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Urban Corps of San Diego Hired to Clean City Sidewalks

Story and picture taken from the Carlsbad Patch

Under a new contract with Urban Corps of San Diego County, city sidewalks and other surfaces will be cleaned more frequently while providing much needed job experience to young adults.

The city previously contracted with a private company to do this work.  Under that contract, the Village area and seawall were cleaned twice a year.  For the same cost, Urban Corps crews will perform work throughout the city three times a week, year round. 

“We’ve been employing Urban Corps for 10 years for other projects, and they deliver highly dependable, professional service for a reasonable price,” Dobbs said. “It also helps Urban Corps members develop job skills and gain experience.”

Urban Corps is a locally based nonprofit conservation corps that provides a high school education and job training to young adults between the ages of 18 and 25. Since 1989 Urban Corps has given more than 10,000 youths who did not succeed in traditional school settings a second chance to develop new skills and earn an education.

Beginning on Oct. 4, Urban Corps will provide a pressure-washing crew that will scrub sidewalks as directed by the City of Carlsbad Transportation Department street maintenance team.

“Urban Corps will be sending a team with a truck three days a week,” said Clayton Dobbs, a utilities supervisor for the City of Carlsbad. “We’ll focus their efforts downtown and on the seawall, because we get so much foot traffic there, but they’ll be working throughout Carlsbad, wherever we need them.”

The cleaning crews will wear uniforms so they’ll be clearly identified. They will start work in the downtown Carlsbad Village at 6 a.m. and be finished by 9:30 a.m., so they’ll be gone when most businesses open for the day.

Dobbs noted that it’s not just debris and gum that needs a pressure-wash. He said that some parts of the city, especially La Costa, experience algae buildup where groundwater rises to the surface and forms pools on streets and sidewalks.

Pressure-washing sidewalks isn’t the first task that Urban Corps has performed for the City of Carlsbad. The city employs the group to clean litter daily and remove large bulky items that are dumped on the sides of roads. Urban Corps also clears debris from storm water outlets so they flow smoothly, and cleans graffiti from city walls and surfaces.

The contract for the work is not to exceed $68,000 a year, and is renewable every year for five years.

 

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Speak Up, Be Heard: Civicorps Hosts Leadership Summit

On September 24th and 25th, Civicorps in Oakland California hosted its first ever Leadership Summit.

Taken from a Civicorps email update

Civicorps’ hosted a powerful two-day convening of Oakland youth, community activists, and elected officials to discuss community issues, brainstorm solutions, and inspire action.

Youth heard inspiring speeches from Senator Loni Hancock and Junious Williams at Urban Stratgies Council. They also listened to stories from community activists about transforming passion into action and then brainstormed solutions for local issues with Community Health, Safety, Youth Engagement, and Career & Education Opportunities.

The youth teams then presented their ideas to a panel of decision makers, which included:  

“I learned how to be a leader – how to find my voice.” 
– Youth Activist

“I am excited to see young black men talking about community issues.”   
– Supervisor Keith Carson   

Click here to read more about the event 

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Ceremony Held to Name Naval Ship in Honor of Former Corpsmember Killed in Iraq


 

At the naval base in San Diego September 20, a naming ceremony was held for three new guided-missile destroyers, including the USS Rafael Peralta. 

Rafael was a San Diego corpsmember and crewleader in the California Conservation Corps from 1998-99. He later went on to serve in the Marines.

Rafael was killed in Iraq in 2004 while covering his body with a live hand grenade to save his fellow Marines.  He was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross, but a San Diego congressman continues to fight to have him awarded the Medal of Honor. 

Click here to read our original post about Peralta from when the Secretary of the Navy announced the naming in 2012. 

 

 


Diagram of Burke Class Destroyer – Ship model named after Rafael Peralta

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VIDEO: Mile High Youth Corps Helps Reopen Public Land Destroyed by Fire

Click here to watch a video about how Corpsmembers from Mile High Youth Corps helped restore the Blodgett Peak Open Space in Colorado Springs following a devestating wildfire.

