The Completion of Co-op

               Trinica Sampson, Arthur Morgan Institute for Community Solutions | June 20, 2013

Sooner than I could have imagined, I have reached the end of my first co-op. It is difficult to put into words the amount of knowledge I have gained from working at Community Solutions for the past two and a half months. The experiences I have had here have made me a better worker, a better person, and a more informed citizen, and for that, I am incredibly grateful, to both CS and Antioch College. At most other universities, I most likely would not have had the opportunity to learn and grow as I have at Antioch and through my work at Community Solutions.

My time at Community Solutions might best be summed up with the word “collaboration.” Although everyone in the office had several individual projects they have been working on over the course of the past months, we have all been involved in each others’ work. Everyone has read Pat’s script and edited it several times, everyone has read through the Procedures manual that Julia has been spearheading, everyone comments on the proposals and letters Faith sends out, and Faith, Pat, and I have been in constant communication about my upcoming New Solutions report. This technique of constant communication and feedback was extremely helpful and reassuring, particularly while I was writing New Solutions #21, which involved a subject and style of writing very different from the creative writing I am familiar with. With the input and suggestions I am receiving from the other members of the office, I am confident that the final product will be the best it can be when it is ready for the public to read. This confidence in writing is something I lacked before beginning work at Community Solutions, and I am so glad that constant exposure to the writing and editing process in this office has given me the ability to give and receive critiques with far more ease than I was able to before.

In general, working at CS has made me a more confident person, not only in my writing, but in my day-to-day activities. On the student evaluation required as part of the co-op program at Antioch, Faith wrote that I took awhile to open up. This has been true of me for years, but it is my hope that my time with this organization has helped me in this regard. Making phone calls was an activity I used to dread, but after both answering and making phone calls for the past months, I have become accustomed to it. Interviews were another territory that normally would make me extremely nervous, but working with Faith and Pat has gotten me in touch with several members of the Yellow Springs community and made me much more comfortable meeting and speaking with new people.

I have been able to see a straw bale house, witness the creation of an urban demonstration garden, and attend a meeting of the Yellow Springs Energy Board, opening the door for more students and faculty of Antioch to attend and possibly join the board. The connections I have made through the network of people involved with Community Solutions have and will be invaluable as I continue my education at Antioch and in Yellow Springs.

My work at Community Solutions has also exposed me to information on climate change, peak oil, electric vehicles, CO2 and greenhouse gas emissions, and other energy-related topics that I likely would not have learned about if I had not worked here. This information is important for any citizen of Earth, and being more knowledgeable on these subjects has already been beneficial to me in terms of the choices I make on a daily basis.

My tasks at Community Solutions have included general office maintenance (taking phone calls and messages, sending orders to CS members, logging orders and donations in the database, maintaining an updated office calendar and reminding office members about upcoming tasks), editing/proofreading (Pat’s script, the Procedures manual, and various emails, blog posts, letters, and other documents), writing (blog posts, book reviews, film treatments, summaries of scripts and live streams, member newsletters, information for film screening flyers, and a New Solutions report), and creating a Power Point presentation for an upcoming documentary. I have also learned about the nuances that go into running a small, non-profit organization. Faith and Pat were wonderful at finding tasks that matched my interest in writing and editing, as well as tasks that challenged my comfort zone in creative ways. Although they often make quips about the lack of organization, in the past months, we have come so far in terms of organizing the office and implementing systems to keep it running smoothly and efficiently. For their parts, Pat and Faith were always available to answer questions or give feedback, but they also gave me the space and opportunity to work and set priorities at my own discretion. The freedom I have been given at Community Solutions has been wonderful and allowed me to really come into my own, both as an employee and as a person.

I have had a wonderful and valuable experience at Community Solutions, and although I wish I did not have to leave so soon, I know that I will return to my studies at Antioch as a new person, with new knowledge under my belt. I am also excited to play a part in strengthening the relationship between Antioch College and Community Solutions. I have a feeling that my time at CS will often be reflected upon as I continue my education and begin new co-op jobs in the future.

Month 2 Wrap-Up!

          Julia Navaro, Arthur Morgan Institute for Community Solutions | June 5, 2013

Another month at Community Solutions has passed already! This month has been filled with various events and happenings. Faith is finishing up the Passive House film, Trinica has been interviewing folks for the next ‘New Solutions Report’ issue, Pat has been working diligently on his film about electric vehicles, Faith and I have made much progress in the garden, and all of us have been contributing to the work that needs to be done in the office since Jeanna went on maternity leave. Time seems to go by so quickly here. It feels like yesterday I was digging out old garden fence posts with Jenny and John and talking to Jeanna about what she’s going to name her baby. Now there’s a precious little Zander Pacheco Breza in the world and a whole new set of fence posts in the ground! Oh, how things change beautifully.

