism, distribute grants, and create opportunities for American citizens to give back to their communities.
Of the many Americorps programs available to U.S. citizens of all ages, NCCC is unique because it is the only full-time, residential program open to ages 18 to 24. This arrangement allows the NCCC to be extremely adaptable and flexible while also providing reliably trained service workers. There are currently five NCCC campuses, each serving a different region of the country, located in Sacramento, California; Denver, Colorado; Perry Point, Maryland; Vinton, Iowa; and Vicksburg, Mississippi. The NCCC was initially formed to provide employment to former military personnel and still has many organizational structures in common. It was also modeled in part after the Civilian Conservation Corps, which was created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as part of the New Deal.
Hurricane Katrina was a major turning point in the development of NCCC. Prior to this natural disaster, the program was on the brink of being cut from the federal budget. However, due to the excellent coordinated response of all campuses, the NCCC received renewed positive attention and, consequently, funding. The focus of the NCCC has since shifted toward an emphasis on disaster response and is still heavily invested in rebuilding the Gulf Coast.
President Barack Obama has been a strong supporter of the Americorps NCCC. In April 2009, he signed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, which greatly expanded national service programs. Under the act, the number of AmeriCorps positions is expected to increase from 75,000 to 250,000. For NCCC members, the educational grant award we receive under the program was increased from $4,725 to $5,200.
There are numerous benefits that come from serving with NCCC. In addition to the education grant award, we receive a small bi-weekly living allowance totaling approximately $4,000 over 10 months. We also receive free uniforms, travel to and from our designated campus, room and board, basic health coverage, and loan forbearance. Less tangible gains include networking opportunities and skills building. All corps members are certified in first aid and CPR, van driving, and use of various tools and have the opportunity to work with agencies such as the Red Cross, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the U.S. Forest Service. There are also several national volunteering awards and certifications that can be obtained during the course of the program.
So what does all this look like on the ground level? Corps members are divided into teams of 10 to 12 people, each lead by a Team Leader, and are assigned to various projects, each about six to eight weeks long, as the needs arise throughout our region. I am based in the Pacific region, which serves Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, and the Pacific Territories. We usually will not know what our specific project is until days before we leave. Prior to departing, we receive a briefing about what we will be doing and the organization we will be working with. Then we pile in a 15-passenger van and drive out to wherever the project is being hosted. Housing is provided by the sponsoring agency or government while we are out on projects.
Got questions? Leave comments!
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Downtown in Sac-Town
So much for a weekly update schedule — so much has happened that I already feel very behind on posting! At Americorps NCCC, the people here work hard and play hard. I thought I'd take some time to tell you a bit about the latter and let you know about some of the fun stuff I've gotten to do while off-duty.
Sacramento is a lot like Houston in that it isn't really a great place to take a vacation, but it is a nice place to live. In fact, it was named one of the "most livable" regions in America in 2004. Because of the gorgeous climate (most days are sunny with afternoon temperatures in the 70's), all kinds of vegetation grow here, which lead to the nickname the City of Trees. If you take the time to look closely, it makes for a fascinating juxtaposition; tropical palm trees grow hardily alongside northern evergreens.
In 2002, Time magazine named the Sacramento the nation's most racially integrated major city. This means the city not only is diverse, but also has few geo-ethnic boundaries between neighborhoods as well. For instance, on Watt Avenue, the street that runs adjacent to our campus, there are dozens of different types of international cuisine — including Mexican, Russian, German, Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, British, and Italian — literally within a five block radius.
Sacramento is also the capital city of California, and on the weekends, I've had the opportunity to explore the downtown areas. Last Sunday, we took the light rail (about a two-mile walk from campus to the station) to the historic Crest Theatre. From there, we passed through the Westfield Downtown Plaza, a trendy and cosmopolitan outdoor mall, where we stopped for coffee on the Macy's patio. We walked under a metal archway, through a tunnel vibrantly painted in colorful Native American designs, and straight into the heart of Old Sacramento.
Old Sacramento, located on the waterfront of the American River, is laden with history but lately has been converted into a whimsical tourist destination. The city was at one point a quintessential hub of the 19th century Old West. During the California Gold Rush, Sacramento was a major distribution center for wagon trains, stagecoaches, riverboats, railroad, and the Pony Express. Today, wooden boardwalks are still used in place of traditional sidewalks, and costumed carriages traverse the cobbled streets. Many of the historical building are still intact, but they are now inhabited by cafes, restaurants, and souvenir stores.