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Colorado Youth Corps Respond to Flooding

Taken from the Colorado Youth Corps Association (CYCA) Newsletter – Septemember 27, 2013

“How can we help?” is a frequent question in reaction to the devastating flooding in the state.  Our thoughts are with all of those affected – and we are working hard to send crews to help.  Weld County Youth Conservation Corps is currently providing assistance with debris and trash removal in response to the massive flooding in the county, and has worked closely with Weld Food Bank, donation centers and shelters to ensure that flood victims have adequate water and food resources. Many other Colorado youth corps are poised to respond to flood relief efforts in the coming months. Youth corps have the skills and experience in conducting erosion control, rehabilitating recreation infrastructure and supporting wildlife habitat recovery. Corps are also available to help staff call centers and food and clothing distribution centers, and help victims with other basic needs. To inquire about accessing the services of a youth corps for flood relief and rehabilitation, contact Jennifer Freeman. 


Christina Harney – VISTA member reassigned to flood relief
 

As part of flood relief efforts, the Colorado State Emergency Operation Center (EOC) called on AmeriCorps and VISTA members for help. After surveying the damage near Sand Creek, Christina Harney, a CYCA Good Works for Youth VISTA member with Sand Creek Regional Greenway Partnership, jumped at the chance to offer support. Last week, Christina started a four-week reassignment working with the EOC. She is serving behind the scenes helping nonprofit and government agencies, collaborating with the relief effort, and helping others get connected to the proper resources – such as volunteers, financial assistance and in-kind donations. Christina is also working closely with the Red Cross and Colorado Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster to make certain that displaced residents have a way to access resources such as clothing vouchers and soon-to-be active donation centers. 

LA Conservation Corps After School Program Partners with NASA

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Story and photo from the LA Conservation Corps Newsletter, Volume 3 | Issue 9 – September 27, 2013 

School is back in session for our 4,500 participants in the After School Program (ASP). For the first time this year, ASP is partnering with NASA’s Best STEM program at all 16 elementary and middle schools. The program is part of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s tradition of supporting educators who play a key role in preparing, inspiring, exciting, encouraging, and nurturing the young minds of today who will be the workforce of tomorrow by attracting and retaining students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM disciplines.

ASP students pictured above at John Adams Middle School are working on the “Build a Satellite to Orbit the Moon” design challenge project. Students must design and build a satellite that meets specific size and mass constraints.  It is required to carry a combination of camera, gravity probes and heat sensors to investigate the moon’s surface.  The satellite must also pass a 1-meter Drop Test without any parts falling off. The objective is for students to demonstrate an understanding of the Engineering Design Process while utilizing each stage to successfully complete a team challenge.

For more information about the After School Program, please contact Da’Lana Walker at dwalker@lacorps.org. 

[Video] Civicorps Corpsmember Stars in PBS Documentary, Leaves it Behind as Legacy

An Important Note from Civicorps Executive Director Alan Lessik:  Sharon was due to graduate Civicorps in December with plans to attend college, when Civicorps found out that she died from a heart attack on October 16, 2013. The video is a testament to the perseverance that corpsmembers all over the country feel as they work hard to turn their lives around and to overcome the barriers that they face. Sharon’s final words in the movie talked about her future and how “I really want to make it.”

In the video, Sharon reflected on her past, her gang involvement as well as her family and  discovering Civicorps as the path to a new and different future. It describes her academic and work life at Civicorps and in some footage from in one of the East Bay Regional Parks, she talks about learning new skills and appreciation for the outdoors as part of a crew.

In our community meeting today, we honored Sharon and viewed the film together. All of Civicorps mourns her death  and the greatest honor we can give to Sharon is to bring her words into our hearts and our actions. As one corpsmember said, “She was my age, trying to get to a higher place. So, I’m going to graduate for her. I’m going to go to college for her.”

Twenty-one year old Sharon Montano grew up in east Oakland, California in a neighborhood known as the “Dirty Thirties.” She did fine in grammar school but when she hit middle school she began drinking, smoking, and popping pills with friends whom she’d later lose. In her East Oakland neighborhood, violence was part of her daily life.

Going back to school turned out to be more difficult than she thought. Over the years, she started and dropped out of several remedial programs; then later became ineligible for others because of her age.

When she discovers Oakland’s Civicorps, where she meets other young people who have gone through similar rough situations, she finally gets another shot at a high school diploma — and a future. Sharon has gone from being a bad influence to a role model, and really wants to make it.

Directed by Raymond Telles

More Information on the ITVS website

Join the Crew – A Book by The Corps Network


 

Join the Crew: Inspirational Stories of Young Adults in America’s Service and Conservation Corps, is a new book written by The Corps Network’s Hannah Traverse, Levi Novey, and Mary Ellen Ardouny. Join the Crew features the Corpsmember success stories of over 60 young men and women who served in Corps programs throughout the country. Follow the links below to learn more about the book. 

