Corps Oral History: Dana Stein

By: Emma Fantuzzo

About the Corps Oral History Project:

The Corps movement dates to President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) of the 1930s – ‘40s. The CCC offered young, mostly white, men the opportunity to work and earn money during the Great Depression. The “CCC boys” planted billions of trees, built hundreds of parks, and established a legacy of conservation across the country.

While the CCC certainly provided a framework for modern Corps, it wasn’t until the 1970s and ‘80s that a new, more equitable, and ever-evolving Corps movement began to emerge. This oral history project gathers insights from the dreamers, innovators, and leaders who made today’s network of Service and Conservation Corps possible.

Dana’s Background:

Dana Stein, the executive director of Civic Works, has been an influential member of the Corps world since the early 90s when he read about City Year, while working as a lawyer. Intrigued by the idea of Corps programming and the potential it had, Dana reached out to the National Association of Service and Conservation Corps (NASC), the predecessor of The Corps Network, for information on the Urban Corps Expansion Project. He also connected with Kathleen Kennedy Townsend who at the time was working on service-learning issues in Maryland. As Dana put it, “Long story short, she and I founded Civic Works, and we opened our doors in 1993. I quit practicing law and have been running it ever since.”

Over the years, Dana credits his various mentors from, San Francisco Conservation Corps, Montgomery County Conservation Corps, and City Year, for Civic Works’ success. He notes that the Corps community understands the importance of helping each other’s programs thrive – something that nonprofits in other sectors don’t always have the benefit of.

Today, Dana continues to serve as executive director of Civic Works, a Corps that has grown exponentially in size and program capacity. Civic Works performs not only Service and Conservation Work such as installing solar panels, mitigating stormwater runoff, and building parks, but also operates a school, providing secondary education opportunities for students in the Baltimore area. Civic Works serves as an inspiration for the potential that Corps, and Corps leaders, can achieve.

Dana’s Insights:

Q: What was the Corps Community like when you started?

Dana: It was certainly smaller. It was proportionally more focused on conservation. I think over the years there’s been a recognition of greater needs in different areas. There’s been a diversification of the types of issue areas that Corps have worked on. The key point of the timing for Civic Works, and I know for other Corps, was when AmeriCorps was started. AmeriCorps was signed in 1993, and then we became an AmeriCorps program and AmeriCorps was, I think, significant in providing startup funding. It helped prompt a lot of new Corps to get going.

Much of the DEI work that has happened, has happened in the past five years. But nonetheless, I think that the Corps was evolving in that direction and certainly has accelerated in the past five years. It is increasingly important work. Even before 2020, we had worked with consultants in DEI space. There’s a local group called the Association of Black Charities and we hired a consultant from there to make recommendations for improving our DEI policies. We just recently completed a consultancy with another expert in DEI work and made a series of recommendations. So Civic Works is taking those recommendations and is going to incorporate them into our practices. We are also implementing them into our strategic plan, which has a DEI focus. We have work to do, but we are hopeful that we will continue to make progress. 

Q: What types of programming does Civic Works participate in?

Dana: Some of what we do might be considered urban conservation. We do some landscaping; we do urban farming which has a positive impact on green space. But a lot of our work is what you would consider to be service work. For example, I mentioned we have a high school, so we have probably 20 members that help the school by doing different things. We’ve done a lot of food distribution work. Probably 15 years ago we expanded to include working with older adults, helping them age in place through home repairs as well as social service work.

We’ve also expanded to do a lot of energy conservation work and now we’re doing more in terms of renewable energy through low-income solar installations. Traditionally, Civic Works has done more service as opposed to conservation work, but we work a lot in climate mitigation. Climate is the future. Long term, where Corps will be called upon to help and provide critical value, that’s in climate resilience.

Q: What would you say is your vision for the Corps movement as a whole?

Dana: Some of what we do might be considered urban conservation. We do some landscaping; we do urban farming which has a positive impact on green space. But a lot of our work is what you would consider to be service work. For example, I mentioned we have a high school, so we have probably 20 members that help the school by doing different things. We’ve done a lot of food distribution work. Probably 15 years ago we expanded to include working with older adults, helping them age in place through home repairs as well as social service work.

We’ve also expanded to do a lot of energy conservation work and now we’re doing more in terms of renewable energy through low-income solar installations. Traditionally, Civic Works has done more service as opposed to conservation work, but we work a lot in climate mitigation. Climate is the future. Long term, where Corps will be called upon to help and provide critical value, that’s in climate resilience.

Q: What would you say is your vision for the Corps movement as a whole? 

In the past couple of years, we’ve seen the accelerating impact of climate change. At the same time, there’s been growing efforts at the federal and state level to reduce emissions and limit the impact of climate change. So, I think the Corps will be called upon and well suited to respond to the need to try to mitigate these impacts. This can be done through more widespread adoption of energy efficiency efforts; installing energy efficient light bulbs, water reducing devices in homes, and more extensive weatherization.

