After graduating almost 150 Energy Corps (EC) members over the last five years, the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) couldn’t be more excited to start fifteen new members in Arkansas and Montana.
NCAT Energy Corps staff worked hard this summer to bring great host sites on board throughout Montana and Arkansas. After bringing on sites in eight communities, we recruited, interviewed and enrolled fifteen new Energy Corps members from fourteen different states, spanning from California to New York to Florida and several in between.
Before heading to their host sites, members gathered at our NCAT offices, participated in a three day pre service orientation training. Orientation in Arkansas included several presentations from EC alumni such as recycling and energy efficiency. Montana training topics included energy basics,Renewable energy, home weatherization, cultural sensitivity, just to name a few. After touring the sift farm at the Butte office, EC members helped build a fifth hoop house at NCAT.
Already collaborating and serving alongside each other: Rob Pudner and Bill Pedersen take a break from their drive to Fort Benton to enjoy the scenery, on their way to a rural recycling meeting. Bill is serving with the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and Rob with Recycle Montana.
All of us are looking forward to a great year of service in both Montana and Arkansas. Throughout orientation, members showed their excitement for service and a genuine desire to learn a great deal over the next eleven months.
In addition to our 15 new members, the Energy Corps program will be recruiting new host sites and members this winter, so be sure to check in for updates if you are interested I being involved in our program. You can also email me directly at kaleenam@ncat.org or contact Dan Dean in our Arkansas office at dand@ncat.org.
Kaleena serves as the Energy Corps Program Director at NCAT. She has a bachelor of science degree in environmental economics from the University of Rhode Island and a master’s degree in environmental policy from Bard College in New York. She joined the Energy Corps Program as a member in 2011 and switched over to Energy Corps staff in the fall of 2012.
