A Visit with Virginia Service and Conservation Corps

On Wednesday, March 30th, staff from The Corps Network travelled to Mason Neck State Park in Lorton, VA to visit Corpsmembers with the Virginia Service and Conservation Corps. In preparation for the busy summer season, the crew was rebuilding a section of boardwalk over a marshy area along the Potomac River. A quiet park located on a peninsula, Mason Neck is known for its significant population of nesting bald eagles.

We met with Jamie, Alyssa and George: three AmeriCorps members from a four-person crew. Jamie, who is originally from Wisconsin, previously served with Utah Conservation Corps. Alyssa came to Virginia after learning about AmeriCorps through a post-college internship with Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper in upstate New York. George, who is originally from California, joined the Corps as a break from a tiring schedule that involved attending college full-time, volunteering as an EMT and working at a Mexican bakery.

Primarily based out of Leesylvania State Park in Woodbridge, VA, the crew has served at a number of locations throughout northeast Virginia. Occasionally they meet with Corpsmembers based out of other parts of the state for large-scale prescribed burns or tree planting projects. While Alyssa is new to the Corps, both Jamie and George have wild land firefighter certifications and are working on getting certified in pesticide application. Jamie and George also recently took part in a nighttime search-and-rescue training.

Now that the weather is getting nicer, the crew serves about 45 hours a week. Most of their projects involve routine park maintenance. Usually a ranger or maintenance employee helps them get started on a project and then lets them take the lead.

The crew will serve together until August, marking the end of George and Jamie’s 1,700-hour term and Alyssa’s 300-hour term. Following the completion of her service, Jamie plans to use her AmeriCorps Education Award to get certified as a Wilderness First Responder. She misses the backcountry of Utah and hopes to move out West to find a job where she can utilize her college degree in biology and ecology. When George finishes his term, he plans to join AmeriCorps NCCC through their Sacramento campus and use his Education Award to complete college. Alyssa, who just started her term of service, isn’t sure what she wants to do at the end of the summer. For now she’s happy to be learning new skills and working outdoors.


Alyssa working on the boardwalk.

Waders in the Water Aquatic Restoration Training Interactive Support — Now Easier and More Powerful

From our partners at Trout Headwaters, Inc. comes news about enhancements to the Waders in the Water aquatic restoration training they offer to Corpsmembers.

The Waders in the Water online support tool has been newly upgraded to improve system features and ease-of-use. EcoBlu Analyst 2.0, the cloud-based big data system for the Waders in the Water green jobs training and certification program, is now easier to use than ever. The intuitive, interactive maps of member Corps, conservation projects, and potential restoration industry employers are now faster and more user-friendly, and new resources include feeds for conservation jobs and internships.  

Every Waders in the Water student receives password access to the platform so they can explore opportunities in the growing restoration economy and access a wealth of support material to refresh or expand their knowledge, including stream, river, wetland, coastal, and estuary restoration drawings and specifications, resume templates, environmental glossary and more.  WisCorps’ Garrett Shears took the online class and told us “The web based resource is an incredibly valuable tool.” 

This sample interactive map shows various U.S. Conservation Corps which are Waders in the Water certified.

Presently Corpsmembers and leaders in 23 states are applying their new certification and are using EcoBlu Analyst 2.0 to both understand the restoration economy, and to partner with fellow Corps on projects.

White Mountain Youth Corps Founder Mike Gaffney: “I think the training/certification gives our partners and potential partners more confidence that we’re serious about restoration work and that we can be a trusted source for their restoration implementation plans.”

Wyoming Conservation Corps Assistant Director Patrick Harrington echoed the values. “Trout Headwaters has developed a truly unique training for the Conservation Corps world,” he said. This platform is just one of the support tools already deployed for the Waders in the Water Level I training.  

Expect an announcement soon on release of the new Waders in the Water level II training. In the meantime, many corps told us early April was a great time to train and certify newly arriving Corpsmembers in aquatic restoration and the green jobs economy.

To participate in the next online webinar training:

Members of The Corps Network can Register Here for the April 6 & 7, (10 am –1 pm EDT) Waders in the Water Level I class.  

The private-public training program continues to offer on-site sessions for groups of 20-40 students to accommodate individual corps needs. Please contact Luke Frazza for more information.

Contacts:

Marie Walker, Vice President, The Corps Network
(202) 737-6272
[email protected]

Luke Frazza, Project Development, Trout Headwaters, Inc.
(703) 244-7460
[email protected]

The Corps Network in Hollywood: The Serve A Year Campaign Launch Event

On Monday – March 23, 2015 – The Corps Network participated in the launch event of ServiceNation’s Serve A Year campaign at the Jimmy Kimmel Live! studio in Los Angeles, CA.

