Impact Story: Job Corps masonry students work help restore historic Civilian Conservation Corps Goose Bay Shelter

Submitted by Alicia Bennett, Public Affairs Officer, U. S. Forest Service Job Corps

Cass and Mingo Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers (CCC) masonry students, led by HistoriCorps professionals, completed critical stone restoration work on the Goose Bay Shelter in the Shawnee National Forest in late August 2024. The masons removed and reinstalled the flagstone masonry surrounding the shelter and rehabilitated the exterior stone steps. Working on the project allowed the young masons to refine skills such as mixing mortar, designing layout, leveling stones, and tuckpointing. Located on the Lake Glendale Recreation Area (LGRA), the  Goose Ban Shelter restoration efforts will protect the structure from further deterioration and pave the way for future improvements.

 

Cass and Mingo Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center masonry students completed critical stone restoration work on the Goose Bay Shelter on the Shawnee National Forest in late August 2024. (l-r) Dominic Baker, Cameron Enloe, Chris Fadule, Cass Ryan Laymon, Newt McCoy, and KC Lajuan. USDA Forest Service photo by Daniel King.

 

Over the years, HistoriCorps has fine-tuned its collaborative process with Job Corps CCCs and national forests to restore underused historic buildings and convert them into heritage tourism destinations. Funded by the Forest Service, with project design and technical assistance provided by HistoriCorps and skilled labor furnished by Job Corps students, these partnerships have been providing opportunities for young people to learn valuable trade skills while supporting efforts to rebuild and maintain the agency’s recreation infrastructure.

Community colleges often offer class credits towards a Historic Preservation Training Certificate to participating Job Corps students. The combined activities of construction trade training, community college course work, and real-world experience provides Job Corps students with the skills and credentials that could put them on a path to a career in historic preservation.

 

Cass and Mingo Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center masonry students completed critical stone restoration work on the Goose Bay Shelter on the Shawnee National Forest in late August 2024. The masons removed and reinstalled the flagstone masonry surrounding the shelter and rehabilitated the exterior stone steps. Working on the project allowed them to refine masonry skills such as mixing mortar, planning layout, leveling stones, and tuckpointing. USDA Forest Service photo by Daniel King.

 

The Civilian Conservation Corps completed the initial development of the Lake Glendale Recreation Area in the 1930s. Most of the structures constructed by the Corps in the 1930s embody the distinctive characteristics of a type of construction generally known as rustic public architecture. These facilities typically are simple, inexpensive and constructed in a manner to blend into the rural landscape settings. The Goose Bay Shelter embodies the distinctive characteristics of this type of public architecture.

 

Cass and Mingo Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center masonry students completed critical stone restoration work on the Goose Bay Shelter on the Shawnee National Forest in late August 2024. The masons removed and reinstalled the flagstone masonry surrounding the shelter and rehabilitated the exterior stone steps. Working on the project allowed them to refine masonry skills such as mixing mortar, planning layout, leveling stones, and tuckpointing. USDA Forest Service photo by Daniel King.

 

All CCC students are required to complete work-based learning assignments to earn their trade certification. This real-world learning experience helps prepare them to be successful in a professional work environment filled with diverse personalities, something the students appreciate.

“Working on the Goose Bay Shelter gave Cass Job Corps students the chance to contribute to the preservation of history while building their masonry skills,” said Job Corps Liaison Specialist Venorris Webb-Delesline.

One of the challenges of restoring historic stonework is matching the type, size, color, and texture of existing mortar and stones while also matching up surrounding mortar joints. It is not a process that can be rushed, and the work challenged the young masons’ technical skills in a good way.

 

Cass and Mingo Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center masonry students completed critical stone restoration work on the Goose Bay Shelter on the Shawnee National Forest in late August 2024. The masons removed and reinstalled the flagstone masonry surrounding the shelter and rehabilitated the exterior stone steps. Working on the project allowed them to refine masonry skills such as mixing mortar, planning layout, leveling stones, and tuckpointing. USDA Forest Service photo by Daniel King.

 

“It was great to apply the Job Corps training that I have received on the job site,” said Mingo student Dakota Hamilton. “I learned how to work with people outside of Job Corps, seeing how our differences made the project unique,” echoed Mingo student Dominic Baker.

Job Corps students earned $200 per day working on Goose Bay, earnings that are used to ease their transition to independent living. In addition to learning hands-on preservation skills, students had the opportunity to travel; for one Cass student, it was his first time outside the state of Arkansas.

 

Cass and Mingo Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center masonry students completed critical stone restoration work on the Goose Bay Shelter on the Shawnee National Forest in late August 2024. The masons removed and reinstalled the flagstone masonry surrounding the shelter and rehabilitated the exterior stone steps. Working on the project allowed them to refine masonry skills such as mixing mortar, planning layout, leveling stones, and tuckpointing. USDA Forest Service photo by Daniel King.

 

The collaborative strategy between the Job Corps, HistoriCorps, and the Shawnee National Forest on this project helped complete essential campground restoration work in a way that trains a diverse workforce while improving the quality of visitors’ experience.  The collaborations between the CCCs, HistoriCorps, and national forests and grasslands exemplify how underused historic buildings can support efforts to rebuild and maintain the agency’s recreation infrastructure.

