end of round 3- shuffle round

i cannot believe that i have only two months left of americorps. the time has flown by so fast it's amazing.
round three at garden place academy with my shuffle team was wonderful <3 my class was third grade and they were all so amazing. i'm really going to miss them. i taught my class social studies and history and science everyday among all the other things we did. it makes me so sad to know that after this next week i'll probably never see them again. but i know that we helped them a lot and that makes me so happy. they have a school wide dance this coming saturday and so quite a few of us are going to go to that and i know it will be awesome.
currently, this is transition week. meaning, we do a lot of nothing really in between meetings and paperwork.
next week my original team leaves for new mexico and our next and final project. here is the description i have so far and this is all i know about it for now:

Project #20     **Note: This project is a packaged project**

EcoServants & White Sands National Monument (APD: Vicky Reinold)

Project #20a

EcoServants

Ruidoso, NM

Dates: May 16 – May 27; June 25 – July 21 (Subject to Change)

Sponsor: Stephen Carter

Housing: Dormitory

Team: Fire One

Team Leader: Tim Boyle

EcoServants has the mission “to employ, engage and educate youth to serve and restore the community and its resources.” They started as a cave stewardship organization and quickly transformed to a youth corps summer program, which has run since 2006. In 2007 EcoServants started an AmeriCorps State program which placed full time members in 4 schools and an after school program. We are now expanding the program further, and request NCCC assistance for the following project tasks:

·         Corps Members (CM's) would clear, design, build, and restore trails. They would also be restoring and building park facilities such as kiosks, shelters, restrooms and outdoors education laboratories. They would be removing noxious weeds, repairing fence lines, building animal passes and watering system.

·         Caves take the CMs underground where they will inventory and map the cave’s environment, helping with cave management by completing tasks such as: leading and or inspecting groups going in and out of Fort Stanton Cave (FSC), restoring formations damaged by human impact, and removing graffiti. CMs could also design and give public presentations on caves, bats and White Nose Syndrome to help protect caves. CM's would be a part of the exploration of the newly discovered Snowy River Cave by restoring and creating trails or foot steps for expedition work, hauling equipment such as gates, cement, scientific and video equipment, survey gear, metal and plastic tunnel pieces and bridges.

·         Using ArcGIS and a Trimble Global Positioning Unit, CMs would be assisting in mapping and inventorying area trails and parks, establishing safer walking and biking routes, recording distances, slope and accessibility.

·         CMs might also support preparation for and implementation of weeklong Wilderness Camp for youth.

Project #20b

White Sands National Monument

Alamogordo, NM

Dates: May 28 – June 24 (Subject to Change)

Sponsor: Bill Melendez

Housing: Camping

Team: Fire One

Team Leader: Tim Boyle

Rising from the heart of Tularosa Basin is one of the world's great natural wonders- the glistening white sands of New Mexico. Here, great wave-like dunes of gypsum sand have  engulfed 275 square miles of desert and created the world's largest gypsum dune field. White Sands National Monument preserves a major portion of this unique dune field along with the plants and animals that have adapted to this constantly changing environment.

The NCCC team will work with the facilities maintenance department on the following infrastructure improvement projects: help to resurface stucco exterior walls on buildings in the Historic District, help prepare concrete bases to mount grills in picnic areas throughout the Park, paint vigas, window frames and doors on several structures throughout the Historic District, assist in the removal and installation of fence rail to enlarge a parking area in the Inner Dune Life Area.

overall, i think this project will be awesome. i know our team is really excited about it and from the pictures i've seen online it looks like both sites will be beautiful! 

before i go, i'd like to say happy mother's day to all of the amazing moms i know especially my own amazing mother. i love you so much
xoxo,
B