Background Info:

Announced in the fall of 2014 at the annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative, Serve A Year is a campaign to unite national service organizations with some of the most influential voices in entertainment, business and technology in an effort to inspire young Americans to serve their country. The goal is that people will one day ask each other “where did you serve?” – similar to how we now ask each other “where did you go to college?”

To make national service a more prominent part of the American way of life, Serve A Year is focused on integrating national service into popular culture with the help of script writers, television and movie producers, celebrities, viral video stars and influential businesses. The campaign has already experienced success; AmeriCorps has been mentioned or written into the plotlines of popular TV shows including Parks & Recreation, True Detective, Melissa & Joey, and The Middle.  

Serve A Year is supported by innovative companies, including Airbnb, Tumblr, Comcast and NBCUniversal, as well as 18 of the country’s leading national service organizations. Along with YouthBuild USA, The Corps Network represents the Opportunity Youth pillar of the campaign, championing the idea that participating in national service can be a transformative experience for disconnected young people. 

The Launch Event:
 

Hosted at the Jimmy Kimmel Live! studio in Los Angeles, CA, the launch of the Serve A Year campaign included appearances by Jimmy Kimmel and Chelsea Clinton;  audience members included over 200 Hollywood executives, writers and producers, and senior corporate executives. The Corps Network was represented at the event by Marie Walker, Vice President of The Corps Network; Bruce Saito, Executive Director Emeritus of Los Angeles Conservation Corps (LACC) and a member of TCN’s Board of Directors; and several current and former LACC Corpsmembers. Kendrick Collins, an alumni of LACC, was one of three Corpsmembers to speak during the event about his national service experience.

After the launch event, Marie Walker and Kendrick Collins visited the studio’s green room to watch the filming of that evening’s episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! During the taping, Jimmy Kimmel interviewed Chelsea Clinton about Serve A Year and the duo released a PSA about the campaign. 

Mary Ellen’s Blog: Play, Learn, Serve and Work – What Corps Do Best


Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Miami’s Mayor Tomas Pedro Regalado with Greater Miami Service Corps. Miami is one of 50 cities where The Corps Network, YMCA, National League of Cities and the Department of the Interior are partnering to get more youth outdoors.

For over a hundred years, the YMCA has provided communities with the resources and facilities to help people of all ages lead healthier, more active lifestyles. Through classes, camps, organized sports and programs offering everything from youth counseling to healthy cooking tips, the Y helps individuals and families find fun ways to exercise their bodies, minds and spirits. The Y is more than a gym; it’s a community hub.

With such a strong history of engaging people in play and activity, it only makes sense that YMCA would be involved in promoting Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell’s initiative to bridge the divide between America’s youth and the great outdoors. Since last spring, the Y and the National League of Cities (NLC) have been working in partnership to advance the Secretary’s goal to get more youth playing in parks and participating in outdoor recreation, learning in nature’s classroom, volunteering on public lands, and working to preserve and restore our natural resources. American Express committed $5 million to this project just last week.  Now, with additional support from the Department of Interior, The Corps Network will join YMCA and NLC by integrating the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps (21CSC) into their efforts. 

The Corps Network has been actively involved in the DOI’s youth initiative ever since Secretary Jewell announced it in the fall of 2013. Service and Conservation Corps are essential to meeting the initiative’s Service and Work goals to bring the 21CSC to scale and develop the next generation of conservation stewards and land managers by engaging 100,000 youth and veterans in projects that protect, restore and enhance America’s natural and cultural resources. Now, through this partnership with DOI, YMCA and NLC, The Corps Network will be more directly involved in meeting the youth initiative’s Play and Learn goals.

Over the next three years, member organizations of The Corps Network will place individual Corpsmembers at YMCA branches in 50 cities across the country. These Corpsmembers will assist the Y’s Community Coordinators, building off YMCA and NLC relationships with community organizations and local leadership to develop opportunities for people to get outdoors and participate in environmental service projects. The goal is for each Community Coordinator to engage 10,000 to 20,000 volunteers in each of the 50 selected cities. Some of these service projects will undoubtedly be with Corps.

I am excited about this new partnership and believe it will prove to be an effective way to introduce a new audience to Corps, outdoor recreation and the importance of conservation. It will allow Corps to shine for what they do best: engaging people in service that improves communities and the environment. This initiative will result in more youth playing in parks and learning about nature through outdoor exploration; more volunteers protecting and enhancing their local natural spaces; and more people engaging with their local Corps.