We can also help with stormwater impact. We can’t do big storm water mitigation projects, but in localized areas we can help through rain gardens and other landscape practices that will reduce the very local impacts of stormwater and help cities be more resilient to heat. Civic Works is also developing a resilience hub through a state grant which will enable residents to have a place to go to charge their phones and cool down in the case of widespread power outages.

This all circles back to the original mission of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The CCC was known as the tree army, they planted three billion trees. At the time, it wasn’t called green infrastructure like we call it today, but when you think about ways to offset heat, especially in urban areas, it’s planting trees and adding green spaces. Corps like California Conservation Corps are already doing climate work like fighting wildfires, and in Louisiana, Corps help with flooding and storm surge. So, the work is already being done, but my hope is that on a more widespread basis Corps will be utilized.

Q: This year is the 90th anniversary of the CCC, is there anything else you would like to add on how Corps carry out its legacy?

You know, when we first got going, I connected with a CCC alumni chapter. About 30 years ago there were still a decent number of CCC alumni around. We brought the alums out to talk to our former members about the impact that the Corps has. The benefits of the Corps in the 1930s were largely like today. A lot of the benefits came from working on a team, from working on community projects, and learning new skills. So similar were the issues discussed, it was striking, but it also speaks to the resilience of the Corps model.

Of course, today’s Corps has improved on the CCC. The CCC was segregated, today we are striving to make progress in terms of diversity. We have also improved in our ability to respond to different needs, especially service aspects. We have expanded outside of just conservation work.

We also have room for improvement; I think there’s a role for us to be adopters of technology, not just in terms of our administrative efforts, but in terms of Corps, day-to-day operations.

Q: What impact have you seen on Corpsmembers because of their Corps experience?

We have sector-based training programs, one of them is called our Utility Infrastructure program in partnership with the local utility (Baltimore Gas and Electric) and they partner with us in providing training that will lead to jobs with their gas and electric contractors for maintaining their system. We had the CEO of the utility come in and talk with 30 trainees from a couple different classes. After the presentation, the dialogue from the trainees indicated how the program has had a big impact on their lives already. When someone finishes the program, they’re 95% likely to get a job with a living wage. It has the potential for changing their life trajectory and helping them to enter a career path.
It’s always great to hear and it reinforces that the model we’ve had in place for a long time and have built on over the years, works.
Corps work has a huge impact on communities. It has opened my eyes to things I would never have known about or learned about in terms of issues in communities. It’s been life changing for me, I’m very happy I stumbled across that article about City Year, years ago. It is incredible all the different things that have come out of it.

Impact Story: Curlew Job Corps student starts life over and grasps for the stars

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

Meeting Samantha “Sam” Berko, it’s hard to imagine the rough start she’s had in life. Berko, currently enrolled in Curlew Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center’s (CCC) union painting trade, is confident and outgoing. If a visitor arrives at Curlew, without hesitation she makes a beeline to warmly welcome them to on-center.

 

Curlew Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center pre-apprentice painting student Sam Berko holds a project displaying her wood burning skills. USDA Forest Service photo by Alicia D. Bennett

 

Berko arrived at Curlew on November 15, 2022. In a few months, she will graduate and travel to Clearfield Job Corps Center (Clearfield, Utah) to enroll in Advanced Collision Repair and Refinish. The United Auto Workers industry credentials and certifications Berko earns in this second, advanced pre-apprentice training program will prepare her for a position at a car dealership or independently owned body shop.

 

(l-r) Curlew Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center Union Painting Instructor Doug Wilson and student Sam Berko have a bit of fun with the life-sized “Face in the Hole” carnival board Berko painted to celebrate Prospectors Day, an annual, three-day, celebration of Republic, Washington’s gold mining heritage. Festival goers could choose between the faces of two miners, one riding in a mine cart, in which to stick their faces. Courtesy photo by Sam Berko using self-timer.

 

Berko’s resilience has been forged through adversity. Her story is distressingly familiar for many of the young women who enroll in Job Corps. Raised in Grants Pass, Oregon, she spent the first seven years of her like bouncing between her biological mother and father in a custody battle. When Berko’s mother married a second time, to a man who owned his own home and with a stable job, the tables were turned in her favor and she gained full custody of her daughter.

 

Curlew Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center union painting student Sam Berko was featured in The Ferry County View after she painted a life-sized “Face in the Hole” carnival board to help festival goers celebrate Prospectors Day, an annual, three-day, celebration of Republic, Washington’s gold mining heritage. Courtesy photo by Sam Berko.

