For the third year of the NEWARK ACTS Young Adult Urban Internship Program, three returning second-year interns are joined by six new interns -- including our first married couple! -- who hail from South Dakota, Texas, Florida, Massachusetts and upstate New York.
In addition, two-time intern Richard Hogue is returning for a third year, this time to serve as part-time Program Assistant while also working for All Saints' CDC in Hoboken.
To learn more about the individuals who make up our third class of NEWARK ACTS interns, read more.
Erin Toews
Youth Consultation Service
I was born and raised in Rapid City, SD as the fourth of five siblings. My hobbies include crocheting, reading books, watching movies, hiking, and being outdoors. In May I graduated with a Bachelor's degree in nursing from Northwestern College in Orange City, IA. After spending two different summers in Africa, I am planning to return in the future as a missionary nurse.
Kameron and I got married to each other less than a year ago, and I cannot wait to start this new adventure with him in New Jersey! I am excited to grow in my relationship with God and live in community with the people I am serving with. Moving out of the Midwest will be a big transition, but I know that the East Coast has a lot to offer this South Dakota girl.
After this experience with NEWARK ACTS, only God knows what is in store for the two of us. I do know that I want to continue to serve people wherever and however that may be.
Kameron Toews
Christ Church, Harrison
As the youngest of three siblings, I lived in the same house in the same South Dakota town with just over 700 people for most of my life. McDonalds and Starbucks were 90 miles away. I appreciate the small town life where everyone knows everyone and everything you need is a short walk away.
Growing up I had a new hobby every month. I wanted to be a drummer, guitarist, pianist, magician, poet, writer, artist, and filmmaker. I could never just do one thing. I needed to be moving from one thing to another, or I would get bored. That is probably why I love to travel. I've spent a summer in Indonesia doing ethnographic research and a semester abroad in Oman. New cultures and people open doors to a better understanding of my world.
In December of 2011 I married Erin, my childhood sweetheart. God has blessed me greatly with such a beautiful, strong, and servant-minded woman. It's amazing how God uses marriage to shape us into better people.
I graduated in 2012 from Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa with a Digital Video and Cinema degree. I love the power of story, especially real stories. I would love to travel the world, find stories that merit telling, turn it into a film, and share it with the world.
Olivia Pope
St. George's, Maplewood
My name is Olivia Pope and I have lived all over the place! I was born in Richmond Virginia, went to school in Florida and in Pennsylvania, and have spent the past 22 summers in upstate New York. My parents are currently residents of Austin, Texas and I just spent the past four years of my life in Kalamazoo, Michigan. This past June, I graduated from Kalamazoo College with a bachelor's degree in Religion and a concentration in Classical History. As part of the Newark Act program this year, I am eager to further my own personal understanding of faith and spirituality as well as explore my aspirations to work in the field of social justice. I'm looking forward to living and working with young adults who share this same desire. I know that the NEWARK ACTS program will be a wonderful learning experience for me and it will hopefully lay the foundation for whatever I choose to explore next!
Jania Billups
Seaman's Church Institute (Year Two)
I grew up with my twin sister, and an older brother, in the Midwest. I was born in Wichita, Kansas, and raised in Kansas City Missouri until I was nine when I moved with my family throughout Kansas and Missouri. In 2011 I received my Bachelors of Science in Biology and Pre-Health studies from Avila University in Kansas City, Missouri. While at Avila I began to be heavily involved with service and became the service pillar leader of Campus Ministry as a sophomore. When I decided to not go to school directly out of college service seemed to be the next step. As I begin my second year I look forward to continuing my journey here during my second year to see where the path leads me, better discerning my direction throughout this year.
Andrew Reid
St. Andrew & Holy Communion, South Orange
Hello all, my name is Andrew Reid and I grew up in Houston, Texas. For me it was natural that I should go to a small college in Iowa. After attending Simpson College, I have been trying to find something that excites me as much as my volunteer experiences that I had in Iowa. I enjoyed working with children, building homes, and listening to those whom I served as a volunteer. While at Simpson, I was blessed enough to be in an atmosphere that actively encouraged me to help others while I tried to figure out the man I wanted to become. Unfortunately for me, that process is taking much longer than I expected.