Get Involved: Corps to Climate Careers

Incredible, potentially game-changing opportunity, for Corps! We need your help on a very short timeline!

Help The Corps Network Position Service and Conservation Corps on the Front Line of Climate-Ready Workforce Development

 

Dear Corps,

Huge federal investments in climate resilience and the transition to a clean and sustainable economy have created an immediate and growing need for a “climate-ready workforce.” Service and Conservation Corps are positioned to help develop this workforce.

With support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation (Casey), and assistance from the Brookings Institution and Urban Institute, The Corps Network is preparing to make the case to recipients of climate resilient project funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) – including states, municipalities, organizations, and philanthropy – that Corps should be part of this work.

Specifically:

  1. The Corps Network has an opportunity to do a deep-dive assessment into our member Corps’ capacity to prepare Corpsmembers for climate-ready/green jobs, with the goal to identify commonalities, gaps, and best practices in different climate-ready/green sector training pathways. Jobs for the Future (JFF) will assist with this research process.
  2. The Brookings Institution will help identify where BIL and IRA project funding is landing, what it is being used for, and what jobs it is creating in different communities, states, and regions.
  3. The Urban Institute will drill down into job quality, including wages, benefits, opportunities for advancement, and working conditions.

The Corps Network will use information collected through this initiative to inform our advocacy work, technical assistance, and fund development strategy. The partners (TCN, Casey, Brookings, and Urban) will use this information to identify Corps that are well positioned for funding to pilot career pathways in the climate-ready workforce. See this fact sheet for more information.

 

How You Can Help / Participate

To help us gather the necessary information and to be eligible for any future funding opportunities that may arise as a result of this work, we need you to:

  1. Join an informational webinar next Thursday, November 7, at 3:00 p.m. ET. A recording will be available afterwards here on The Corps Network’s website.
  2. Respond to this survey about your current workforce development programming by November 14.
  3. Submit copies of the curriculum and training modules you are currently using. You can submit materials in the survey linked above.*

 

* The Corps Network and our partners respect that your training materials are central to your operations and are likely unique to your organization. Any curricula and training materials you share with The Corps Network will be used for analysis purposes only and will not be shared outside of The Corps Network and JFF. Any Corps that completes the survey and submits copies of curricula and training modules will receive one free registration to The Corps Network’s 2025 National Conference (with one paid registration).

 

Please consider completing the action items above to help The Corps Network position Service and Conservation Corps at the front lines of climate-ready workforce development.

More information will be provided and questions answered during the webinar.

Update from The Corps Network’s Government Relations Team – October 29, 2024

By Meghan Shea

Read this blog from The Corps Network’s Government Relations Team about recent updates from Washington and what they mean for the Service and Conservation Corps community.

 

 

Fiscal Year 2025 Appropriations

Before leaving Washington, DC, for October recess, Congress passed a Continuing Resolution (CR) that would extend current funding levels through December 20. Both chambers will return the week of November 11, after the election on November 5. When they return Congress will have a little over a month to pass all twelve Fiscal Year 2025 funding bills.

As a reminder, the current proposed House Labor, Health and Human Services Subcommittee funding bill, which funds the Department of Labor (DOL) and AmeriCorps, contains an 11% funding cut below its Fiscal Year 2024 enacted level. The bill, as written, would eliminate funding for AmeriCorps State and National, AmeriCorps NCCC, and the National Service Trust that funds the Education Awards. The bill would also eliminate funding for DOL’s Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Youth Job Training and includes severe cuts for the Registered Apprenticeships program as well.

Appropriations Committee leaders in both chambers have shared that they want to pass Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations bills by the end of this year. Whether there will be an omnibus bill or a possible Continuing Resolution that sees us into January of 2025 will likely depend on the outcome of the November elections. Given the devastation left by Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton, funding for a disaster supplemental will likely also be something Congress will address upon their return to Washington, DC. The White House has already sent the Congress $27.5 billion worth of supplemental disaster aid requests, dating back to October 2023. Those funding requests were for, amongst several others, responding to Guam’s Typhoon Mawar, the wildfires in Maui, and Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse.

 

 

American Climate Corps (ACC)

In July, the Biden Administration announced the launch of Energy Communities AmeriCorps, a project that will engage 150 AmeriCorps VISTA members in advancing locally designed economic development, workforce readiness, and environmental remediation plans in nine coal mining communities across the U.S. over the next three years. This initiative will invest nearly $8 million from federal agencies and philanthropic sources to help ensure a more just and prosperous future for the people who have fueled our nation’s growth. A press release from the White House can be found here.

Climate Week New York City is a yearly event that is focused on bringing together leaders from around the world to discuss climate action. During the week, the Biden Administration released a fact sheet focused on their progress on the American Climate Corps (ACC). This fact sheet contained the following announcements:

  • The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development joined the ACC Interagency Initiative, becoming the eighth agency along with the original seven agencies.
  • The Environmental Protection Agency and AmeriCorps are partnering on the new Environmental Justice Climate Corps. This program will put 250 ACC members to work over the next three years on providing technical assistance to community-based organizations in environmental justice communities. It will be run through the AmeriCorps VISTA program and they will begin accepting applications in early 2025.
  • The ACC is establishing partnerships with state service commissions to increase the number of state climate corps and to also strengthen existing state climate corps programs. It included New Jersey, which also recently announced the creation of the New Jersey Climate Corps.
  • There will be a virtual ACC Job Fair. It will be for current and past members and will have participants from the private sector, labor unions, the public sector, including federal agencies. There will be more details to come on this.