 

A sense of normalcy and structure settled over Berko’s life until her mother died on December 9, 2017. At age fifteen, she found herself trapped in a household governed by an emotionally abusive stepfather who took out his grief and anger on her. “He told me I would never amount to anything,” Berko reflected “He said that the only way I could be successful was laying on my back for men’s pleasure.” Berko related her story with no sense of grievance or victimhood. You even detect a sense of empathy towards this man despite what she endured. “I was a constant reminder of her to him.”

 

Curlew Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center union painting student Sam Berko uses metal technical stilts to stand over a bench she wood burned and then applied a custom-colored wood stain and air brushed painted a skeleton. Photo courtesy of Sam Berko.

 

Berko has labored hard to process and overcome her abusive past, but unsurprising, she battles bouts of depression. Still, she lives her life guided by a principle of staying strong through tough times. “The past is in the past. You can either run from it or learn from it,” she said. “When the world turns upside down, make the best of it.”

 

Curlew Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center union painting student Sam Berko (laying on ground, front row) worked on Supply Team 12 on the Bedrock Fire on the Willamette National Forest during the summer of 2023. Berko shared that it was an eye-opening team building experience where she had to adapt her independent mindset to one where she relied on others after being a solo player most of her life. Courtesy photo by Sam Berko using a self-timer.

 

Berko eventually left home. In succeeding years struggled to make ends meet working minimum wage jobs. Expenses ate up her meager salary and her life was punctuated with periods of homelessness where she would tent camp or live in her car. “I realized I can’t just keep getting dead end jobs where I can’t climb up,” stated Berko. Last year, with winter approaching, she decided Curlew Job Corps was her last best chance to start life fresh.

After a health condition prevented Berko from enrolling in forestry conservation, she enrolled in union painting. “Doug Wilson, my painting instructor has seen me at some of my low times and he’s definitely pushed me to become better in my trade,” stated Berko. “He gave me the belief I can do anything I put my mind too. He has helped me become better person, helped me keep my head on straight and focus on what I want to do.”

 

Curlew Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center pre-apprentice painting student Sam Berko powder coated a U.S. Forest Service sign, constructed on computer numerical control machines  by Curlew union welding students, to prevent it from rusting. The sign was given away as a raffle prize for Curlew’s Open House. USDA Forest Service photo by Sam Berko.

 

CCCs have long incorporated a union-operated pre-apprenticeship training model includes a paid job where student earns industry recognized credentials and participation in classroom learning and work-based learning, all under the instruction of a mentor. Berko completed three internships over the last year. The instructors that operate union trades excel at supporting motivated students like her and they encourage female students to enroll in pre-apprenticeship programs. Union trades are still a reliable pathway to the middle-class and women continue to be under-represented. For Berko, it has been a once in a lifetime opportunity that she said has set her up for life.

 

Curlew Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center union painting student Sam Berko sands a piece of wood before wood burning. USDA Forest Service photo by Alicia D. Bennett.

 

Berko will spend 18 months earning her certifications at Clearfield Job Corps and then plans to work at a Toyota Manufacturing plant for five to seven years. “With enough experience under my belt and if I’ve saved enough money, I can open my own car detailing and body paint shop,” she explained. The business name she’s chosen–Sam’s Masterpiece– is eponymous.

 

Curlew Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center union painting student Sam Berko wears metal technical stilts painters used by painters during drywall application or to paint in high and/or confined spaces when a ladder is unsuitable. USDA Forest Service photo by Doug Wilson.

 

Having watched her stepfather run his own business, Berko recognizes the challenges of operating a small business. “I’m definitely thinking that I will have to go from being a small-town country girl and move to a somewhat big city to make sure I have enough revenue and business coming my way to keep my shop open,” she reflected. “I’ll detail cars and do body work. I want to create artwork and watch it drive down the road. I feel like I’m grasping for the stars, but in reality I know it’s something that I can do and I can manage.”

 

Union painting student Sam Berko (center on metal technical stilts) prepares to represent Curlew Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center during the Prospectors Day parade, part of an annual, three-day, celebration of Republic, Washington’s gold mining heritage. USDA Forest Service photo by Doug Wilson.

Share Your Favorite Pics: FY23 Annual Report Cover Contest

Does your Corps have stand out photos from this past year? We know you do! Now is the perfect time to share them. We invite member organizations of The Corps Network to share your favorite pictures from 2023 to be considered for the cover of The Corps Network FY23 annual report.

We are looking for eye-catching images demonstrating what makes our diverse and resilient Corps programs great. We’re specifically hoping to see photos showcasing Corpsmembers in action and the impacts of their work. See below for a more detailed criteria.

Please note that almost every photo submitted will be used in the report or in other documents and resources produced by The Corps Network in the future, even if your Corps’ photo doesn’t make the cover. We sincerely appreciate all the content we’ve received in past cover photo contests.

The last day to submit photos is Friday, January 19, 2024. The report will be published in March. Thank you for your participation!

