An NCCC Ameri-Story

Kaitlyn Sargent is a Michigan native whose AmeriCorps service has been much different than that of our Michigan's AmeriCorps members. Read on to learn about her service with AmeriCorps NCCC.

Hi! My name is Kaitlyn Sargent and I am currently wrapping up my second year of service as an AmeriCorps*NCCC Team Leader for the Southwest Region in Denver, Colorado. My first year of service was spent as a Corps member, also in Denver. AmeriCorps*NCCC is a full-time, team-based residential program for men and women age 18-24. Members are assigned to one of five campuses — Denver, Colorado; Sacramento, California; Perry Point, Maryland; Vicksburg, Mississippi; or Vinton, Iowa. In ten months, members complete four different service projects (called “spikes”) within their region.

My first year of service was spent in Arkansas, Texas, and at two different sites in Colorado. I got to camp and serve at a state park, assist in a first grade classroom, build trails, construct a fence for a pet shelter, and work with children and adults with physical and developmental disabilities at a summer camp. I had an amazing first year working on a wide array of projects and was part of a very close-knit team. I enjoyed my year so much that I decided to come back for another year as a Team Leader, which has also been amazing, but extremely different.

My Team Leader year was a bit more chaotic as there are several added tasks and responsibilities in comparison to Corps members. I started the year with my first-choice project building homes with Habitat for Humanity in San Antonio, Texas. Next, we were off to Casa Grande, Arizona to build trails. What was supposed to be a ten-week spike was abruptly cut short after three weeks when we got called for Super Storm Sandy disaster relief in New York and New Jersey. The team had mixed feelings as we were all really enjoying our Arizona project, but also knew the need was greater out east. 

The five weeks in New York and New Jersey were without a doubt the most stressful of the year, but also the most rewarding. We were mucking and gutting/mold suppressing destroyed homes in Staten Island. We also removed damaged insulation and installed new insulation in trailers that could not otherwise afford it. For my third project, I returned to Denver to work with at-risk sixth-ninth graders. I recently finished up my fourth and final AmeriCorps*NCCC project in Nogales, Arizona, where I was once again building trails.

Looking back on the last two years of my life, it is difficult to articulate the impact NCCC has had – and will continue to have – on my life. I had absolutely no idea what I was getting myself into prior to joining AmeriCorps; but I would strongly recommend NCCC to anyone who is even slightly interested because, regardless of the challenges, it is a life-altering experience. In the last 21 months, I have lived in 6 different states, gained two Ameri-families, crossed paths with amazing people, and did things I never could have imagined. NCCC tested me physically and emotionally, repeatedly pushed me in and out of my comfort zone, strengthened my passion for community service, and has opened me up to countless possibilities in life. 

I am thankful for every minute spent in AmeriCorps, including the difficult times, as those were the times I grew and learned the most. I look forward to continuing to "get things done" as I return to Michigan to pursue a career in education.