Buy your Copy of Join the Crew on Amazon.com

Click here

 

Video Book Trailer

 


 

 

Article on Huffington Post Books Section

After dropping out of high school his junior year, Luis Gaeta of Fresno, California quickly realized that the working world can be a harsh place for a young person without marketable skills or a diploma. At the age of 19, he was already burnt out from the stress of juggling three part-time jobs. To make matters worse, Luis also had to deal with an unreliable car and insecure housing. With a child on the way, Luis knew he could not maintain such a hectic lifestyle, but he didn’t know where to turn. Read More…

 

Book Press Release

WASHINGTON – Everyone who has ever participated in one of America’s Service and Conservation Corps has a story to tell. Each year, over 27,000 teens and young adults across the country join Corps as a way to gain job skills through participating in service projects that range from collecting recyclables, to tutoring kids, to fighting forest fires. Now, in Join the Crew – a new book by The Corps Network – you can read about over 60 current and former Corpsmembers who experienced adventure and personal growth through their service in Corps programs. Join the Crew is the perfect tool for people who are interested in enrolling in a Corps and want to get a better idea of what service in a Corps program is all about. Read more…

 

Join the Crew Press Packet, Sample Story

Download the PDF

 

 

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California Governor Jerry Brown Visits California Conservation Corps Headquarters

Some of the CCC’s Backcountry Trails staff with Gov. Brown

Governor Jerry Brown, who created the California Conservation Corps during his first term as governor in 1976, dropped by the CCC’s Sacramento headquarters last week.  He chatted with the Backcountry Trails supervisors, who had just completed their 2013 season, as well as CCC staff members.

Earlier in the day, Gov. Brown had signed legislation increasing the state’s minimum wage (to $10 by 2016).  Corpsmembers are now receiving $8/hour, the state’s current minimum wage.

20th Anniversary of AmeriCorps


From the AmeriCorps Facebook page

On September 21, 1993, President Bill Clinton signed the National Service Bill on the South Lawn of the White House, creating AmeriCorps. Twenty years later, AmeriCorps is still going strong and continues to draw record numbers of applications year after year. Last week, people across the country celebrated AmeriCorps’ 20th Anniversary and discussed the impact and future of the program. Here are a few highlights. 

 

Video from MSNBC

 

Video from the 20th Anniversary Celebration at the Mellon Auditorium in Washington, DC

 

Huffington Post op-ed by Wendy Spencer, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service

Is it possible to effectively harness youthful enthusiasm and idealism and turn it into it a renewable resource for good? We think so. Twenty years ago, President Clinton signed a bill that created AmeriCorps and gave our country a new outlet for national service that did just that.

From its modest beginnings, AmeriCorps has grown to annually engage nearly 80,000 Americans who dedicate a year of their lives to serving in communities large, small and everything in between. And this is meaningful service that helps solve some of the most difficult challenges our nation faces…keep reading. 

 

Chigcago Tribune op-ed by Bill and Chelsea Clinton

The idea of community service is as old as America itself. Older really. Benjamin Franklin helped form the first volunteer fire department in Philadelphia in 1736, spawning a movement that continues to this day in communities throughout the country. Alexis de Tocqueville, in the 1830s, contrasted America with his native Europe by saying that the central difference was that in America, people didn’t wait for the state to solve problems. They just got organized and tried to figure out what to do about them. Service is at the core of our national character…keep reading.

 

The Corps Network attends the AmeriCorps 20th Anniversary Celebration at the Mellon Auditorium in Washington, DC


From The Corps Network’s Facebook page

This morning at the big AmeriCorps 20th Anniversary celebration in Washington, D.C., Wendy Spencer, the Corporation for National & Community Service’s CEO, presented Washington Conservation Corps with a Service Impact Award for their disaster services work. The event program notes the Corps’ participation in response to disasters nationwide, including Hurricane Katrina, the Joplin and Missouri tornadoes, wildfires in Eastern Washington, and Hurricane Sandy. In total they have logged over 38,000 hours in response efforts. Wait to go Washington Conservation Corps! Several other Corps got airtime during the celebration, including Civic Worksby Representative John Sarbanes, and Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa was shown for their own disaster relief efforts in a photo.