[Photo in banner: FY22 annual report cover photo, New Jersey Youth Corps of Philipsburg]

Criteria/Suggestions + How to Submit Entries

  • Each Corps may submit up to 6 photos.
  • The deadline to participate in the contest is Friday, January 19, 2024.
  • Photos must be high resolution (300 dpi preferred).
  • Please provide a few details about the photo (where was it taken, who is in the picture, etc.).
  • Let us know if there is a specific person who should receive photo credit. Otherwise, we will credit your organization.
  • Preferred file formats are .jpg, .jpeg, .png. (if you have .heic pictures, please considering converting them to .jpeg files using a free tool like this).
  • Please no images that don’t include people. We want to see great photos of Corpsmembers at work.
  • Both landscape-oriented and portrait photos are welcome.
  • Please no photos that have been heavily edited or have an obvious filter applied.
  • Photos taken within the past year are preferred.
  • Remember – even if your picture is not chosen for the cover, we may use it elsewhere in the report or in other resources from The Corps Network.
How to Submit Your Photos

Please email entries to Edward Kim, ekim@corpsnetwork.org. Don’t forget to include a few details about each photo and if a specific person should receive credit. If your photos are too large to send in one message, feel free to send in multiple emails or use a file sharing service like Dropbox, Google Drive, iCloud, or WeTransfer. We can’t wait to see and share your entries!

Impact Story: A Job Corps Mobile Kitchen knocks it out of the park supporting the Colt Fire

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

Oops . . .they did it again. Who you ask? Job Corps students manning a mobile kitchen that spent two weeks preparing three meals a day to the 150 personnel responding to the Colt Fire at Seeley Lake. The successful track record of the three Job Corps mobile kitchens has national catering contractors looking over their shoulders. The significance of Job Corps’ culinary support is even more apparent considering that prior attempts by other catering services fell short of fire contracting standards.

 

Flatwoods Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center Camp Crew members were deployed on August 29, 2023, to support the Colt Fire at Seeley Lake. L-r second row: Mya Frost, Lee A-BinBin Bartosch, Keshawn Shaw, Feredinand Nizigiyimana, Maximus Ramos, Jade Bourg. L-r first row: Cook Cassie Boyd, Camp Crew Boss Robert Collins, Job Corps National Office FAM Cook Anthony Hansen. USDA Forest Service photo by Kenneth Andren.

 

“After hosting three caterers for the Colt Fire this summer, Job Corps is hands down ‘the best’,” according to the evaluations. “The first caterer’s food was not great, the second was not clean. Job Corp is providing good food and are extremely clean Job Corps deserve a shout out. Maybe we could just go with them in the future and skip the others.”

 

Flatwoods Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center mobile kitchen crew serve Colt Fire responders from a sparkling clean kitchen. USDA Forest Service photo by Anthony Hansen.

 

Upon arrival, the Flatwoods Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center students and staff operating the Job Corps mobile kitchen promptly stepped in. With no break in service, they continued to serve the responders with unwavering diligence for a two-week stretch.

 

Flatwoods Job Cops Camp Crew and Colt Lake Fire Incident Management Team off-load surplus food from the Job Corps mobile kitchen to donate to the Seeley Lake Elementary School. USDA Forest Service photo by Kenneth Andren.

 

Job Corps students are taught that providing support on a wildland fire is an honor. Students chosen for fire assignments are committed to performing at the highest level. Even operating under a newly hired kitchen supervisor and food unit leader trainee, the crew, consisting of one cook, two crew bosses, and seven AD-camp crew students, functioned smoothly as a team. The meals they prepared, paired with exceptional customer service, not only filled the stomachs of responders but also maintained high-quality standards.

 

Flattwoods Camp Crew: (Left to Right) Maximus Ramos, Jade Bourg, April Ramos, Keshawn Shaw, Mya Frost. USDA Forest Service photo by Kenneth Andren.

 

Job Corps mobile kitchen chefs purchase the highest quality of food their budgets allow and they are conscious not to waste food. At the Colt Fire, the culinary team’s efficient resource management resulted in surplus food. This allowed for food donations to local charities, including “Meals on Wheels” and the “After School Brown Bag Program,” a much-needed resource for students suffering from food insecurity.

 

A happy battalion chief get’s ready to enjoy a meal prepared by students operating a Job Corps mobile kitchen at the Colt Fire at Seeley Lake. USDA Forest Service photo by Kenneth Andren.

 

Work-based learning opportunities provided by fire deployments are critical to the success of the Job Corps program and the exceptional performance of the Job Corps mobile kitchen highlights the important of delivering high-quality meals for those on the front lines of emergency response.