Community Solutions continues to provide an ideal place for one such as me to work. I am able to have the opportunity to meet others who are passionate about the health of the environment and humanity; and to learn how they are creatively responding to climate change and an energy crisis in the ways they live their lives. I was able to join Trinica in an interview with a Yellow Springs local and Professor at University of Dayton, Bob Brecha, at his straw bale house. We learned about his philosophy and beliefs that inspire his low energy lifestyle. Through various articles I review for our Facebook and Twitter, sent to me, I also learn how communities across the country seek to remedy environmental and social injustice through the way they live together. And as always, I get to learn how Pat and Faith spread the word about viable solutions to climate change such as the Passive House.

Some of the highlights of this month for me include a meeting about the electric vehicle film Pat and I had with the managers at a local Toyota dealership, harvesting some of the first vegetables and herbs from the garden, and reading several interesting articles about energy and climate change (including this gem by Kurt Cobb at resilience.org). In the meantime, much of my time has gone into the office tasks Jeanna prepared us for before she had her baby—responding to emails and inquiries, getting orders and donations processed with Trinica, sending out updates, and managing our database.

I will close out this monthly update with news about the garden. I have an avid interest in gardening and it has been invaluable for me to garden with Faith, an expert gardener, who offers me gardening wisdom whenever she gets a chance. This past month, our main gardening project was putting up the deer fence—which was completed by some local friends. Other projects have included planting cauliflower, kale, collards, broccoli, and onions; weeding and mulching the beds, and harvesting some of the veggies and herbs.

I truly value what I am learning in the garden because I view gardening as one of the best things one can do for both your soul and for the environment. Not only is growing one’s own food a way to depart from unsustainable food practices, but it is also very empowering. I hope the garden we are building will be an inspiration for others to practice gardening, as well, and to see in it all the beauty that a garden can bestow.

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          Trinica Sampson, Arthur Morgan Institute for Community Solutions | June 5, 2013

It’s that time again! The end of the month is upon us sooner than I expected. Yesterday, Julia, Faith, and I spent some time marveling at how fast the time has gone by. It seems like just yesterday that we were posting about our first completed month, and it seems that only a few days before that, I was walking into Community Solutions for my first day on the job. Time truly does fly when you’re having fun, and I will be incredibly sad to see this month come and go, marking the end of my co-op internship with the wonderful folks at 114 East Whiteman Street.

This past month has been all about settling into my stride. With Jeanna on maternity leave, Julia and I met to discuss which duties we would each be taking on in order to keep the office running as smoothly as possible. Having another person with which to share duties and ask questions has been wonderful. Working together, we have been able to keep track of orders and donations and manage the daily tasks that come with working at Community Solutions.

Spring is truly upon us now; albeit a much more humid and temperamental spring than I am used to in California! On the whole, the weather has been beautiful, allowing Julia and Faith to do more gardening without the oppressive rain getting in the way. They recently harvested a bushel of marjoram and ten pounds of rhubarb, which I bestowed upon the Antioch College kitchen last week, much to the excitement from students and chefs who saw me bringing the vegetables in. The inner office has undergone some spring cleaning in the past couple of weeks, with extraneous furniture moved out of the room and a file system implemented to help keep desktops clear. Other signs of spring include copious amounts of pollen-induced sneezing and the increased need for office fans and opened windows.

We have been working on a variety of tasks for the past couple of weeks, including creating flyers for Passive House: A Building Renovation film screenings, registering for conferences at which to show the film, proofreading the credits and subtitles for the film, researching and writing a newsletter to send CS members, and presenting the early stages of Pat’s upcoming film to various members of the community who have given invaluable comments. My main project at the moment is writing an upcoming New Solutions report, using information from interviews I have been conducting with Faith throughout this month. We have all definitely been keeping busy!

In this last month of working here, I am excited to finish the New Solutions report and begin the editing process with it. I am also excited to sit in on a Community Solutions Executive Board meeting on June 7th, as well as a meeting of the Yellow Springs Energy Board on June 11th. The longer I work here, the more connections I can see between Community Solutions, Yellow Springs, and the members of the Antioch College community. I am excited to see what opportunities these connections will bring in the future!