 

 

Promoting Service through AmeriCorps Act

In September, the co-chairs of the National Service Congressional Caucus – Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Chris Coons (D-DE) along with Representatives Garret Graves (R-LA) and Doris Matsui (D-CA) – introduced the Promoting Service through AmeriCorps (PSA) Act in both the House and Senate. This bipartisan bill would reauthorize AmeriCorps programs and funding through 2029. The PSA Act provides more opportunities to serve, expands member benefits to support recruitment, improves the member experience, strengthens post-service pathways to education and employment, and authorizes federal funding for the next 5 years. The full bill text can be found here. A section by section of the bill can be found here.

American Climate Corps Tour Updates

Updates from the American Climate Corps social media accounts.

The American Climate Corps is hitting the road this fall, and coming to a city near you! From the shores of Maine to sun-soaked of Arizona,  this tour will be shining a spotlight on ACC teams and members making real change. 

From supercharging energy efficiency in homes to restoring coastal habitats, and deploying clean energy solutions  — ACC members are out there shaping the future. Many ACC members are also members of The Corps Network. Throughout the tour you may see familiar faces as the ACC travels to Corps like PowerCorpsPHL and GulfCorps.

Get ready to see firsthand the incredible work of the ACC! Check here for updates from the ACC’s social media accounts. 

October 22, 2024: Michigan

The ACC team visited Corps programs in Michigan and focused on community, collaboration, and climate action. See post on Facebook here

October 10, 2024: New Mexico (Rocky Mountain Youth Corps – NM)

American Climate Corps visits Rocky Mountain Youth Corps New Mexico

The ACC team has been out visiting Rocky Mountain Youth Corps in New Mexico for the past few days, and they got to hear a little bit about the day-to-day life of the ACC members! See their post here

October 8 – 9, 2024: Minnesota

The American Climate Corps heads to Minnesota! They explored Duluth, Cloquet, and St. Paul and teamed up with Minnesota GreenCorps!

American Climate Corps in Minnesota

In Cloquet, they were hosted by the Fond du Land Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. They participated in a roundtable with a host of American Climate Corps partners working in and around Duluth. Members are focused on protecting streams from road salt, hosting bike repair events, and inviting Duluth residents to share what environmental solutions are important to them.

From there, the ACC headed to a research site with the US Forest Service where they learned about their efforts to protect Black Ash forests, which are culturally important to Indigenous tribes in the area and essential to Minnesota’s ecosystem.

They then joined Saint Paul Public Schools for National Bike, Walk and Roll to School Day! They had so much fun helping students get to school, working in the school garden and learning more about low carbon transportation.

This tour stop was led by Minnesota’s GreenCorps, an American Climate Corps partner, and program that is focused on preserving and protecting Minnesota’s environment while training a new generation of climate and environmental leaders. They have 58 members in this year’s cohort who are serving in positions all across the state. See the ACC Facebook post here.

September 28, 2024: Washington, D.C. (Student Conservation Association)

The Student Conservation Association (SCA) hosted an exciting National Public Lands Day volunteer event at Fort Dupont Park, part of our ACC Fall Tour. Volunteers took action in four different hands-on activities: two dedicated litter cleanup crews, a team working hard on trail maintenance, and another focused on battling invasive species. It was a day of community, care, and conservation! See ACC Instagram post here

September 22, 2024: Philadelphia (PowerCorpsPHL)

American Climate Corps with PowerCorpsPHL

The ACC tour was inspired as they toured American Climate Corps sites in Philadelphia. PowerCorpsPHL is making a real impact by equipping its members with the skills needed for promising careers in clean energy, green infrastructure, and community-focused fields.  They met four AmeriCorps alumni who have transitioned into full-time roles with the Philadelphia Water Department—an inspiring example of the program’s success in action! See post here

September 19, 2024: Alabama (GulfCorps)

American Climate Corps visits GulfCorps

Yesterday, the ACC tour was in Alabama meeting members of GulfCorps and learning about their incredible work. GulfCorps stretches from Florida to Texas and focuses on restoring and protecting the Gulf’s land and waters while creating jobs. See ACC post here

September 12, 2024: Maine 

American Climate Corps in Maine

First stop on the American Climate Corps Fall Tour: Maine!

The tour group had powerful conversations with ACC members, policy makers and local climate leaders about what matters most to them and their environment. It’s inspiring to see firsthand how local action drives real climate solutions.

Highlights from the visit: 

  • Examining coastal erosion and its impact on dunes and beaches
  • Learning about urban forestry initiatives aimed at increasing tree cover in low-income neighborhoods
  • Monitoring Portland’s flooding for better preparedness and response

See ACC post here

 

CPAT Impact Story: Stones River National Battlefield Cemetery Restoration

 Adapted by Emma Fantuzzo from a report written by Ilana J. Smith, SCA Crew Leader, with approval from the Student Conservation Association. 

About the CPA Team:

With support from the National Park Foundation, the Corps Project Assistance (CPA) Team was created in 2022 by The Corps Network to aid the National Park Service (NPS) in scoping and creating cost estimates for facility-related projects at small and medium-size parks across the country. These parks often lack the staff capacity and funding to undertake the work on their own. The projects, which are funded through the Great American Outdoors Act, are meant to be carried out by crews consisting of NPS staff and Service and Conservation Corps members.

