Shannon Peart

Service Years: 2005-2006 and 2006-2007

Sites:
Wright Elementary School, Grand Coulee
WorkSource, Wenatchee

Program: Service & Education Team

Did you move to serve with Intermountain? If yes, where from?
Yes, I moved from Illinois (the 's' is silent).

Where did you go to school and what did you study?
I went to North Central College in Naperville, IL and I studied Elementary Education and History.

Why did you choose Intermountain AmeriCorps?
I chose Intermountain because I wanted to work in a rural elementary school. Plus, the staff members were very easy to talk to and answered a LOT of my questions.

Challenges you experienced:
It was very difficult to be away from my family and friends. Also, because I served in one of the most distant towns, I wasn't able to socialize as much with the other AmeriCorps members.

Success you experienced:
This goes with the question before! I overcame the challenges-- I got used to being away from my family and friends by eventually having what I like to call my "Washington family." Establishing a support system was a huge success. . . and a necessity!

Would you recommend Intermountain to others?
Yes, without hesitation.

Do you have any advice for incoming members?
There are going to be bad days. . . but the good will always outweigh the bad. Stick it out and see it through.

What have you been doing since your term of service ended ?
Working at an elementary school, trying to come to terms with how my life has changed, and visiting other IMAC alums.

Did your experience with AmeriCorps affect any part of your life? How and why?
I can confidently say that it affected many parts of my life. . . it's the how and why that I am still trying to work out. I am afraid that if I tried to explain it all, it would take pages. Maybe I'll write a book someday.

For members thinking of relocating and coming to our program…what would you have to say to them if they asked you if they should come to this program?
If you're even thinking about it, call the office and talk to someone. I'm not kidding. You can ask anything (even if you think it's a dumb question. . . they might laugh at you, but they'll still answer it).

Abby Wheeler

Service Years: 2005-2006 and 2006-2007

Sites:
Paul Rumburg Elementary School, Entiat
Entiat Junior and Senior High Schools, Entiat

Programs: VISTA, Service & Education Team

Did you move to serve with Intermountain? If yes, where from?
I moved from Ohio to Washington. . . best move I ever made!

Where did you go to school and what did you study?
I went to Denison University and graduated with a BA in English Literature.

Why did you choose Intermountain AmeriCorps?
I think IMAC chose me . . . it honestly just kind of fell into place, and I loved everyone I talked to and everything I heard. It just all made sense.

Challenges you experienced:
Trying to squeeze so many adventures into just two short years.

Success you experienced:
There were so many. . . it is great to walk into a room and have a bunch of little kids shout out your name because they are so happy to see you . . . and it's also nice to see a student that you have been working with all year so that he can graduate and finally walk across the stage for his diploma.

Would you recommend Intermountain to others?
In a heartbeat.

Do you have any advice for incoming members?
Take advantage of everything! Your experience will be whatever you make of it.

What have you been doing since your term of service ended ?
I came back home and have been running an after-school program full time.

Did your experience with AmeriCorps affect any part of your life? How and why?
IMAC totally spoiled me. I miss my great supervisors, my awesome peers, and the beautiful scenery.

For members thinking of relocating and coming to our program…what would you have to say to them if they asked you if they should come to this program?
Do it!

Rebecca Norris

Service Year: 2006-2007
Site: Paul Rumburg Elementary (Entiat)
Program: Washington Reading Corps

Did you move to serve with Intermountain? If yes, where from?
I moved from O'Fallon, Missouri (a suburb of St. Louis) to Entiat to serve with Intermountain.

Where did you go to school and what did you study?
I graduated from Drury University, a private liberal arts university located in Springfield, MO. I have a BA in English and Writing. I minored in French, Design Arts, and Global Studies.

Why did you choose Intermountain AmeriCorps?
I chose to join Intermountain because it seemed like a natural progression. I knew I wanted to go to grad school, but I wasn't ready for it. A friend of mine was a member of NCCC (another branch of AmeriCorps) and she loved her experience. I searched around for areas I'd like to go. I had never been out West at all, so I looked there. When I started talking to Toby and Julie, they were so warm and friendly. I felt like they were friends before I ever met them. Everything just fit-- perfectly!

Do you have any advice for incoming members?
I would suggest throwing yourself into every part of Intermountain. Get involved with every event you can in your community or at your site. Talk to the faculty or staff. Make connections. A huge part of this organization is becoming part of the AmeriCorps family. That is vital. Don't close up in your shell and keep to yourself. You will be limiting your experience. AmeriCorps members respect one another and recognize the strengths in each person. I learned something from every member. Don't be afraid to open up-- your life can change. Most importantly, put your best effort toward your site. Care for the students and treat each one as the special individual he or she is. Tell each person how much he or she matters. Most people don't hear that enough.

What have you been doing since your term of service ended?
I took a long trip with a friend to explore Washington. I have been writing and editing for a publishing company and substitute teaching. I will soon begin teaching ESL to Koreans. I did some ESL tutoring in Wenatchee for the Literacy Council, so this will be an extension of my AmeriCorps experience.