Through my volunteer work as well as various other student activities, I realized more and more that I wanted to be in a position to serve others in a manner that best conformed to my religious beliefs. Personally, I believe that we are all called in our own ways to use our talents to help each other. As such, I have been trying to find out what God is calling me to do with my life. As of now, I have no idea what I may wind up doing in the future, but I do believe that this opportunity to serve in the New Jersey area is yet another positive step towards whatever God may have in store for me in the future.
Ker Thao
My name is Ker Thao, and I was born and raised in a small city in central Massachusetts to a strict and traditional Hmong family. I am the only daughter and second child in a household with 5 children. I graduated from Worcester State University with a Bachelors of Sociology and a minor in Psychology.
My passion is in social justice and change with a focus on juvenile delinquency and rehabilitation. I have been working with at-risk and under-served youths since the age of 18 always believing that working with youth to create positive change and development are my true calling in life. My goal is to continue my education, earning an MSW building on the work I have already done with deeper challenges for the future.
I am joining NEWARK ACTS in hopes to gain a better understanding of the many diverse communities this country has to offer and build my capacity to create greater change. I am confident to grow as an individual, spiritually and intellectually.
Courtney Gaskins
Youth Consultation Service (Year Two)
I was born and raised in Des Moines, IA. Went to college at Iowa State University to study Psychology. After realizing I needed more schooling or more experience before getting a "real" job, I started looking at AmeriCorps positions. I ended up finding NEWARK ACTS. I enjoyed the first year so much, I decided to stay for a second while I decide whether to go back to school for law, social work, or something else. I have a lot of volunteer experience working with all kinds of people, and I'm looking forward to discerning my path this coming year.
Yucleidis Melendez
The Jubilee Center
My name is Yucleidis Melendez. I was born in the Dominican Republic and arrived in the United States at the age of 5. My family settled in Hoboken, NJ. I lived there for about 16 years and then moved to Florida for college. I attended Southeastern University where I majored in Psychology. I plan to obtain my Masters degree in school counseling or mental health counseling. My goal in life is happy others. God is the most important person in my life. He is my best friend and savior . I want to show others the endless and beautiful love God has for humanity. This year I hope to be a positive influence in the lives of the children I will work with.
Jamarr Neyland
Youth Consultation Service (Year Two)
Jamarr Neyland was born in Toledo, Ohio and attended Kent State University. Prior to NEWARK ACTS he did a mission trip in the DR which changed his perspective on helping others in a greater capacity. He was excited about getting an opportunity to serve in the NEWARK ACTS program last year, to continue in his faith tradition, and gain new experiences in "serving as Christ served." He was surprised to see the different facets of the Episcopal Church and had a chance to experience new things, such as working with the autistic population and in a high school. These all together have opened his eyes to another way of helping and ministering to others by just by his presence. In finding and accepting the call for this next year for NEWARK ACTS, he is excited at the fact that he will spend a year in another place, different from his home of origin and embraces the idea of living in community with those who are on the same mission. In committing to a second year, he is hoping that this opportunity will help unite his love for missions, as well as utilize his artistic talents to help change his community.
Richard Hogue
NEWARK ACTS Program Assistant
Richard is back again, after serving at the Hoboken Shelter in the initial year of the program and at St. John's in the second. Originally, Richard is from Clam Lake, WI, a very different clime from that of Hudson County, his adopted home.
Richard's BA is in Religion from Wabash College, which he graduated from in 2009. While there he joined Tau Kappa Epsilon and restarted the Episcopal campus ministry. His first post-college experience was with Young Adult Service Corps, sponsored by the Church Center, where he served in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. It was there that he saw through the eyes of people who live every day in a former landfill, especially those with HIV/AIDS and TB.
Starting his 3rd year in the Diocese of Newark, he has graduated from being an intern and is now working for All Saints CDC in Hoboken. This time around he will be the Development Assistant at the Jubilee Center and continuing to act as Facility Manager for St. John's in Union City. He is not entirely separated from NEWARK ACTS, however, as he will be working part-time as the Program Assistant. Most importantly, Richard has formally entered the discernment process for the priesthood; something that many feel was a long time coming. He is continually open to the experience of Christ in all people.
