Et cetera : NCCC Class 21 Corps Member Spotlight: Michaela Wayland

Michaela Wayland from Thorton, Colorado is serving on team Oak 4 in AmeriCorps NCCC Corps Class 21. This is her second year having previously served in the Vinton campus on team Oak 5. She arrived in Vinton in February of 2015 to start her 10-month service term with the program. Oak 4 is made up of seven people from across the country who serve together around the Midwest.

Before her first term of service, Michaela attended Front Range Community College for a year studying education. Afterwards, she joined AmeriCorps NCCC as a class 20 corps member. While on her previous team, she traveled to East Moline, Illinois to help Moving Lands and Waters; Delaware County Historical Society in Hopkinton, Iowa; Nebraska National Forest and Grasslands; and Habitat for Humanity in Michigan. During her service terms, Michaela has developed her facilitation, planning, and organization, and leadership skills.

She says, “I loved my first year as a corps member and wanted to do another.”

Oak 4 served on their first project in Rapid City, South Dakota with the Black Hills Workshops. The team supported volunteers with developing and facilitating classes for people with disabilities in the Suzie Cappa Art Center; the Health Sport and Fitness Center; the STEPS Program, the Sensory Room and the Retirement Center. In these areas Oak 4 helped develop and facilitate classes for people with disabilities. They also assisted with the Special Olympics Track Program.

On their second project the team served with the Plymouth County Conservation Board and the Nature Conservancy in Hinton, Iowa. The team assisted both organizations with prescribed fires to several preservations, as well as conducting trail maintenance by removing old fencing, setting up water bars, removing tree and bush debris.

They are currently on their third project assisting the Boys and Girls Club in Appleton, Wisconsin as group leaders to keep students active by facilitating recreational activities such as basketball, soccer, and ultimate Frisbee. In addition, the team is leading volunteers with gardening projects by watering, planting, and pruning the vegetation in the greenhouse and outside spaces. Finally, members are leading youth with construction projects and helping salvage materials.

After completing the program in November, she plans on serving with the United Methodist Disaster Relief.

Some fun facts about Michaela:

Q: What is your favorite TV show and why? Scrubs because I like the crude humor

Q: What song best describes you? Belle from Beauty and the Beast

Q: If you could have a superpower what would it be and why?Flying, I would love to see the world from above and a fast way to travel

Q: What is the most challenging and/or exciting thing you have done? My year with AmeriCorps!

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

Q: What is one thing you would like to try but have not had the chance? Skiing, I’m from Colorado and have never been