Our first stop was at Evangeline's Costume Mansion, an wondrous emporium of silly gag gifts, practical joke toys, and, of course, costumes. Though no one bought anything, we flipped through joke books, tried on funny hats, laughed at some of the creative keychains and bumper stickers, and for 25 cents, gripped a lever to check our sex appeal level (I registered as "Sweet"). We then headed down to the riverwalk and walked around one of the floating paddleboat restaurants docked by the shore. For lunch, we went to O'Mally's Pub & Eats, a bar and grill that randomly enough served both Irish and Mexican food. It wasn't even fusion cuisine; instead, one side of the menu featured fish and chips and shepherd's pie, and the other had nachos and fish tacos. The food a little bit pricey and wasn't spectacular, but since we knew we were well aware that we were walking into a tourist trap, we were prepared for the ripoff.
Our final stop for the day was the California State Capitol. It is a stunning white granite edifice located on about 40 acres of parkland boasting an impressive array of multifarious gardens and tree species from all over the state, including the majestic redwood. Like many state capitols (including the one in Austin, Texas), the neoclassical building is modeled after the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. In my highly biased opinion, it isn't as beautiful as the pink wonder known as the Texas State Capitol, but it is a gorgeous piece of architecture worth a few hours of exploration.
For my first taste of fun in Sacramento, our downtown excursion made for a memorable image of my new home for the next ten months.
In 2002, Time magazine named the Sacramento the nation's most racially integrated major city. This means the city not only is diverse, but also has few geo-ethnic boundaries between neighborhoods as well. For instance, on Watt Avenue, the street that runs adjacent to our campus, there are dozens of different types of international cuisine — including Mexican, Russian, German, Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, British, and Italian — literally within a five block radius.
Sacramento is also the capital city of California, and on the weekends, I've had the opportunity to explore the downtown areas. Last Sunday, we took the light rail (about a two-mile walk from campus to the station) to the historic Crest Theatre. From there, we passed through the Westfield Downtown Plaza, a trendy and cosmopolitan outdoor mall, where we stopped for coffee on the Macy's patio. We walked under a metal archway, through a tunnel vibrantly painted in colorful Native American designs, and straight into the heart of Old Sacramento.
For my first taste of fun in Sacramento, our downtown excursion made for a memorable image of my new home for the next ten months.Monday, October 19, 2009
Welcome to After the Muster!
I'll be using the blog to keep in touch with friends and family and keep you updated on my adventures as part of the Americorps National Civilian Community Corps, which works with communities and non-profit organizations on projects relating to disaster relief, education, public safety, the environment, and other unmet needs.I'm currently based out of the campus in Sacramento, California undergoing the Corps Training Institute, which will prepare us for our year of service. Upon arrival, we were divided up into "pods," which are temporary groups of about 12 people who eat together, work together and share the same schedule during the course of our training. Every morning and evening, our pod gathers for a "muster," which is a meeting where we get information on the week's events. On this blog, I'll be passing on updates to you!
The first week of a new life
The week I've been here has felt like a lifetime, but definitely in a good way. After a year of being relatively unproductive, it has been incredibly gratifying to wake up each morning with a full day of activity and end each day exhausted.
I arrived in Sacramento last Wednesday bright and early in the morning (a special thanks to Vincent for driving me to the airport at 4 a.m.!). It was a long and exhausting flight, but there were thankfully no delays or complications, a huge blessing compared to some travel horror stories I heard later that evening. Upon landing, a big 15-passenger van was waiting to take us to campus. My fellow Americorps members were friendly enough, but the ride was quiet since everyone was still tired from their respective journeys. It gave us some time to absorb our new surroundings and reflect on the mega life changes yet to come.
My first impressions of Sacramento were depressing; the weather was gray and drizzly, and the flat landscape consisted of varying shades of lifeless brown. Our campus certainly isn't very beautiful either. It is made up of four boxy, beige buildings on property that used to be an old U.S. Air Force base, which means lots of concrete and chain link fence.
We spent much of the day in in-processing, which meant tons of paperwork and orientations. We also got our spiffy uniforms (worn during all working hours, shirt always tucked in) and dormitory assignments. It feels very much like college life again. I got stuck in a three-person room, so it's a little bit crowded, but my roommates are amiable enough. I put some pictures of my new home below. I'm in the bottom bunk.
I also got to meet the rest of Pod 22, which is hands down the coolest group of people on this campus. Our little family has bonded really quickly; it feels like we've known each other for years. We've got pod members representing from Virginia, Minnesota, South Carolina, Tennessee, Michigan, Vermont, Illinois, Florida, and a whole bunch of other states. Our team leader is Tonye (front row, far left, in the green shirt) , a real easy-going guy who has been a huge help in getting us situated in our new stations.