The Corps Network and its member Corps have been helping people develop strong, lasting connections to nature for many years. Now, with the creation of the Community Coordinator position and a role for Corpsmembers in assisting these Coordinators, Corps will be able to expand their important role in helping people play, learn, serve and work outdoors. 

The Corps Network Great Outdoors Day of Service in the Nation’s Capital


 

The Corps Network’s 2nd Annual Great Outdoors Day of Service 

Thank you to everyone who participated in The Corps Network’s Great Outdoors Day of Service in the Nation’s Capital! It was a huge success! 
 

Day of Service in the Nation’s Capital Facts

What: On Friday, June 19th, in recognition of Great Outdoors Month (June), The Corps Network hosted the 2nd annual Great Outdoors Day of Service in the Nation’s Capital. The event brought together Corps from across the country, as well as friends and supporters of The Corps Network, to participate in conservation and maintenance projects at several National Park Service sites throughout Washington, DC. The Day of Service was designed to raise awareness about the importance of environmental conservation and the role service can play in protecting America’s natural spaces. We had fun conserving our parks while simultaneously demonstrating to decision-makers in Washington the value of Corps and volunteering to the environmental conservation movement. We hope you can join us next year!

– Download the fact sheet from the 2015 Day of Service

Confirmed Speakers at the 2015 Day of Service kick-off:

  • U.S. National Park Service Director John Jarvis
  • Bill Basl, Director of AmeriCorps
  • U.S. Forest Service National Recreation Director Joe Meade
  • Tina Terrell, Director of Job Corps for the U.S. Forest Service
  • Gracie Billingsley, 2015 Corpsmember of the Year 
  • Philan Tree, National Council of Young Leaders
  • Lajuan Tucker, City of Austin Park Ranger & Texas Conservation Corps alum 

Service Project locations – 2015:

  • National Mall – Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
  • Rock Creek Park
  • Daingerfield Island
  • Teddy Roosevelt Island

Thank You to the 2015 Great Outdoors Day of Service Sponsors & Partners


 

 

Established in 1917, Guest Services is a private, U.S.-based company originally founded to provide dining services to government agencies in Washington, D.C.

For nearly a century, we have systematically built an outstanding hospitality company based on a firm foundation of great people working with great clients to serve great customers. Learn more.

 

 

 

 

 

Though the company has grown, its mission to help visitors “See the Best First” has stayed the same. Along with a commitment to quality, Old Town Trolley combines history, fun facts, colorful anecdotes, and outstanding service to provide their guests with a memorable vacation experience. Learn more.  

 
A global leader in hospitality management & food service management, Delaware North Companies presents top destinations to half a billion guests each year. With locations on four continents, serving half-a-billion guests a year, it’s not easy to come up with a simple phrase that captures all we do. Yes, we’re world leaders in culinary and hospitality. We’re specialists in serving up what fans crave, and at making travelers and visitors feel right at home. But here’s how we’d like you to really think of us. We’re a team 60,000 strong. Our role is to work behind the scenes to create world-class experiences. And our spirit, our passion, is to go beyond your expectations. Learn more.

 

 

 

CBRE is the global leader in real estate services and investment.

Every day, in markets around the globe, we apply our insight, experience and resources to help clients make informed real estate decisions. Every year, we complete thousands of successful assignments across a wide range of markets and real estate service lines. Learn more.

Located in a quiet park-like setting, Hyatt Fairfax at Fair Lakes features healthy options for our travelers including on-site jogging trails, indoor lap pool and Precor aerobic equipment in our fitness center. Within walking distance of premium shopping, eateries and salons, we also provide a complimentary three mile area shuttle.  As a hotel near Washington DC, we also offer a free shuttle to and from the Vienna Metro Station. Learn more.

 

 

 

 

 

Founders, Brian Stowers and Ben Kieffner, developed Flow397 in response to a shared conviction to develop a socially responsible “for-profit” business with philanthropic origins. So we pondered, “Why not develop a business that tries to be both the best in the world and the best for the world”? We are committed to donating $3.97 for each item sold to charities that support our National Parks. Our iconic heritage and landscape deserve sustained preservation and support. Learn more.

A truly American idea, the State and National Parks of this country represent our naturalheritage. North and south, east and west, they stretch from the edges of our maps to the hearts of our cities, covering nearly one-third of this nation. This June, celebrate the natural wonder and outdoor spirit of America by getting outside during Great Outdoors Month™. Once you come outside, you’ll never want to go back inside. June is a special time to celebrate America’s Great Outdoors.  What started as Great Outdoors Week under President Clinton in 1998 has grown significantly under both the Bush and Obama administrations into a month-long celebration of the outdoors and all the benefits it brings – including annual economic impact of $650 billion nationwide. Learn more.

