Et cetera : AmeriCorps NCCC Class 19 Team Leader Spotlight: Ted Sweeney

By: Rebecca Bigler

Ted Sweeney, from Portland, Ore., is the Team Leader for Maple 4 in NCCC’s Class 19. He arrived in Vinton on January 8, 2013, to start his 11-month service term leading a team of people between the ages of 18 and 24. Maple 4 is made up of 10 people from across the country, and they will serve together in a number of service projects across the North Central Region.

“I am excited for the opportunity to get to know my country and myself better through service,” Ted said. This is his second year with NCCC, after serving his first in Class 15 at the Pacific Region in Sacremento, Calif. “I am especially enthusiastic about the opportunity to lead young people in the field, nurturing their own leadership skills while learning from them.”

Ted has several skills that he brings with him to the Team Leader position. He has experience in facilitation, mediation, public speaking, grant writing, outdoor and backcountry skills, music and acting, writing and editing, teaching and mentoring. All of these things, combined with his previous NCCC experience, will help him guide his team through their various projects.

Prior to joining NCCC, Ted was working for the land-use advocacy group called 1000 Friends of Oregon. He graduated from the University of Oregon in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in planning, public policy and management. After finishing the program, Ted is considering graduate programs in communications and conflict resolution, or further work in the nonprofit sector in the transportation or land use fields.

Maple 4 just finished wrapping up a project in Des Moines, Iowa with the Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity. The team was assisting in the construction of new and rehabilitated homes for this Iowa affiliate. Homes are in various stages which allows members to perform a variety of work from framing to roofing and painting. The construction of these homes allows the sponsor to continue working on them during the winter months. Maple 4 was working on new construction as well as “Rock the Block” which is a program designed to assist homeowners in projects such as painting, landscaping, and repair.

Some fun facts about Ted:

Q: What was your first job? Petition circulator for an Oregon ballot initiative, Hornble.

Q: What is your favorite movie? Synedoche, NY

Q: What will be your first words of advice for your team members? “Be curious about your teammates. Expect to learn from them, and seek out that learning.”

Q: What is one place in the world that you really, really wish you could visit? Istanbul

Q: What is your favorite candy? Any super dark chocolate

Q: If you could come back as an animal which animal would it be and why? Some bird for obvious reasons.

Q: Are there any sayings your parents repeated over and over that you can still remember clearly? My father would rattle them off the same way every time I left for school: “Work hard, make friends, help others.”

Q: What do you like to do in your free time? Music, cycling, travel

Q: Could you give us one reason to join AmeriCorps NCCC? Get to know your nation much better by serving it.