The Job Corps mobile kitchens are part of the Job Corps Wildland Fire Program. The kitchens have finished their deployments for the 2023 season but will be back in action in 2024. Contact Mobile Kitchen Partnership Coordinator Kenneth C. Andren, Jr. at kenneth.andren@usda.gov or 605-490-3814 to order one up for your next training event. If you order a mobile kitchen for a Type 3 fire in the IQCS system, please note that a 72-hour time frame is needed from receipt of the resource order. Be a hero to your firefighters and order a Job Corps mobile kitchen to feed your firefighters!

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Public Lands Corps Guides for Forest Service Partners

Many organizations in The Corps Network’s membership are Public Lands Corps (PLC). These are programs that partner with government resource management agencies and Tribal entities to help maintain and improve our lands and waters. Young people who serve in PLC programs and meet a set of requirements are eligible to receive the Public Lands Corps Hiring Authority, which can help them secure a job with a federal resource management agency upon completing their service. 

 

The U.S. Forest Service recently provided the following guides to Public Lands Corps partners. Among these resources  is a PLC Implementation Guide for Forest Service Partners, which discusses PLC eligibility requirements, PLC certification issuance process, and points of contact in the Forest Service. Also included is a Public Land Corps Resource Guide for Participants, which discusses eligibility requirements, how to request a PLC certificate, and more. Last is a resource on How to Request PLC Certifications. 

Questions about these resources can be directed to Kelsey Chun, Program Specialist at USFS: kelsey.chun@usda.gov

Resources:

Public Land Corps Implementation Guide

Public Land Corps Resource Guide

How to Request PLC Certifications

 

 

Celebrating Latino Heritage Through Corps Service and Federal Career Pathways: The Latino Heritage Internship Program

Every year in the United States, September 15 – October 15 is observed as Hispanic Heritage Month—a time dedicated to recognizing and celebrating Hispanic and Latino heritage, culture, history, and contributions.

The American Climate Corps will mobilize over 20,000 young Americans in all corners of our country. To meet the needs of communities in America, the national Corps movement must prioritize diversity and inclusivity when connecting with potential Corpsmembers, identifying areas needing service, and meeting the needs of young adults serving in Corps. 

This Hispanic Heritage Month, learn about a Service and Conservation Corps program that serves as a shining example of how Corps and other organizations can actively promote and celebrate the rich cultural heritage of underrepresented identities. A collaborative effort between the National Park Service and Environment for the Americas — a TCN member Corps based in Boulder, CO — the Latino Heritage Internship Program (LHIP) offers invaluable career opportunities for Latino young professionals while fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of Latino history and contributions in the United States.

LHIP engages young Latino adults in primarily cultural resource management and historic preservation positions in NPS sites, including Grand Canyon National Park in AZ, Biscayne National Park in FL, San Antonio Missions National Historical Park in TX, and more. Through paid internships with the National Park Service Youth and Young Adult Programs, LHIP provides students and recent graduates with hands-on experience in fields such as archaeology, architecture, interpretation, graphic design, wildlife research, museum studies, and more.

 

Mentorship from NPS and EFTA staff is a key component of this program, ensuring that interns can learn about career pathways with the National Park Service, other federal agencies, and conservation organizations. By connecting young individuals with NPS mentors and professionals in their chosen fields, LHIP interns equip themselves with the skills, knowledge, and networks necessary to excel in their careers. This will lead to a more inclusive representation of Latino heritage in the cultural landscape of conservation positions and the federal government.

Eduardo Chaidez is an excellent example of how a Corpsmember leveraged his Corps experience with LHIP to successfully enter a meaningful career route with NPS. 

Eduardo’s conservation career began in the early 2000s when he served as a Corpsmember with Civicorps, a member Corps in his hometown Oakland, CA that connects young adults to job training and education programs. He became a Crew Leader with Civicorps soon after and then went on to join the California Conservation Corps Backcountry Trails Program where he spent several months living, working, and exploring the great Yosemite National Park wilderness.

After interning at San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park through LHIP in 2016 – 2018, Eduardo worked for over two years as a permanent Park Guide at John Muir National Historic Site. During that period, he also completed a detail as a Park Ranger at Alcatraz Island with Golden Gate National Recreation Area and then served Education Technician at Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park.

Today, Eduardo is a Park Ranger at the Ellis Island Museum of Immigration. In addition to developing education programs and leading school field trips with the surrounding communities, Eduardo also serves on the Board of Directors for Civicorps where he hopes to continue to cultivate and guide future park leaders and Corpsmembers.

Hundreds of interns, like Eduardo, have benefited from this program and went on to become leaders and advocates in their respective fields. The impact of LHIP extends far beyond the program’s participants, as LHIP interns and alums enrich the broader community and the nation as a whole.

If you’re a student or recent graduate interested in participating in the Latino Heritage Internship Program, visit their website at latinoheritageintern.org. By providing opportunities, mentorship, and a platform for recognition and celebration, LHIP is shaping the next generation of Latino leaders in cultural resource management and historic preservation.