The CPA Team has scoped projects across the country, several of which have been completed. Among other locations, the finished work includes historic preservation projects at Camp Nelson National Monument, Andrew Johnson National Historic Site, Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Park, and Stones River National Battlefield.

Stones River National Battlefield (STRI) Cemetery is one of fourteen National Cemetery sites the National Park Service manages. Partnering with the Student Conservation Association (SCA), the site was cleaned and restored to maintain the sanctity of this historic resting place.

About the Project:

SCA Members at Stones River National Battlefield

SCA members worked with staff from STRI to preserve and renovate the site to be more accessible for future generations. Over the course of two months, the team cleaned approximately 800 headstones of Civil War and World War I and II soldiers. They also made ADA compliance renovations to the walkway for the Hazen Brigade Monument, the oldest Civil War monument still standing in its original battlefield location. In addition, the team was able to assist with smaller maintenance projects, including removing invasive Kudzu and Honeysuckle.

Through the project, the SCA team learned the history of the site and its significance to American History and the liberation of African Americans from slavery. Within the cemetery lay the remains of several members of the United States Colored Troops, Union Army regiments during the Civil War that primarily enlisted African American soldiers. The Stones River battle was instrumental in bringing the Union to victory and the region became a place where persons freed from enslavement settled down. As SCA Crew Leader Ilana Smith noted, there is a sign only 100 yards from the Hazen Brigade Monument acknowledging a post-Civil War freed person community called Cemetery that developed near the battlefield.

Conservation Impact:

The purpose of SCA’s work at STRI was to maintain the NPS lands at the battlefield. The project expanded to include maintenance of the main cemetery, renovation of the monument pathway, and removal of invasive species. Other conservation efforts included the removal of trash from a storm that had taken place a few months prior, and building 60 feet of cedar fencing.

Some of the crew’s accomplishments in numbers include:

  • Approximately 800 headstones at main cemetery cleaned
  • Approximately 72 feet of walkway around Hazen Brigade Monument renovated and improved
  • 20 feet of cedar fence built at the parking lot of Fortress Rosencrans
  • Approximately 40 feet of cedar fence re-built on the west side of Nashville Highway
  • Approximately 883 invasive plants (Honeysuckle and Kudzu) manually removed
  • 100 pounds of trash removed

Corpsmember Impact:

The SCA crew took several field trips to gain a better understanding of the history and community in the area. This included trips to historic Civil War sites, local farms, and several museums. This helped the crew build an appreciation for the work they were doing and how it affected the people of the community.

Several Corpsmembers took the opportunity to speak with NPS staff about their careers and explore future career opportunities. Three of the members became UTV certified which helped the team to more efficiently complete work. All members gained more skills in construction and maintenance. One Corpsmember noted, “I feel like we are walking away from Stones River with not just professional connections, but with friends and mentors too.”

CPA Team Impact Story: Continuing a Legacy of Service at Carlsbad Caverns National Park

By: Emma Fantuzzo

More than 80 years ago, members of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) worked at Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico, building infrastructure that is still used by park visitors today. This past summer, a small crew of AmeriCorps members from Conservation Corps New Mexico served at the park and, under the guidance of a master mason, helped restore stone walls built by the CCC. Learn how this project – supported by the Great American Outdoors Act – helped the Carlsbad Caverns maintenance team, and helped inspire a new generation of park professionals.

About the Project:

Conservation Corps New Mexico Dry Masonry Crew

In 2023, The Corps Network’s Corps Project Assistance Team (CPAT) visited Carlsbad Caverns National Park to review maintenance projects where Corps could potentially help. Launched in 2022 with support from the National Park Foundation, the CPAT has traveled to nearly every region of the National Park Service, visiting small and medium-sized parks that often do not have the staff capacity to quickly address maintenance needs. It’s at these smaller parks that Corps can step in and make a particularly big impact. After the CPAT finishes a site visit, they develop a report detailing how and where Corps can support the park’s project needs. Based on these recommendations, the park then engages a Corps to complete the work. To date, parks have used funding from the Great American Outdoors Act Legacy Restoration Fund to partner with Corps to complete these critical maintenance projects.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park is located in the hot, arid, Guadalupe Mountains in southeastern New Mexico. Discovered by a teenage explorer in 1898, and later made a national park in 1930, the caverns have inspired generations of environmental stewards. In the late 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) worked in the park to develop trails, facilities, landscaping, and more. This work has allowed almost 500,000 visitors to explore the park annually.

Unfortunately, with limited staff capacity and the availability of stone masons dwindling as many professionals in this field retire, the park faced a maintenance backlog. Some stone masonry projects have been on backlog since 2017. With the help of the CPAT team, Carlsbad Caverns partnered with Conservation Corps New Mexico (CCNM) to rebuild over 600 feet of historic stone guardrail under the guidance of a retired master stone mason, Bruce Wright. This work proved to be invaluable to the park and provided Corpsmembers with an experience in historic preservation that could help land them positions elsewhere.