The American Recreation Coalition (ARC) is a Washington-based nonprofit organization formed in 1979. Since its inception, ARC has sought to catalyze public/private partnerships to enhance and protect outdoor recreational opportunities and the resources upon which such experiences are based. ARC organizes and conducts national conferences and meetings and disseminates information regarding recreational needs and initiatives through a variety of means, including a monthly newsletter and its website www.funoutdoors.com. ARC also monitors legislative and regulatory proposals that influence recreation and works with government agencies and the U.S. Congress to study public-policy issues that will shape future recreational opportunities. Learn more.

 

Materials from The Corps Network’s 2014 Great Outdoors Day of Service

 

Utah Conservation Corps to Launch Nation’s First Fossil-Free Bike Crew

From Utah Conservation Corps
For Immediate Release
February 25, 2015

The Utah Conservation Corps (UCC) has secured a $20,000 grant from Utah State Park’s Recreational Trails Program to launch the nation’s first fossil-free bike crew. This four-person AmeriCorps crew will be based out of UCC’s Salt Lake City field office and will use cargo bicycles to transport themselves, tools, food, and camping gear to two Utah State Park sites for seven weeks during the summer. The crew will cycle from Salt Lake City to both East Canyon State Park (33 miles away) and Deer Creek Canyon (56 miles away) for six-day work hitches before returning back to Salt Lake City. During their 7 weeks, the crew will complete two miles of trail construction and five miles trail maintenance at the two state parks.

“This crew advances the UCC and the conservation corps movement into a more sustainable future” said director Sean Damitz. “UCC staff has been dedicated to launching this crew to address issues of carbon footprint and air quality while sending a message that conservation work can be completed solely by human-powered transportation. “

A kickoff event for the crew is being planned for downtown Salt Lake City at noon on Wednesday June 3, 2015. The UCC is currently recruiting applicants to be part of this bike crew. The UCC is also approaching businesses for additional funding and in-kind donations for the crew.

In 2014, 165 UCC AmeriCorps members created or maintained 177 miles of trail, constructed or repaired 8.5 miles of fence, restored 14,996 acres of public land and recruited 4,214 volunteers serving 9,582 hours on projects throughout Utah.

More information on UCC can be found at https://www.usu.edu/ucc

About the Division of Student Services at USU

Led by Vice President James Morales, the Division of Student Services at Utah State University is committed to student success and organized into 15 unique departments, each with a variety of dedicated programs and services that foster engagement, leadership, wellness and access and diversity for all students.

Contact:

Sean Damitz, Center for Civic Engagement and Service-Learning

(cell) 435-770-6104
[email protected]

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Workshop Presentations from The Corps Network 2015 National Conference

Here are some of the PowerPoint presentations from Workshops at The Corps Network 2015 National Conference. If you’d like more information about a particular presentation, or if you don’t see the presentation you’re looking for, please contact Hannah Traverse. 

Click here for a description and full list of presenters for each Workshop. 

 

Workshop Group A – Monday 2/9

  • Walk the Talk: Providing Strengths Based and Holistic Support

Creating Access to Opportunities for Youth in Transition from Foster Care
American Youth Policy Forum (AYPF)

  • Workforce Development: Innovation, the Opportunity Act, & Employer Driven Job Training

WIOA Game Plan for Low-Income People
CLASP

Workshop Group B – Monday 2/9

  • Large Scale Project Coordination = Partners, Timing, Teamwork

Collaborative Conservation in the Colorado River Basin

Southwest Conservation Corps

Gulf Coast Restoration Initiative
The Corps Network – John Hosey

HOPE Crew
The Corps Network – Marie Walker

Sandy Recovery Large-Scale Conservation Initiative
SCA – The Student Conservation Association

  • Greening Infrastructure: Corps Developments and Partnerships

EPA’s Green Infrastructure Program
EPA – Environmental Protection Agency

OEC Youth Lead the Way: Green Infrastructure in Syracuse, NY
Onondaga Earth Corps