To be honest, most of this week has been meeting after interminable meeting. On the worst days, we spend eight hours in front of PowerPoint with just a few short breaks and a lunch hour. These trainings are dull but necessary; they cover safety, policies, insurance, and other pertinent information. Some, like today's training in first aid, were downright fun at times, since we got to role-play using the CPR dummy and the defibrillator. Upon completion, we took an exam and were certified by the American Red Cross. We also underwent physicals, which also included a challenging audio examination, a TB test, and a tetanus vaccination. My arm is still a little sore from that latter shot despite vigorous massage.
The real exciting stuff came on Saturday though, when we had our first actual service projects in the city. Our first task was at Althea B. Smythe Academy of Arts and Sciences, where we were charged with building a community garden. Although it is a charter school, it is by no means a wealthy campus. The surrounding neighborhood is 70 percent Hispanic, and 90 percent of the students are on the reduced-lunch program, a major indication of poverty in the area. The project we worked on was two years in the making due to major obstacles in grant funding, but it will be a great boon to the school as a place of peace and relaxation as well as science education. In a matter of hours, lined up cinder blocks to create flower beds, broke up the clay-like ground, hauled wheelbarrows full of top soil, and filled up the new beds with rich, brown dirt.
The really cool part was having the community come out and chip in. It was inspiring to see so many parents involved in their children's schooling, and a lot of the fathers, who were conveniently also professional landscapers, contributed a whole lot more than any of us corps members! One dad we met named Larry was particularly active. In addition to pitching in for the garden, he also designed a beautiful shaded patio that included murals on the walls and benches where students could eat their lunch, read a library book, or safely wait for a ride home away from the busy streetside curb. Not only did he come up with the idea, but he and his daughter installed the decorative brick pavers themselves! The kids were adorable too, with their itty bitty shovels scooping up spoonfuls of soil into the wheelbarrow. Despite their meager efforts, you could tell they were so proud to be a part of creating the garden and were having loads of fun playing in the dirt!
And here it is, the finished product. I forgot to take a "before" picture, but it used to be just an empty brown field of dirt. Now imagine these beds filled with green foliage and beautiful flowers planted by bright, eager elementary school students. Beautiful, no?
After lunch, we headed to an apple orchard, where Americorps teams picked two tons of apples that went straight to the Sacramento Food Bank. As an added bonus, we also got to pick some incredibly fresh plum and pears for ourselves that now sit in a plastic bag in our kitchen.
This was definitely more of the Sacramento I was envisioning. The orchard was beautiful, awash in golds and greens as far as the eye could see under a cloudless blue California sky. The ground was littered with fallen apples, so there was a sweetly decadent scent of overripe fruit that permeated the grounds. This is something I probably would have paid to do just for pure entertainment but was enjoying it even more knowing that it was all going to a great cause. After picking the low-hanging fruit, we started climbing into the branches or using ladders to reach the higher extremities. We also had some help from these nifty apple-picking tools that consisted of a rake and a basket on an extending pole. It took quite a bit of practice and coordination to get the use of those things down, but we eventually got the hang of it.
After a few hours of picking, we sorted through the apples and chunked the bruised, holey, or unripe fruit on the ground. We wound up skating on an entire walkway of apples and had quite a bit of fun with apple-throwing contests.
It's getting late, so I'll have to continue this post another time. (Yes, I now consider 10 p.m. "late," but you would too if you had to get up at 5 a.m. for PT, or physical training!) So far, you've only heard about my week until Saturday, so stay tuned for much, much more to come! Next time, I'll give you some details on my weekend leisure trip to downtown Sacramento, fill you in on the nightmare that is physical training, and let you know about the food situation. I'm sure I've left plenty out, so if you have a question about my life here in Americorps, feel free to leave it in the comments, and I'll try to address it in my next post.
I arrived in Sacramento last Wednesday bright and early in the morning (a special thanks to Vincent for driving me to the airport at 4 a.m.!). It was a long and exhausting flight, but there were thankfully no delays or complications, a huge blessing compared to some travel horror stories I heard later that evening. Upon landing, a big 15-passenger van was waiting to take us to campus. My fellow Americorps members were friendly enough, but the ride was quiet since everyone was still tired from their respective journeys. It gave us some time to absorb our new surroundings and reflect on the mega life changes yet to come.
My first impressions of Sacramento were depressing; the weather was gray and drizzly, and the flat landscape consisted of varying shades of lifeless brown. Our campus certainly isn't very beautiful either. It is made up of four boxy, beige buildings on property that used to be an old U.S. Air Force base, which means lots of concrete and chain link fence.