Getting to Work:

While CCNM and Carlsbad have collaborated on trail work in the park before, this was the first time the Corps and park partnered on a masonry project. Through the National Park Service’s Experienced Services Program, Bruce Wright was identified to help mentor and oversee the Corpsmembers.

Together, the six-person Crew, including two Crew Leaders, worked with Bruce in 100+ degree heat. Historical stone masonry is hard work. Corpsmembers had to drill out old joints with a grinder; cut and reset stones; learn to mix concrete and work it into tiny crevices, and more. All of this was done primarily using tools similar to what the original builders would have used.

                 Completed Dry Masonry Wall 

The guardrail was originally built over 80 years ago by the CCC. As they fixed the wall, Corpsmembers found mementos, including coins from the 1930s, that the original builders had left for future generations to find. To continue the tradition, the Corpsmembers left some of their own mementos in the new wall. These included little leaves, broken jewelry, and cupcake toppers.

While they worked, Corpsmembers gained a deeper appreciation for their predecessors.

“Bruce let us know that the original builders would not have had pre-mixed concrete…we had power tools,” said Liz…., a Corpsmember from CCNM.

Bruce was a huge help and inspiration for the Corpsmembers. Members mention that his high energy and eighties rock music kept them engaged. He made sure that all the Corpsmembers had the assistance they needed and was patient explaining all the intricacies of his craft.

During the project, the crew faced a few setbacks. The heat necessitated pausing work frequently for breaks to hydrate and cool off. One member had to go home due to illness. At one point, a car crashed into a section of wall that had been restored and the Crew had to rebuild it. Despite this, the Crew completed double the amount of work they originally projected doing.

Impact on Corpsmembers:

     CCNM Dry Masonry Corpsmember

The Crew worked long days in high heat with little to no shade. They used a car’s air conditioning to cool off throughout the day. Corpsmember Liz says that the project taught her that she has more strength than she realized. Corpsmembers learned self-sufficiency while maintaining their own tools and looking out for one another. They felt they gained more self-confidence and were proud of the work that they did.

Carlsbad’s Facilities Maintenance Program Manager, Keenan Comer, who was closely involved in the day-to-day work says, “I hope Corpsmembers take away the importance of keeping historic trades alive and the importance of historic preservation.”

After the project, multiple Corpsmembers applied for positions with the Harpers Ferry National Historical Park to go into preservation trades.

As one member noted, “the job isn’t troubling, but it creates grit.”

Impact on the Park:

Carlsbad Caverns National Park has more stone masonry work that needs to be done, but as Keenan stated, “[The Corpsmembers] knocked out a huge chunk of work.”

For smaller, remote parks like Carlsbad, where staffing can sometimes be a challenge, having assistance from five to six individuals from a Corps is invaluable. As Keenan expressed, Corpsmembers are young and have energy and open minds. They provide extra hands to complete work, and – on a deeper level – the park service has an opportunity to engage a new generation of prospective resource management professionals. For this particular project, there was the opportunity to train people in the dying field of historic stone masonry, thus helping preserve a historic trade and keep history alive in our parks.

                     CCNM Dry Masonry Corpsmember

 

 

Impact Story: Breyonna Conner, Tabitha Corps Chester

By: Emma Fantuzzo

Breyonna’s Background:

Most people associate Service and Conservation Corps with outdoor work, manual labor, and conservation. Breyonna Conner, a student at Newman University and the first member of her family to not only graduate high school (at the age of fifteen nonetheless), but also attend college – thinks differently. For Breyonna, her Corps experience with Tabitha Corps Chester allowed her to explore her passion for the medical field and gave her valuable hands-on experiences that she believes can be applied to any profession.

Breyonna grew up in Chester, PA. Ever since she was a kid she has been interested in medicine.

“I would always read medical books and watch medical shows…I really wanted to go into the medical field,” she says.

During her second year of college, while studying Biology Pre-Medicine and Spanish, Breyonna learned about Tabitha Corps Chester when the Corps handed out fliers in her neighborhood.

“I decided to join, just to try something new.”

 

Corps Experience:

Breyonna’s Corps term was her first job experience. While the work focused on green infrastructure, stormwater maintenance, and community clean-ups, Breyonna notes that her biggest take-aways were job readiness, resume writing, teamwork, and workforce development.

Breyonna worked with the Chester Asthma Prevention Program to help clean up neighborhoods that were at high risk for asthma due to illegal dumping and pollution.

“We cleaned up these areas in hopes that asthma rates would go down but to also help our community, protect the environment, and improve the quality of life for local residents.”

Breyonna speaks of the gratitude of the people living in the areas she helped to clean and how touched she was to be able to contribute.

“The happiness that you get from seeing the work that you’ve done make a positive impact in the city is very rewarding,” she said.

Breyonna mentioned a particularly impactful project, “When we first arrived at the clean-up site, there were no kids playing on the playground because there was trash and drugs everywhere. After we cleaned up the playground, for the next two days that we came back, we saw all the kids in the neighborhood playing on the playground.”

As a result of her Corps term, Breyonna was able to apply for an internship and scholarship at one of Tabitha Corps Chester partners, Monroe Energy.  The internship was medically focused and allowed Breyonna to work with a nurse practitioner.

She says, “This was a good experience that allowed to me to see if I enjoyed working in the medical field and also helped me figure out what specialty I would like to pursue.”

