July 2009 Corpsmember of the Month

Lisa Reinke

Supervisor: Jonathan Lucha

Crew: Youth in Environmental Service

Length of time at CCNB: 11 Months

Reason corpsmember was selected: Lisa has demonstrated an excellent work ethic and has proven to be an invaluable asset to our AmeriCorps team. Lisa always has the Y.E.S. program’s best interest at heart and has consistently led by example. Her determination, resourcefulness and caring attitude has made me and the Y.E.S. team proud, and I’m glad that she’s able to receive recognition for something she does on a daily basis!

Skills training received at CCNB: Sawyer 1 Training, Naturalist Training, Dump Truck Training, CERT Training, CPR & First Aide Training, Wilderness Survival Training, Classroom Management, Defensive Driving Training, Tool Safety, Event Management Training, Conflict Resolution, Training, Unlawful Harassment and Corps-to-Career Training.

Leadership roles at CCNB: Lisa has been the unofficial Y.E.S. team leader since the start of the program! Her upbeat and hard working attitude has led her to be the first AmeriCorps Y.E.S. member to be sawyer 1 and dump truck trained. Lisa has also taken on leadership roles during our MLK Day and Cesar Chavez Day events in regards to planning appropriate routes for litter abatements and giving safety talks to volunteers.

Favorite project: The San Francisco Exploratorium field trip for the John Muir Charter School students. The project entailed such things as setting up a fundraiser at California Pizza Kitchen, and organizing the curriculum for the trip.

Favorite educational component: “Hands-on learning. It’s the best way to get students motivated!”

Favorite aspect of working at CCNB: “Getting to have that feeling of achievement… knowing I’m doing my best to strengrthen and educate the community!”

Future plans: Lisa will be completing the last semester of her undergraduate work here in California. After which she hopes to fight crime!

What did Corpsmember do before joining CCNB? Lisa was attending school in Michigan while working for the Centre, a health and wellness center.

Why did Corpsmember join CCNB? Lisa hoped to gain valuable hands-on work experience in her field of study, as well as get the opportunity to lead the community as an environmental steward.

How has CCNB changed your life? “It has given me the building blocks to be a better community leader. The reason I took this job was to make sure that this was the field that I wanted to devote my career to… now I know for certain that it is!”

What life lessons has the Corpsmember learned from the experience? “When you work to get things done you can achieve your goals!!!!”

Any advice for young people wanting to join CCNB? “DO IT!!! This program really helps you get the training you need to prepare yourself for your next steps in life.”

What's the most important thing you've learned from this experience? “The most important lesson that really resonated with me was the fact that if you really want something you need to take the risk and jump in head first. Your determination and work ethic will guide you in the right direction!”