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Veterans-youth conservation partnership to restore Colorado’s public lands

 

Taken from Pagosun.com – by Jennifer Freeman, Special to the SUN  

The Conservation Lands Foundation and the Colorado Youth Corps Association have announced the launch of their new Veterans-Youth Conservation Corps Partnership at a celebration and kickoff in Denver.

Nearly 100 supporters gathered to launch this new public-private collaboration that unites the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), conservation corps, private industry and veterans groups to provide Colorado veterans and youth with employment and job training opportunities working to restore and maintain Colorado’s public lands.

“When you take Colorado youth corps, tie them in with veterans, mix that with the Bureau of Land Management staff that’s in Colorado, then you begin to get a pretty rich soup,” said Gov. John Hickenlooper, addressing the crowd. “Mix in some private industry funders to provide resources or donations, add the Conservation Lands Foundation. Now it’s seasoned, now it’s got heat and energy.”

Working on Colorado’s public lands, including the McInnis Canyon and Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Areas and Canyons of the Ancients, corps members will work 10-hour days, four days a week on a variety of projects. The veterans and young people will be fixing trails, improving wildlife habitat, restoring wetlands and rivers, and cutting out unhealthy trees or undergrowth that would readily feed forest fires.

“This partnership is about training and employing our veterans and young people; they are our future conservationists, our future resource managers, and having the opportunity to hone their skills in this setting is invaluable,” commented Jennifer Freeman, executive director at the Colorado Youth Corps Association. “We look forward to expanding job opportunities for young people and veterans who want to serve the people and lands of Colorado.”

Colorado BLM is providing some funding for the veterans and youth corps for 2013. The Conservation Lands Foundation is leading an effort to seek additional funding from energy companies that work in Colorado and other private industries in order to expand funding for this partnership.

In addition to Gov. Hickenlooper, two current conservation corps members — former Marine Corey Adamy and Western Colorado Conservation Corps crew leader Eddica Tuttle — also spoke at the event.

Tuttle has worked since 2011 for the Western Colorado Conservation Corps near Grand Junction, earning AmeriCorps Education Awards for higher education and the opportunity to be the first in her immediate family to attend college. Adamy is a Marine Corps veteran and leads a crew of veterans in the Durango-Farmington area in a wildlands firefighting program for the Southwest Conservation Corps.

Adamy talked about how veterans often miss the camaraderie and physical activity they experienced in the military. Many need to transition back into civilian life, want to physically work outdoors and they enjoy the teamwork and structure of a conservation corps.?

“The agencies (such as BLM) love the veterans crews and our work,” Adamy stated. “We’re doing great work on the ground with our wildlands fire program that they couldn’t get done with just the funds they have.”

Charlotte Overby, with the Conservation Lands Foundation, sees the partnership as a great way to invite the private sector to show their support for veterans and young people, be good stewards of some of the state’s most treasured public lands and take pride in what they accomplish.

“This is an ideal partnership with the potential to be robust and productive in job creation and habitat restoration,” Overby stated. “Colorado’s public lands are part of our shared outdoor heritage and so important to our economy, and preserving them for future generations must be a priority. This partnership will create immediate job opportunities and prepare our future natural resource stewards to carry out that mission.”

Harpers Ferry Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center Congratulates Graduates


Photo by Holly Shok of The Journal

Taken from The Journal – written December 8, 2012

SHEPHERDSTOWN – The U.S. Forest Service Harpers Ferry Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center graduated 95 students on Friday.

Students, who were required to have a high school diploma or GED to finish, received a certificate of completion and career technical training certificate from Harpers Ferry Job Corps Center at the ceremony, hosted at Shepherdstown’s National Conservation Training Center.

“This is the beginning of education and training for the rest of your lives,” Center Director Ralph DiBattista said addressing the graduates. “Congratulations on a job well done thus far.”

The graduation address was made by recent retiree of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Dr. Mamie Parker, president of MA Parker and Associates. Parker encouraged graduates to avoid, what she terms, the four cancers of life: criticizing, complaining, negatively competing and comparing. Parker, who was the first African-American to serve as the FWS Regional Director, detailed her story of success, which included various ups and downs.

“You, graduates, are certainly braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think,” she said.

Harris Sherman, undersecretary for Natural Resources and Environment, U.S. Department of Agriculture, also addressed the graduates.

“Let me just say that … you should feel so proud of the achievement you have made here,” he said. “I know that a lot of you have overcome adversity. You have rolled up your sleeves, you’ve worked hard, you’ve put your shoulder to the wheel. You all have faced a variety of challenges that a lot of young people your age have not had to face.”

“I just want to salute you,” Sherman said. “I hope you will savor this moment, you’ll look back on this moment, you will realize how proud you should be of yourself for everything that you have been able to accomplish. Congratulations to you.”

Keith McIntosh, representative of U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, spoke on behalf of the senator. Manchin also addressed the graduates via video clip.

Special awards were presented by Mike Grove of Citizens Conservation Corps of West Virginia. Additional outstanding student awards were presented to Darren McIntyre Jr., Career Technical Training Award; Melody Self, Academic Student of the Year; Brandon Perry, Residential Student of the Year; Terrance Pearman, Counseling Award; and Richard Johnson, Student of the Year.

“My fellow graduates, today is one of the most successful days of our lives, because we achieved our goal,” Johnson announced to the class of 2012. “Every four years, America needs a new president who can lead our country in the right direction – that president could be you. You have taken the right step at Job Corps. Don’t stop now.”

The Harpers Ferry Job Corps Center was initiated as part of President Lyndon Johnson’s war on poverty.