Join TCN in honoring October 9 as Indigenous Peoples’ Day

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What Corps Movement Advocates Are Saying About the American Climate Corps

This September, the Biden Administration announced the American Climate Corps which will create a new generation of young conservation leaders who will improve communities across the country and strengthen our nation’s climate resiliency.

The American Climate Corps (ACC) will be a vital component of America’s climate agenda, aligning with efforts to reinvigorate the economy by creating thousands of new green jobs and accelerating our country’s transition to a sustainable, clean energy future.

The White House and AmeriCorps have acknowledged that the American Climate Corps announcement would not have been possible if not for the success of the existing network of Service and Conservation Corps and that the ACC will not achieve its goals without the existing network. The Corps Network would like to thank our nearly 150 member Corps for their outstanding services. We would not have reached this point in the Corps movement if it weren’t for Conservation Corps and the thousands of outstanding Corpsmembers in service. To ensure a successful, national ACC initiative, we must invest in young Americans interested in pursuing green career opportunities Corps provide and expand workforce development practices evident in our member Corps.

 

Here’s what our partners and Corps champions are saying about the American Climate Corps:

 

– New Mexico Senator Martin Heinrich, 9/20/23:

“As the first AmeriCorps alum in the Senate, I have been calling to create a Climate Corps for years. There is a lot of work to do to solve climate change and build our clean energy future—young Americans are eager to be the heroes in this story. We need to invest in providing them the training and opportunities they need to pursue emerging career fields at the center of building climate solutions. Climate change is one of the greatest challenges we will ever face. But solving it will also be one of the greatest career and wealth creation opportunities in our lifetimes. Through the American Climate Corps—much like the Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930s—a whole new generation of Americans can step up to restore our lands and waters, install and maintain clean energy infrastructure, and build healthier and more resilient communities.”

 

– Colorado Congressman Joe Neguse, 9/20/23:

“Since first being elected to Congress, I have proudly championed legislation creating a new 21st century Civilian Climate Corps. One that will work for our generation, while taking inspiration from the program responsible for creating wonders across my home state of Colorado—from the Red Rocks Amphitheater to the countless roads, trails, and campgrounds in Rocky Mountain National Park.”

 

– Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey, 9/20/23:

“It’s 10pm and I’m still thinking about the magic that I felt in front of the capitol today. From @AOC to the young people organizing with @sunrisemvmt to the countless advocates who fought so hard for a Climate Corps. Today, victory was ours. And tomorrow, we will keep fighting.“

 

– Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, 9/20/23:

“BIG NEWS: Thanks to the hard work of youth activists across the country, President Biden just announced he’s creating an American Climate Corps. I’ve pushed hard for this. A new climate corps will help create pathways to good-paying green jobs!”

 

– Chairwoman, Senate Appropriations Committee, Washington Senator Patty Murray, 9/20/23:

“This is great news that’ll turbocharge our investments in clean energy and help us fight the climate crisis—all while creating good-paying jobs in the process!”

 

– White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi, 9/20/23:

“We’re opening up pathways to good-paying careers, lifetimes of being involved in the work of making our communities more fair, more sustainable, more resilient.“

 

– United States Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, 9/20/23:

“@USDA is proud to be a part of this effort through the Forest Corps. A partnership between @ForestService and @AmeriCorps, the Forest Corps is the first major interagency partnership under @POTUS‘ Climate Corps and will support efforts to address the wildfire crisis.”

 

– Michael Smith, CEO, AmeriCorps, 9/20/23:

“The American Climate Corps represents a new era of youth-powered climate action. With more than 20,000 members, they will help reforest our lands, mitigate the risks of floods and wildfires, support energy efficiency projects, and address extreme heat.”

 

– Jackie Ostfeld, Founder and Co-Chair / Campaign Director, Outdoors Alliance for Kids / Sierra Club Outdoors for All, 9/20/23:

“The establishment of an American Climate Corps will bring us closer to meeting our national climate and conservation goals, while ensuring the next generation of leaders are at the forefront of solving our climate crisis. This move by the Biden-Harris Administration will dramatically expand the meaningful work youth conservation corps have been doing for years. Whether they’re planting trees to reduce the urban heat island effect, building living shorelines to mitigate the impact of hurricanes, fighting wildfires or building trails, corps provide young leaders with green jobs and meaningful opportunities to transform the health of our planet, people and economy. As we look to implement the most important environmental laws in history – the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – a reinvigorated, well-coordinated ACC is just what we need to get the job done.”