Breyonna is also currently working on a research study with two Doctors, focusing on neurological diseases. This was also an opportunity that stemmed from participating in Tabitha Corps Chester.

Looking Forward:

In the future, Breyonna dreams of creating her own Corps program with a medical focus. She wants to help students explore the medical field and its many different facets while gaining hands on experience, like she was able to do with Tabitha Corps.

Breyonna plans to attend medical school and would like to become an emergency room physician.

She believes that Corps can help youth step outside their comfort zone.

“Even if you aren’t going into something specifically geared to green infrastructure, the skills that you learn can be applied anywhere, not just to that specific field.”

 

Impact Story: Creating Tree Cover at the Taos Youth and Family Center

By Hannah Traverse, Director of Communications

The Taos Youth and Family Center is a community recreation facility, offering residents of Taos, NM, access to a pool, skate park, game room, and other gathering spaces. Thanks to assistance from Rocky Mountain Youth Corps (RMYC), the outdoor area surrounding the facility now has additional tree cover.

This tree planting project was made possible through the United States Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry (UCF) Program, supported by funding from the Inflation Reduction Act. RMYC is one of 11 UCF sub-grantees across the country operating under The Corps Network. With locations in Taos and Albuquerque, RMYC is a “stepping stone to new opportunities,” offering youth and young adults the chance to gain work experience through service to the community and environment.

Two young adults wearing hardhats and safety vests kneel on the ground and pack dirt around a newly planted coniferous tree.

Two AmeriCorps members with Rocky Mountain Youth Corps in Taos, NM, help plant a tree.

During the week of June 26, the RMYC crew began digging holes for four large trees. The final tree was planted on July 3. Four Urban Forestry crew members were involved; they were assisted by RMYC’s Urban Forestry Coordinator and staff from the Town of Taos Parks and Recreation Department. The crew member positions are all supported by AmeriCorps.

The crew members learned how to properly plant trees and learned about the importance of a healthy tree canopy in social spaces. Shade from a healthy, mature tree can lower surface air temperatures by up to 20–45°F in an isolated area. The crew also learned how to work safely in the same space as a backhoe, which will be helpful for future projects. Planting larger trees requires a high level of communication between the crew and the machinery operator – proper safety protocols and training helped make this project a success.

Three young adults wearing hardhats and safety vests hold shovels and a pickaxe while they sit and kneel in front of a coniferous tree they recently planted.

Three AmeriCorps members with Rocky Mountain Youth Corps in Taos, NM, pose next to a tree they helped plant at the Taos Youth and Family Center.

“Planting these trees in an area that has such little canopy cover is going to make a difference in temperature, visual appeal, and we used trees that would’ve otherwise ended up in a chipper,” said Kate Sorrell, RMYC Urban Forestry and Saw Program Coordinator.

The trees included junipers and spruces, which will do well in Taos’ arid climate. These particular trees were previously used for an event in a local park. The planting project allowed the trees to have a long life instead of being discarded.

“This effort checks all the boxes when it comes to creating an ideal urban project: a group of young adults, outside, in their community, providing a service that would’ve otherwise been put on the back burner. This project, along with many others this crew has done in town, have made such a positive impact in the urban forestry health in Taos by creating more canopy cover. This means more shade and cooler spaces for the whole community,” said Sorrell. “In the process of planting these trees, our crew members had the opportunity to…better understand what their impact can look like as future arborists or tree professionals. They were given the chance to make executive decisions about where the trees can be planted and what would look best. Giving young adults that kind of responsibility over something they can see on their drive to work every day is something they can look back on and admire and say, ‘I did that with my crew’.”

Two young adults wearing hard hats and safety vests pose on either side of a coniferous tree they recently planted. There are mountains and buildings in the background.

Two AmeriCorps members from Rocky Mountain Youth Corps in Taos, NM, pose next to a tree they just helped plant at the Taos Youth and Family Center.

Three young adults pose with hard hats in front of the large coniferous tree they planted. The hard hats feature the logo of The Corps Network.

AmeriCorps members from Rocky Mountain Youth Corps in Taos, NM, pose with their hardhats, featuring stickers from The Corps Network.

#CorpsKudos Video Challenge

WHAT?

The Corps Network is hosting a video contest this August on Instagram and TikTok! This year’s campaign invites Corps programs and Corpsmembers to give a shoutout to individuals who have enhanced their Corps experience and project outcomes.

You can give kudos to Corpsmembers, Corps staff, program partners, crew, community members, and more. #CorpsKudos recipients should be an irreplaceable team member or Corps supporter.

There are cash prizes! You AND the person or organization you give a #CorpsKudos to could be eligible to win (see PRIZE INFO section below).

#CorpsKudos videos can focus on career growth, self-confidence, leadership skills, friendship, exercise, mental health support, camaraderie, and more.

