For the Reporter
They responded to Hurricane Sandy, fought fires, provided relief to disaster-devastated communities, mentored disadvantaged youth, coordinated thousands of volunteers, and developed into leaders.
Auburn’s Julia Dykers was among 479 graduates of the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps program in July. Members completed more than a half-million hours of service and over 275 projects, including 78 disaster recovery projects.
Dykers completed 10 months of full-time service to communities in need.
Dykers, who arrived at NCCC’s Southwest Region Campus in Denver on Oct. 9, 2012 to begin her term of service, graduated from the program on July 26.
“AmeriCorps has supplied me with so many opportunities that I wouldn’t have had otherwise,” Dykers said.
Before joining NCCC, Dykers attended Auburn Riverside High School and Western Washington University, where she studied medical laboratory technology. She is the daughter of Joyce and Lawrence Dykers.
Dykers was part of a team of about 10 other members who completed a series of six- to eight-week-long projects in different communities throughout country. NCCC projects support disaster relief, environmental stewardship, energy conservation, infrastructure improvement, and urban and rural development.
Among their many projects, some teams in the graduating classes were called upon to respond to Hurricane Sandy, tornadoes in Moore, Okla., and wildfires in Colorado and California.
Dykers and her team did project work this year at:
• Hurricane Sandy recovery, Queens, N.Y. (January)
• Farmington Boys & Girls Club, N.M. (late-January to March)
• Ecology Action & Center for Maximum Building Potential, Austin, Texas (April to mid-May)
• Easter Seals Rocky Mountain Village, Empire, Colo. (May 20-July 17)
AmeriCorps NCCC certifies 100 percent of its members in disaster relief, and has responded to national disasters since the program began in 1994.
There are four other NCCC campuses located in Sacramento, Calif., Perry Point, Md., Vicksburg, Miss., and Vinton, Iowa, each of which is a hub for its respective area of the country, though teams will travel to other regions for disaster relief projects.
AmeriCorps NCCC is a full-time, residential, national service program in which 1,200 young adults serve nationwide each year. During their 10-month term, Corps members – all 18 to 24 years old – work on teams of eight to 12 on projects that address critical needs.
In exchange for their service, members receive $5,550 to help pay for college, or to pay back existing student loans. Other benefits include a small living stipend, room and board, leadership development, increased self-confidence, and the knowledge that, through active citizenship, people can indeed make a difference.
The Corporation for National and Community Service administers the AmeriCorps NCCC.
For more information, visit the website at www.nationalservice.gov.