 

– Heather Clish, Vice President for Conservation & Recreation Advocacy, Appalachian Mountain Club, 9/20/23:

“The Appalachian Mountain Club, the nation’s oldest conservation and recreation organization, supports the Biden Administration’s executive action today. The impacts of climate change are being felt in communities across the country today, so the time is now to mobilize an American Climate Corps to conserve and restore public lands and waters, bolster community resilience, increase reforestation, increase carbon sequestration in the agricultural sector, protect biodiversity, improve access to recreation, and address the changing climate. As a 21st century accredited Conservation Corps through The Corps Network, AMC has first-hand experience in responding to the expanding need and workforce opportunity in sustaining natural resources, public lands, and local communities in the midst of our climate crisis.” 

 

The Corps Network is grateful to represent and support the nearly 150 Service and Conservation Corps operating today that will pave the way in ensuring that the American Climate Corps will create a more climate resilient and equitable America.

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Impact Story: AFMO Revives Fort Simcoe Job Corps’ partnership with the Yakama Nation fire organization

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

It is not uncommon for Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center (CCC) students to radically transform their lives upon entering the program. Unsurprisingly the experience remains with them.  That was the case for Fort Simcoe Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center Assistant Fire Management Officer (AFMO) Matthew Ball. He enrolled at Fort Simcoe Job Corps CCC in 2002. His first trade choice was Heavy Equipment Operations Mechanics but it was full. So, he enrolled in Culinary Arts waiting for a slot to open. Job Corps was better than his life before–doing drugs and going nowhere in life.  “From the age 15 to 22, my life was a blur of doing drugs and running crazy which left me homeless. I’d hit rock bottom and I had nowhere else to go,” states Ball. “I needed a bed to sleep in. It was a pillow. It was some food.” Ball decided that hanging out at Fort Simcoe Job Corps for a couple of years was a pretty sweet deal.

 

The Matthew Ball Family: (l-r) Samuel, Toni, Lillie may, Matthew, Akemi, and Brianna Ball. Photo courtesy of Matthew Ball.

 

Established on April 15, 1966, Fort Simcoe was then operated by the Bureau of Reclamation prior to its transfer to Forest Service operations on January 17, 2010. During his enrollment, Fort Simcoe students could work as contract wildland firefighters with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). After getting a taste of fire, Ball was hooked and requested a transfer to Wolf Creek Job Corps so he could join its Hotshot Crew. There were some twists and turns, but Ball ultimately got a job as a seasonal, graduated from Wolf Creek in 2004 and was accepted an apprenticeship in Region 5. “Sixteen years later, I have a wife, three kids, and I own my own home and yes, I owe it all to Job Corps,” states Ball

Ball sought to promote the interests of the Job Corps students throughout his career. When a position opened up, as a Sequoia National Forest Assistant Captain, he would search for a Job Corps student or graduate to fill it—which often required out-of-the box thinking. “There were issues on the Sequoia with Job Corps students in the past but to me they were minor—the towel shouldn’t have been thrown in. Never give up on anyone trying to be successful,” he shared. “I was never in the position to really sell Job Corps. I am coming to the point in my career where I do want to complete the circle and give back to what has given me life and that is Job Corps.”

Job Corps fire management set out to recruit Ball, giving him a choice off CCCs. Ball did not hesitate in selecting Fort Simcoe despite the sacrifices required of him and his family. It required pulling his 16-year-old daughter and sons, 15 and ten—from everything they’ve known. Ball’s wife was suddenly unemployed with uncertain job prospects. Affordable housing within driving distance of Fort Simcoe suitable for a family was non-existent. For two months, the family lived out of a Fifth Wheel before snagging literally the one house within reach at a price of $320,000—a stretch when you only clear $4,200 a month in salary. “All the kids hobbies were put on hold because I took a pay cut,” shared Ball.

 

Fort Simcoe and Yakama Nation wildland firefighters stop for a photo in front of the Yakama Nation’s Fire Management Office before heading out to patrol Yakama Nation tribal lands on the Treaty Days holiday weekend in June 2023. Along with patrolling, the firefighters removed brush on a roadway for a thinning project. USDA Forest Service photo by Matthew Ball.

 

Presently, Fort Simcoe is past its glory days. Ball wants to be part of the change that brings those days back. Key center leadership departed and the center’s relationship with the Yakama Nation died after Fort Simcoe was transferred to the Forest Service. During Ball’s enrollment, nearly half of Fort Simcoe’s students were tribal members and a large percentage of the staff were also members. The Nation sponsored the fire crew and wildland firefighter shirts said BIA.  Ball had never lost contact with either Fort Simcoe or the Nation. “When I heard about this job, I called everyone and said, “I’m coming back,” Ball stated. “I want to bring back that partnership where I can get help from them and in return we can help them as well.  I want that relationship back with them. The Nation is right here and it is our closes ally.”

Even before the recently announced “Equity Action Plan meant to strengthen Tribal consultations and Nation-to-Nation relationships, Ball’s first priority was re-establishing the  center’s partnership with the Yakama Nation.