Did your experience with AmeriCorps affect any part of your life? How and why?
Intermountain has definitely changed my career path. I have always considered teaching, and the experience has allowed me to feel more comfortable in schools as a teacher or tutor. I am also now interested in working for a non-profit agency, which is something I hadn't considered before.

What would you have to say to people thinking about joining Intermountain?
If you are considering joining Intermountain, talk to the staff about it. They will be straightforward with you and always have your best interest in mind. I personally think every person would have a life-changing experience with Intermountain.

Patricia Mumm

Service Year: 2005-2006
Site: Grant Elementary School,
East Wenatchee
Program: Reading Corps

Did you move to serve with Intermountain? If yes, where from?
I have lived in Wenatchee for five years. Before that, I lived in Western Washington, in the Everett area, for most of my life.

What were you doing before you joined AmeriCorps ?
I owned and operated a licensed day care and preschool for 26 years.

Why did you choose Intermountain AmeriCorps?
I chose Intermountain because it offered me a chance to be a volunteer and meet new people in my new community.

Challenges you experienced:
The biggest challenge I faced was being part of the first AmeriCorps team at our elementary school site. While establishing ourselves and demonstrating to the staff what a great asset AmeriCorps tutors could be, we felt we were setting the standard for future AmeriCorps teams.

Success you experienced:
Our team put on a literacy night for our whole school, and we were told we should expect approximately 150 people to show up. We had close to 400! This was the largest turnout our site has had for an academic event. It was a huge success! The other success was watching the reading scores of my tutoring group go way up.

Would you recommend Intermountain to others?
I have recommended Intermountain AmeriCorps and will continue to do so for people of any age that want to give themselves a challenge and have a great time while doing it.

Do you have any advice for incoming members?
I would tell them to enjoy this very special time in their lives because the true reward you walk away with is a much richer spirit.

What have you been doing since your term of service ended?
I enjoyed serving in an elementary school so much, I pursued and received a job as a para-educator in the same school that was my AmeriCorps site. As one of my duties, I now assist our school's AmeirCorps team.

Did your experience with AmeriCorps affect any part of your life? How and why?
AmeriCorps changed my life in many ways. I now have a fulfilling job that I got due mainly to the position I had with AmeriCorps. I returned to college and took several courses. That was a personal challenge that came from confidence I gained in AmeriCorps (I had not been in school for over 30 years). I am also a volunteer for a local non-profit that I was first a volunteer for in AmeriCorps.

What would you have to say to people thinking about joining AmeriCorps ?
Intermountain AmeriCorps is a great place to meet new people, give back to your country through community service, and learn leadership skills. Intermountain has many choices of sites available to make the best match for everyone. And let's not forget, a great bonus of an education award! I have gained lifelong friends from all over the U.S., and a deep and satisfying feeling of accomplishment. Intermountain AmeriCorps is a great choice!

Andrew Lyons

Service Years: 1999-2000, 2000-2001
Staff Years: 2001-2002
Site: Intermountain Office
Program: VISTA Leader

Did you move to serve with Intermountain?
Yes, my hometown is in Oregon but I was serving with the Peace Corps in Nicaragua before my move to Intermountain.

Where did you graduate from college and with what degree?
Wesleyan University - BA in History

Why did you choose Intermountain AmeriCorps?
They were enthusiastic about their mission and where located in a beautiful place!

Challenges you experienced:
So much good work to do and not enough time!

Successes you experienced:
The greatest success was the life-long relationships I formed with the people I worked with.  I also gained valuable professional skills - everything from conflict resolution, leadership, organizational skills, computers, etc.

Fun story from your service year:
The time we put a large rock in one of my fellow member/friends backpack (we'll call her "Allison") and she carried it for four miles without knowing it...we even passed her on the road since someone was kind enough to give us a ride the last two miles...but unfortunately we did not have enough space to pick her up as well. Darn. It is a memory we all can look back on (now) and laugh!

Would you recommend Intermountain to others?
Yes -It will change your life.

Do you have any advice for incoming members?
Don't whine and learn to work with other.  Your attitude is what will dictate how positive of an experience you have.  It shouldn't matter where you are placed, who your supervisor is, how many AmeriCorps meeting you have, etc.  Focus on building relationships with the people you work with whether they be kids, co-workers, teachers, etc.  And make sure you enjoy the incredible beauty of north central Washington - in other words, get your butt off the couch drive down some dirt road till it ends in the middle of nowhere and start exploring! 

What did you do after your term of service was done?
After working for a year as an administrative assistant with Intermountain AmeriCorps, I got engaged to a co-VISTA member (Jen Richards).  In September 2002 we traveled to South Africa for four months.  After coming back from Africa we got married and moved to Ellensburg, WA so Jen could go back to school to get her teaching certificate. I am currently the executive director of a small non-profit in Ellensburg called Hospice Friends that works with people that have life-threatening illnesses.

Did your experience with AmeriCorps affect any part of your life?
I met someone that I want to spend the rest of my life with - that's a big one!

For members thinking of relocating and coming to our program...what would you have to say to them if they asked you if they should come to this program?
If you come with an open mind and a sense of adventure you will not be disappointed.  Come to a beautiful part of the world and start an new adventure!