#CorpsKudos Fact Sheet

 

PRIZE INFO

  • What are the prizes? (see the “How will the prizes be distributed question below?” for more details).
    • 1st place: $1,000
    • 2nd place: $500
    • 3rd place: $250
  • Who is eligible to win a prize?
    • Member organizations of The Corps Network
    • Corpsmember serving in member organizations of The Corps Network
    • Staff at member organizations of The Corps Network
  • How will prizes be delivered?
    • We will send the prizes via check or electronic payment to the winning Corps or individual Corpsmember. If a Corps program is selected, we will leave it to your organization to determine how best to use or distribute the prize. Remember, only Corps programs, Corps staff, and Corpsmembers are eligible to win cash prizes.
  • How will the prizes be distributed?
    • Winning Corps and Corpsmembers may wish to split their cash prize with their nominee if the #CorpsKudos recipient is a Corps staff member or a fellow Corpsmember.
      • For example: The 1st place video creator would earn $500, and the remaining $500 would be awarded to their nominee if their nominee is a fellow Corpsmember or part of Corps staff.
    • Corps and Corpsmembers who nominate a partner or community member are still eligible to win, but nominated partners and community members are not eligible to win a cash prize.
      • For example: The 1st place video creator would earn $1,000 if their nominee is not a Corpsmember or part of Corps staff.
  • When will winners be announced? 
    • We will announce the winners in September after Labor Day through our social media channels and The Crewleader newsletter.
    • We’ll also reach out via Instagram and email the Corps and Corpsmembers that posted the winning videos.

FAQs

  • How many videos can my organization post?
    • There is no limit. Member Corps and Corpsmembers can submit as many videos as you’d like.
  • What if a Corpsmember published a video entry from their personal Instagram account?
    • That’s great — we’ll still count their entry — but we encourage Corps to collect and post videos from the Corps’ Instagram account as well.
  • Who can participate in the contest?
    • Member Corps can post videos from their organization’s Instagram and/or TikTok accounts
    • Corpsmembers and Corps employees can post videos from their personal Instagram and/or TikTok accounts
  • What happens if I share a #CorpsKudos to a program partner or community member?
    • We encourage Corps to give shoutouts to partners and supporters in this video campaign. Please note that prizes can only be distributed to Corps organizations, Corpsmembers, and staff at Corps.

WHY?

We hope this campaign will generate fun content that demonstrates the various ways Corps benefit the environment, people, and their communities. Our goal is for #CorpsKudos content to showcase positive Corps project outcomes as well as benefits to the young adults serving in Corps. 

CRITERIA TO WIN

Meet Basic Requirements:

  • Videos should be no more than 90 seconds
  • Save labeled video file in our Google drive folder
  • Upload on TikTok and/or publish to Instagram and invite the @thecorpsnetwork to be a post collaborator
  • Tag your Corps, @thecorpsnetwork, and the person you are shouting out
  • Include #CorpsKudos in your social caption explaining why you are thankful for your kudos recipient

Tell a Story:

  • How were you positively impacted or inspired by this person? Project outcomes, personal growth, career guidance, etc.
  • Would this video inspire someone to learn more about Corps and the opportunity to serve in Corps?

Creativity:

  • Is your video thoughtful and inspiring? Does it clearly tell a story about the person and how they positively influenced your Corps experience?
  • Bonus points to videos incorporating different high-quality photos, videos, and audio

Quality:

  • We’ll take note of extra effort the creators put into getting quality footage, editing clips, and making a visually appealing, well-packaged video.

HOW?

Steps to participate:

1. Invite your Corpsmembers to create videos! In 90 seconds or less, each video should feature a kudos to an individual who contributed to your Corps journey.

2. During the month of August, Corps and Corpsmembers should save the videos to our Google folder and share the content on Instagram or TikTok. 

    • Corps programs: Name your video file with your Corps Organization when uploading video in the Google folder so we know which organization they’re from.
    • Corpsmembers: Name your video file with your full name and Corps affiliate and save file in this folder.
    • Reach out to ekim@corpsnetwork.org if you’re having trouble with Google Drive. Other file sharing methods work, too – like iCloud or WeTransfer, Dropbox, etc.
  • Instagram
    • Corps programs: Invite @thecorpsnetwork to be a post collaborator. On the screen where you add a caption, choose Tag People >> Invite Collaborator. 
    • Corpsmembers: Upload your video and tag the @thecorpsnetwork, your Corps organization, and the person you are shouting out. 
    • Write your caption using #CorpsKudos. Also mention any important descriptive info (like who’s in the video, where they are, who made the video, etc.). See below for a sample caption.
    • We will accept all collab requests on a rolling basis! The videos will simultaneously post to our Instagram page and your Instagram page. We will also repost any TikTok entries.

HOW WILL THESE VIDEOS BE USED?

Throughout this video campaign, we will repost the submitted videos across The Corps Network’s social media channels (we will share your caption and add tags/mentions to give credit). The videos will be used to raise awareness on the benefits of Corps service and The Corps Network’s member organizations.

Following the initial campaign, we will do a secondary campaign to repost the submitted videos across The Corps Network’s social media channels (we will share your caption and add tags/ mentions to give credit). We will also create short highlight reels of our favorite clips.

#CorpsKudos Example Social Messaging:

Corps program example caption:

[Corps name] has been invited by @TheCorpsNetwork to give a #CorpsKudos to a Corpsmember that’s been a key part of our projects this season. 

We’d like to extend a #CorpsKudos to [Corps Kudos nominee] for [describe their positive impact].

Our #CorpsKudos nominee is eligible to win a cash prize thanks to this video and their generous support for our Corpsmembers and projects. Follow @TheCorpsNetwork for winner announcements and more #CorpsKudos videos from our fellow Member Corps!

