Et cetera : NCCC FEMA Corps Class 21 Spotlight: Kaylee Torre

By: Marilyn Ponce

Name: Kaylee Torre

Hometown: Patchogue, NY

Kaylee Torre from Patchogue, N.Y., is a team leader serving on team Maple 6 in AmeriCorps NCCC Corps Class 21. She arrived in Vinton in February of 2014 to start her 10-month service term with the program. Maple 6 is made up of seven people from across the country who serve together around the Midwest.

Before her term of service, Kaylee graduated from the State University of New York, Fredonia with a major English and minor in Psychology. Afterwards, she began working at Concern for Independent Living as a counselor. Kaylee has always known that she would find her niche in a field that would allow her to make an impact on the world and help people. She chose to join AmeriCorps because they provide their members with extensive training and a vast array of leadership experiences through service learning projects.

Kaylee says, “I know that serving with AmeriCorps will help me become a better-rounded citizen and allow me to better serve the global community in the future.”

Maple 6 served on their first project in Willow River, MN with Camp One Heartland where they refurbished and built new learning environments for campers, and led service learning projects with college students.These projects included upgrading cabins with fresh paint, building an outdoor low ropes course, constructing two greenhouses to teach campers how to grow food, creating new outdoor programs and completing an archery range.

They are currently on their second project serving in Cedar Rapids, IA with Cultivate Hope of Matthew 25 and Feed Iowa First from May 4 to June 11. The team is expanding and maintaining the current urban farm and gardens and aiding with construction projects located in the Taylor community.They are preparing to grow produce on the urban farm by preparing the soil, planting seeds and weeding. In addition, the team is helping with expansion projects by building and installing signs for the farm, constructing a hoop house for season extension, and planting school gardens.

After completing the program in November, she plans on pursuing a Master's degree in Gender, Sex, and Identity studies with a focus on public policy.

Some fun facts about Kaylee Torre:

Q: What is your favorite TV show and why? Gilmore Girls because I love the dynamic between mother and daughter, it’s funny, and the characters are so quirky!

Q: What song best describes you? Maria, from the Sound of Music. The song talks about how she can be flighty, unpredictable, and kind, which describes me well.

Q: If you could have a superpower what would it be and why?Telepathy or telekinesis because I love Jean Grey from X-men.

Q: What is the most challenging and/or exciting thing you have done? I am terrified of heights and on vacation I went on a zip line. I laughed hysterically out of fear the entire time.

Q: What is one thing you can’t live without? Sunlight

Q: What is one thing you would like to try but have not have had the chance? Go off the grid for a year and live in the woods.