A Poem by Amber

Blue 4

People with a history

who are still half a mystery

All full of life,

and some strife.

Each engraved with love,

as sweet as a dove,

and intense as storm

for something bigger than self.

Disagreements on the small things

But a shared passion that binds us

Then, Now, Always.

We are Blue 4,

and the world has heard us roar.

A Reflection by Sydney

           It's literally the last day of our stay in the mountains and I'll admit that I'm happy to go. This round was definitely the strangest, and I believe that a lot of us have undergone more dramatic transformations than we anticipated. At this point, all of us have become so comfortable with one another, that the idea of disrupting this strange micro-family makes me feel anxious. I remember when we would return to campus for transition and hangout in each others' rooms, too spent and overwhelmed to interact with non Blue 4 members. Now I'm sitting at our kitchen table in our housing, surrounded by family. Amber is staring at me and eating a truffle that Brad made, Alyssa is untangling her hair, Carolyn is sitting in front of her laptop blasting some awesome-ness, Sarah is sitting next to me. She just leaned on me, I'm going to miss her. Taylor is standing in the doorway chewing and staring. He just summoned me to pack the tent I used eariler. Brad is giving away stuff he doesn't want, and everyone attacked him. He simply let it all drop to the floor. Carolyn just put on "Midnight City" by M83 (at my insistence). What I can't help but think about, is how these moments, this familiarity, this comfortable life we've built, is almost over. This is truly once in a lifetime. I will never be here again, in this kitchen, with these people, listening to this song. It is filling me with a weird nostalgia. I miss this. I miss them, and I haven't even left yet. It's just so surreal, this entire experience feels like a dream. It was only the other day I met these people,and some part of me feels like it was a bit longer than that. This whole program to me is made up of moments like this, where everyone is just around. A part of me is excited to go back to the real world, but to me, these last 10 months have been as real as it gets.

A Reflection by Carolyn

           I was having a discussion over our team's last transition with one of my really good friends on another team. We discussed our feelings about NCCC, and he had a saying about NCCC which I thought described the program to a T. He said, "NCCC isn't a life-changing program. It's life-shaping."
Coming into NCCC, I had zero expectations except for the fact it was going to be one of the most challenging experiences of my life. That much remained true. But as Blue 4 is packing up on the last day of our last project, I took my friend Colin's words to heart. He's right. My life hasn't changed.
In one week I'll be on a luxurious adventure to Hawaii, and then in another week I'll be at my cozy home in Stowe, Vermont. My lifestyle will go back to the way it was before. My friends and family will still be the same. I'll be going to New York City just the same. I'll be going back to college just the same. My life? It's the same. However...
How I shape my life is forever changed. I am changed, and how I will go about living my life will be completely different than it was before. I may be returning to the same life from before, but what I will do within my familiar surrounding is about to change for the better.
I now know what a full week of work is life, and then some overtime. I know the joys of giving back, I know what it's like to be constantly surrounded by people. I understand the meaning of "hard work", and I also know that from all of these experiences and challenges, I will be able to go on ahead in life. I can handle anything that comes my way now.
I may not live with 11 people who can support me like they have, but I also know that I will not only take away the experiences that impacted me, but the people too. Whether it's some of my new best friends on other teams, or the family of a team I live with, I'll carry these peole with me wherever I go.
NCCC didn't change my life. I'm returning to the life behind. NCCC shaped me and the life I am going to lead in the future, and I'll always be eternally grateful for such a gift.

Last Common Ground Submission

Sticks, sticks, lots of sticks.
We pick up sticks all day long.
Saving camp from fires.

Grilled PB & J
for dinner. With a side of
bacon. That's Blue 4.

San Gorgornio.
"Where you headed?" "The summit."
"Wow. You're ambitious."

What are your plans for
life after AmeriCorps?
No clue?  Cool, me too.

 Time to pick up sticks.
Don't put them in a pile,
They must look natural.

Saw a bear at lunch,
tried to follow after it.
What a good idea.

Time to go swimming!
What's that at the bottom there?
Aww, two more dead squirrels.

Last Week at Camp Nawakwa

Brad Winckelmann carries dead branches away from the cabins  as a precaution to prevent the spread of potential forest fires.

Sydney Lawson and Amber Anderson join Brad and move large branches and twigs away from the camp.

Taylor Burback and Brad Winckelmann continue with fuel reduction by raking dead leaves and pine needles away from each building.

Common Ground Haikus

Coyotes at night,
Crying banshees in the dark.
Just go back to sleep.

"New episode of
Game of Thrones?" "Can I steal that?"
"Doo doo doodoo..."

Leftover whipped cream.
Who wants to do the whipped cream
challenge, guys? Michael?

Free bag o' 'mallows.
Let's play Chubby Bunny. One...
Chubby Bunny. Two...

Camp Nawakwa Continued: Painting and Playing, Swimming and Sand Castles

Amber Anderson paints the ceiling of Cabin 20.

Sydney Lawson assists Michael Green in painting the cabin.

The team takes part in creating Blue 4's Positive Wall at the weekly Peer Helper meeting.

While spending the afternoon at Big Bear Lake, Sydney and Alyssa watch as Taylor puts the final touches on the sand castle.

Taylor Burback, Alyssa Pun, and Sydney Lawson enjoy the  day at the beach.