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Corpsmember example caption:

I’ve been challenged/nominated/invited by @TheCorpsNetwork to give a #CorpsKudos to someone who positively impacted my service experience with [your Corps name]. 

My #CorpsKudos goes to my Crew Leader, [Corps Kudos nominee], for motivating me during field projects and keeping our energy up during wildland firefighting trainings.

My #CorpsKudos nominee is eligible to win a cash prize thanks to this video. Follow @TheCorpsNetwork for winner announcements and more #CorpsKudos videos from fellow Corpsmembers!

CONTACT US

Email ekim@corpsnetwork.org with any questions.

Update from The Corps Network’s Government Relations Team – June 30, 2024

By Meghan Shea

Read this blog from The Corps Network’s Government Relations Team about recent updates from Washington and what they mean for the Service and Conservation Corps community.

 

 

Fiscal Year 2025 Appropriations

As Congressional August Recess approaches, below is a review as to the status of appropriations bills in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

House of Representatives

  • The House passed all twelve of its appropriations bills out of the full committee. Currently, only five of these bills have been passed on the House floor. Last week, the House planned to hold floor votes on several funding bills, but ultimately House Republicans decided to hold off on these plans when it became clear that they did not have the votes to approve the measures. The chamber decided to begin their August recess a week early and left Washington, DC, last Thursday morning.
    • The House’s Labor, Health and Human Services Subcommittee funding bill, which funds the Department of Labor (DOL) and AmeriCorps, contains an 11% funding cut below its Fiscal Year 2024 enacted level. The full committee mark can be found here and the bill report can be found The bill, as written, would eliminate funding for AmeriCorps State and National, AmeriCorps NCCC, and the National Service Trust that funds the Education Awards. The bill would also eliminate funding for DOL’s Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Youth Job Training and includes severe cuts for the Registered Apprenticeships program as well.
    • The House’s Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies funding bill, which funds the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Forest Service, includes funding of $38.5 billion. This is $72 million below the Fiscal Year 2024 enacted level and $4.4 billion below the President’s budget request. The bill provides $2.75 billion for the Wildfire Suppression Operations Reserve Fund. The full committee mark can be found here and the bill report can be found here. Section 448 of the bill states the following: “None of the funds made available by this Act may be used for the American Climate Corps.” Rep. Neguse (D-CO) introduced an amendment to the House Rules Committee that would have stripped this section from the bill.

Senate

  • The Senate has begun marking up their twelve annual funding bills in the full Appropriations Committee. Their subcommittee allocations were set higher than those made by the House. They set a 3.4% increase (nearly $30 billion) for defense programs and a 2.7% increase (around $20 billion) for non-defense programs. In comparison, the House Appropriations Committee cut non-defense programs by 6-7 % (11% in the Labor, Health and Human Services bill) and followed the 1% increase for defense programs as set by the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023.
    • The Senate’s Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies funding bill, includes language that waives the 25% Public Lands Corps Act cost share. The bill text can be found here and the bill report can be found here.

When both chambers return to D.C. in September, they will need to begin work on a Continuing Resolution to keep the federal government funded beyond the end of the fiscal year on September 30. They will then go into recess for the month of October and return after the November elections to finish Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations. Whether there will be an omnibus bill or a possible Continuing Resolution that sees us into January of 2025 will likely depend on the outcome of the November elections.

 

American Climate Corps

In June, several virtual swearing-in ceremonies for American Climate Corps members were held. The first one was held on June 18. TCN understands that more than 110 attendees registered but it is believed that more participated. Senator Ed Markey was the special guest at the first event, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland was the special guest at the second event, and AmeriCorps CEO Michael Smith was the special guest at the third event. Later in June, the Biden Administration began requesting information to highlight projects being done by ACC participants. TCN circulated a form for Corps to share information about their ACC projects. AmeriCorps along with STEM Next has hired one ACC staffer and is in the process of hiring two additional roles: Strategic Advisor for Partnership Coordination, and Strategic Advisor for Workforce Development.

 

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act

In April, the House voted to pass “A Stronger Workforce for America” Act by a vote of 379-26. This bill is meant to modernize WIOA, which was originally authorized in 2014. WIOA is designed to help job seekers access employment, education, training, and support services to succeed in the labor market and to match employers with the skilled workers they need to compete in the global economy. Earlier this month, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a full committee hearing on WIOA to give more information on the bill to the public and allow Senators to share some of their priorities for this legislation. Last Friday, the Senate released a discussion draft of their WIOA bill linked here. A section by section breakdown of the bill can be found here. Some the key changes in the Senate discussion draft include:

● Renaming the term out-of-school youth (OSY) with “Opportunity Youth” and incorporating youth experiencing homelessness, foster care youth, and justice involved youth as opportunity youth (ages 16-24)
● Maintaining the current 75/25 opportunity youth/in-school youth funding ratio
● Requiring that 10% of youth formula funding go towards youth apprenticeships
● Streamlining the determination of homeless or foster youth status to match the process described in section 479D of the Higher Education Act
● Creation of the Youth Apprenticeship Readiness Grant – a competitive grant to develop new or expand existing pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeships that serve youth age 16-24

It is still unclear when this bill will go to the Senate floor. TCN submitted feedback on the discussion draft to committee staff and to offices of members of the Senate HELP Committee. The Committee hopes to markup the bill by August.