We spent much of the day in in-processing, which meant tons of paperwork and orientations. We also got our spiffy uniforms (worn during all working hours, shirt always tucked in) and dormitory assignments. It feels very much like college life again. I got stuck in a three-person room, so it's a little bit crowded, but my roommates are amiable enough. I put some pictures of my new home below. I'm in the bottom bunk.
I also got to meet the rest of Pod 22, which is hands down the coolest group of people on this campus. Our little family has bonded really quickly; it feels like we've known each other for years. We've got pod members representing from Virginia, Minnesota, South Carolina, Tennessee, Michigan, Vermont, Illinois, Florida, and a whole bunch of other states. Our team leader is Tonye (front row, far left, in the green shirt) , a real easy-going guy who has been a huge help in getting us situated in our new stations.
To be honest, most of this week has been meeting after interminable meeting. On the worst days, we spend eight hours in front of PowerPoint with just a few short breaks and a lunch hour. These trainings are dull but necessary; they cover safety, policies, insurance, and other pertinent information. Some, like today's training in first aid, were downright fun at times, since we got to role-play using the CPR dummy and the defibrillator. Upon completion, we took an exam and were certified by the American Red Cross. We also underwent physicals, which also included a challenging audio examination, a TB test, and a tetanus vaccination. My arm is still a little sore from that latter shot despite vigorous massage.The real exciting stuff came on Saturday though, when we had our first actual service projects in the city. Our first task was at Althea B. Smythe Academy of Arts and Sciences, where we were charged with building a community garden. Although it is a charter school, it is by no means a wealthy campus. The surrounding neighborhood is 70 percent Hispanic, and 90 percent of the students are on the reduced-lunch program, a major indication of poverty in the area. The project we worked on was two years in the making due to major obstacles in grant funding, but it will be a great boon to the school as a place of peace and relaxation as well as science education. In a matter of hours, lined up cinder blocks to create flower beds, broke up the clay-like ground, hauled wheelbarrows full of top soil, and filled up the new beds with rich, brown dirt.
The really cool part was having the community come out and chip in. It was inspiring to see so many parents involved in their children's schooling, and a lot of the fathers, who were conveniently also professional landscapers, contributed a whole lot more than any of us corps members! One dad we met named Larry was particularly active. In addition to pitching in for the garden, he also designed a beautiful shaded patio that included murals on the walls and benches where students could eat their lunch, read a library book, or safely wait for a ride home away from the busy streetside curb. Not only did he come up with the idea, but he and his daughter installed the decorative brick pavers themselves! The kids were adorable too, with their itty bitty shovels scooping up spoonfuls of soil into the wheelbarrow. Despite their meager efforts, you could tell they were so proud to be a part of creating the garden and were having loads of fun playing in the dirt!
And here it is, the finished product. I forgot to take a "before" picture, but it used to be just an empty brown field of dirt. Now imagine these beds filled with green foliage and beautiful flowers planted by bright, eager elementary school students. Beautiful, no?
After lunch, we headed to an apple orchard, where Americorps teams picked two tons of apples that went straight to the Sacramento Food Bank. As an added bonus, we also got to pick some incredibly fresh plum and pears for ourselves that now sit in a plastic bag in our kitchen.
This was definitely more of the Sacramento I was envisioning. The orchard was beautiful, awash in golds and greens as far as the eye could see under a cloudless blue California sky. The ground was littered with fallen apples, so there was a sweetly decadent scent of overripe fruit that permeated the grounds. This is something I probably would have paid to do just for pure entertainment but was enjoying it even more knowing that it was all going to a great cause. After picking the low-hanging fruit, we started climbing into the branches or using ladders to reach the higher extremities. We also had some help from these nifty apple-picking tools that consisted of a rake and a basket on an extending pole. It took quite a bit of practice and coordination to get the use of those things down, but we eventually got the hang of it.
After a few hours of picking, we sorted through the apples and chunked the bruised, holey, or unripe fruit on the ground. We wound up skating on an entire walkway of apples and had quite a bit of fun with apple-throwing contests.
It's getting late, so I'll have to continue this post another time. (Yes, I now consider 10 p.m. "late," but you would too if you had to get up at 5 a.m. for PT, or physical training!) So far, you've only heard about my week until Saturday, so stay tuned for much, much more to come! Next time, I'll give you some details on my weekend leisure trip to downtown Sacramento, fill you in on the nightmare that is physical training, and let you know about the food situation. I'm sure I've left plenty out, so if you have a question about my life here in Americorps, feel free to leave it in the comments, and I'll try to address it in my next post.
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