“Rebuilding our relationship with Job Corps has been beneficial to our fire program,” stated Yakama Nation AFMO Don Jones. “It’s nice to have fire support right out our back door. The Fort Simcoe center director and fire staff have been key to setting this solid foundation.” Partnership opportunities include cross-training, student and overhead assignments on the Nation’s wildland type 6 engine, and Fort Simcoe’s heavy construction equipment operations trade students supporting infrastructure work on Tribal lands.

 

(l-r) Fort Simcoe Job Corps students Nathen Jenson and Thomas Proctor and Columbia Basin Job Corps students Navaeah Gross and Jayson Robbins were part of a five-person module that helped patrol Yakama Nation tribal lands on the Treaty Days holiday weekend in June 2023. Along with patrolling, the Fort Simcoe module worked in close conjunction with the Nation’s fire management resources to remove brush on a roadway for a thinning project. USDA Forest Service photo by Matthew Ball.

 

Now facing the reality of the challenges Fort Simcoe’s facing, Ball is occasionally nervous. “Will I be successful? With the people who have been here before me I have some big shoes to fill,” he mused. My heart is with Fort Simcoe but I have a lot to lose. But, if I can walk away with a fully functional fire program I will be happy.”

 

A five-person Fort Simcoe Job Corps fire module removed brush along a roadway for a thinning project and helped patrol Yakama Nation tribal lands during the Nation’s Treaty Days holiday in June 2023. USDA Forest Service photo by Matthew Ball.

 

Ball is navigating other challenges. Fort Simcoe does not have enough students and wildland firefighting is not a certified trade. Ball borrows his students from other trades and his students are deployed as a militia. One plus is that the students that find their way to him are ranch kids unafraid of hard work. Then there is the typical government bureaucracy including all-day meetings and learning agency procedure to purchase the equipment need for a wildland fire training program. Ball needs to travel the state to sell his program and he still does not have a fire vehicle. “Mine is on order and you know how that works,” he reflected. “I will take anything right now, except for a Prius. I won’t drive a Prius.”

 

On May 17, 2023, Fort Simcoe Job Corps students gather to learn more about wildland firefighting training and deployment opportunities during a trade day. USDA Forest Service photo by Matt Ball.

 

When asked what is needed the most to bolster and support the Job Corps program, Ball does not hesitate. “We’ve got to have the staff that has the heart and want to see the change. You have to love this job to do it because the money isn’t there,” he stated. “It’s hard to get the staff here with the amount they are paid. You can really see it here at Fort Simcoe with all job vacancies. There is nothing that anyone can do to really fix this program until they fix the wages.” Despite his own and his family’s sacrifices, Ball has no regrets about his decision accepting the job. “I would not take anything back. This is my life and it was meant to be.”

 

(l-r) Fort Simcoe Job Corps Assistant Fire Management Officer Matthew Ball and Columbia Basin Job Corps Administrative Support Assistant Lindsey Lopez take advantage of a photo opportunity on April 13, 2023. USDA Forest Service photo by James Harbour.

August 25, 2023 marks the National Park Service’s 107th birthday

By: Halle Lynn

Join us in wishing our partners at the National Park Service a happy birthday on August 25, 2023.

The National Park Service‘s mission is to extend “the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and around the world.” These goals set forth by the National Park Service (NPS) are often carried out through their partnerships with Conservation Corps. As NPS approaches its 107th birthday this August 25th, let’s celebrate how national parks have worked with Corps to improve public lands, the environment, and the lives of Corpsmembers and visitors alike.

 

Northwest Youth Crew’s ASL Inclusion Crew at Mt. Rainier National Park

 

The Corps Network, and many individual Conservation Corps, share a similar mission to NPS with an additional emphasis on the lives and development of young people. Based in different parts of the country, these programs have individual goals with Corps-specific projects. However, whether the projects are basic HVAC maintenance or the evaluation of wildlife habitats, the mission of NPS is a foundational element in the goals and values of each program. Conservation Corps help carry out their missions by providing career and workforce-based skills and education while fostering a community that teaches, appreciates, and gives back to the environment and our public lands. In doing so, they are fostering the next generation of service and conservation leaders and providing safe and accessible public lands.

 

Latino Heritage Internship Program at Grand Canyon National Park

 

This August, NPS is remembering why they were created. For over a hundred years, the National Park Service has set out to “preserve unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.” The work of Conservation Corps and the young people who are a part of them, help to move this initiative forward with every project. 

 

Larimer County Conservation Corps at Rocky Mountain National Park

 

Help celebrate with the National Park Service this August by visiting a national park, participating in their #YourParkStory feature, or engaging in their other social media birthday campaigns. Visit the NPS website for more details.