  • Creating a Culture of Inclusion for Corpsmembers with Disabilities 

AmeriCorps and Inclusion
CNCS – Corporation for National & Community Service

Disability Inclusion Training
JAN – Job Accommodation Network

Workshop Group C – Tuesday 2/10

City/County Agencies, Foundations and Corps: Strange Bedfellows

Partnerships
Youth Conservation Corps

  • STEM: Inside and Outside of the Classroom & How They Can Meet

STEM is Foundational
U.S. Department of Education

  • Ladders of Opportunity in Transportation: New Models for Projects and Training

Transportation Presentation by Susan Murphy, Executive Director of Community Training Works, Inc.
Community Training Works, Inc./Young American Conservation Corps

Workshop Group D – Tuesday 2/10

  • Energy Story – To Residential and Beyond

CCC Energy Corps
California Conservation Corps

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

U.S. Department of Energy

Prsentation by Lisbeth Sheperd, Executive Director of Green City Force
Green City Force

  • Accreditation 101

Accreditation 101
Allen Dietz – The Corps Network

  • When Disasters Strike, Corps Respond

Presentation by CNCS
Corporation for National & Community Service

Non-Mission Assignment Disaster Response Overview
Washington Conservation Corps

 

 

 

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2015 Corpsmember of the Year Harris Cox featured in San Francisco Chronicle article

Living in the Present Trumps Man’s Bad Past

San Francisco Chronicle – Chip Johnson
February 16, 2015
 

Determined to keep a promise to his dying grandmother, Harris Cox came to Oakland’s Civicorps program at age 21, in search of a high school diploma.

Since then, he’s accomplished that and much more.

This month, Cox, 24, was one of five people honored as a Corpsmember of the Year by the National Corps Network, an organization with programs like Civicorps in more than 100 U.S. cities and more than 25,000 participants. He accepted the award and spoke at a ceremony held in Washington, D.C.

The organization offers job training, education, guidance and fellowship to young people, ages 18 to 26, whose lives have been derailed by bad choices, a lack of options or sheer circumstance. And it’s clear from Cox’s life story that he never really had a chance until he joined the organization.

When he was 6, an older brother who suffered from mental problems doused the boy’s shirt with rubbing alcohol and set him on fire. Cox was badly burned and spent the next six years in and out of medically induced comas while receiving skin grafts from his neck to his legs.

He awoke angry, scarred and alone from what he described as an endless walk in search of his own body. The day after he awoke, his grandmother, his rock, slipped into a coma and died.

Growing up in Merced, Cox started dealing drugs and running the streets. He was angry at the world, ashamed of his scars and plagued by nightmares from the childhood assault. He pondered suicide on more than one occasion.

“I wanted to die so bad that I picked on anyone who I believed was willing to take my life,” Cox said in an interview.

By the time he was 16, Cox had been shot in the face and a violent assault had earned him a three-year stint in a juvenile detention facility. His behavior soon led authorities to move Cox to an adult prison, he said.

When he was released at age 18, he followed his high school sweetheart to Oakland, where he resumed life as a drug dealer and became a father.

He started at Civicorps the same way all members begin: hard work, non-negotiable work hours and mandatory classroom instruction.

Clearing encampment

Cox was initially suspicious and distrustful, but tasked with work duties and armed with resources and camaraderie, he began to respond.

He began to thrive in and out of the classroom. Alongside fellow corps members, Cox built firebreaks and rock dams, and cut down trees for $1,200 a month. Then one day he came face to face with his own past when his crew was called on to clear out a homeless encampment.

“I felt guilty ’cause I know what it’s like to sleep on a bus bench or in a shelter, not knowing where your next meal is coming from,” he said. “I felt like we should be helping them.”

So while his colleagues cleared the camp, Cox went to a nearby grocery store and bought sandwiches for everyone.

Through Civicorps, Cox also found a way to quell the demons that dredge up the long-ago assault, plaguing his sleep and leaving him drenched in sweat.

About a year ago, Cox was introduced to the practice of mindfulness, a mental exercise that teaches people to focus on the present.

“Mindfulness creates space between your emotions and what you do,” said Laurie Grossman, an instructor who mentors Cox. “It’s awareness of the present moment without judgment.”

He took mindfulness courses at Kaiser Permanente and interned with Grossman, who teaches at Inner Explorer, an Oakland program.

In May, Cox started teaching mindfulness to kids at Reach Academy, an Oakland public school. This week, he starts a new gig teaching mindfulness to middle-school children in San Lorenzo.

Hoping to become pilot

“These kids are going through some of the same things,” Cox said. “You have to learn to live day to day, regardless of the household or the mom and dad you have to weather.”

When he’s not teaching or working, Cox is studying at Merritt College and hopes to learn to pilot an airplane.

It’s a fitting goal for a young man whose personal life has taken off.

Click here to visit original article.