 

 

TCN Staff Attend Annie E. Casey Foundation Event on Youth Employment Crisis


On Monday morning, several members of The Corps Network staff attended an event hosted by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Patrick McCarthy, President of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and an expert panel discussed many of the challenges that young people face in a time of scarce jobs, and the enormous value that programs that help youth can serve. Jamiel Alexander, a member of the National Council of Young Leaders and a representative of YouthBuild USA, introduced a short video.

Our partners at Spark Action have produced an excellent write-up about the event that we recommend. It includes a link to watch a recording of the event in its entirety.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation also released a new report in conjunction with the event titled Youth and Work: Restoring Teen and Young Adult Connections to Opportunity. 

Click here to download and read the full report

White House Releases 2012 America’s Great Outdoors Progress Report

Earlier this month the White House released their latest progress report about the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative. Corps and the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps Initiative received several mentions throughout the report and in quotes from top officials.

But this was the crucial one: “USDA and DOI investments in Youth Conservation Corps programs increased participation by 20 percent this year above 2011 levels.” Bravo!

Click here to download and read the full report 

Orange County Conservation Corps Helps Staff Veterans Day Event and Meet Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez

Corps Members (middle row, left to right) Andrew Aguirre, Michael Ramirez, Jordan Ramirez, (front row) Marlene Villegas Gonzalez, Julian Gonzalez and (not pictured) Myriah Vasquez met Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez (front row, center) and many supportive veterans.

From Orange County Conservation Corps

Veterans continue to be an inspiration at home. Six of our Corps Members volunteered at the Veterans Day Flag Raising Ceremony and Job Fair in Santa Ana on November 8 and were honored to meet many service men and women, as well as Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez and Mayor Miguel Pulido of Santa Ana.

Our Corps Members helped set up for the event, control traffic and clean up afterwards, which kept them pretty busy throughout the day. Still, they had time to explore the booths and meet employers, exposing them to possibilities they might not have otherwise known about. They got a much better idea of what options there are specifically for veterans.

As far as their experience with the veterans attending the event: “They were amazed that there were so many people giving them support,” said Program Specialist Ralph Jimenez. As Corps Members thanked veterans for their service, the veterans encouraged the Corps Members to continue their education and be loyal to themselves and their country. By the end of the day, veterans sought out Corps Members to see if they had any more questions.

150 Corpsmembers Join in California Conservation Corps Flood Exercise

Photo Credit: Conner Jay/Daily Republic

Members of the California Conservation Corps, including one crew from each center throughout the state, participated in a large-scale flood readiness exercise in the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta this week.  The Delta levees have experienced flooding and levee breaks many times over the years, so the Twitchell Island exercise provided corpsmembers with a realistic site for sharpening their skills.

The exercise included proper methods for filling and passing sandbags, construction of sandbag walls, protection of levees from wave-wash erosion and “boils,” or seepage through the levee.

Every CCC crew is trained in floodfighting techniques by mid-December, and can be dispatched where needed during to assist state agencies and local communities during winter storms and floods.

Read more about the exercise and see additional photos at the Fairfield Daily Republic website.

Providing Relief – What Corps Have Done to Assist in Hurricane Sandy Recovery Efforts

 

Washington Conservation Corps members remove damaged household items from a flooded home

Hurricane Sandy took lives, destroyed homes and businesses, and left millions of people without power. As the storm bore down on the Northeast coast during the last days of October, Corps across the country were already mobilizing to help with the relief effort. Corpsmembers have played a significant role in helping communities in New York, New Jersey and 5 other states recover and rebuild.

Some Corps worked through the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) and FEMA, while others organized independent of the federal response. Some Corps worked in shelters, while others cleared debris. Some Corps travelled thousands of miles to assist in the relief efforts, while other Corps worked in their own backyards.

Find out which Corps have been involved in Sandy recovery, read about what they’ve done to help, and see pictures from the field:

Corps Involved in recovery efforts 

Conservation Corps Minnesota and Iowa Corpsmembers “mucking out” a home damaged by flood water

What are some of the things Corps have done?

  • Operated emergency shelters throughout New York City: managed volunteers, monitored and assisted residents, cared for children and pets, maintained the facilities
  • Cleared debris
  • Cut down damaged trees and limbs
  • “Mucking out” – removing water and water damaged items and building materials from homes and businesses affected by flooding
  • Solicited donations of food and emergency supplies from individuals and businesses not hit as hard by the storm
  • Operated distribution centers and packaged emergency supplies for Sandy victims in need of food, water, blankets, clothing, toiletries, and other necessities
  • Canvassed neighborhoods to find people in need and spread information about repair work
  • Restored parks damaged by high winds 

NYRP clearing a downed tree in New York City 

AmeriCorps NCCC/FEMA Corps members assisting with water distribution in Far Rockaway, NY.
 

Get more pictures and more information on the recovery efforts and Corpsmember experiences

Student Conservation Association (SCA) Corpsmember in New Jersey

Southwest Conservation Corps members working with FDNY

Utah Conservation Corps members surrounded by the devastation of Hurricane Sandy 

Green City Force Corpsmembers and staff serving food 

Montana Conservation Corps members organize supplies at a distribution center

New Jersey Youth Corps clearing a downed tree

 

 

 

 

 

 

“I went through what they went through and I became someone different” – a former Corpsmember helps young offenders get back on their feet

Where are they now? – Catching up with 2011 Corpsmember of the Year,
Andrew McKee 


Andrew and his crew of NYC Justice Corps members take a break from their work on a community center to pose for a picture

Andrew McKee, formerly a Corpsmember with Phipps CDC/NYC Justice Corps, won Corpsmember of the Year in 2011 for his commitment to service and self-improvement. Read below to find out what he’s been up to since accepting his award, or find out more about Andrew and his Corps experience by reading his bio from our 2011 National Conference.

Giving back to the community is very important to Andrew McKee. He is especially dedicated to helping youth with criminal backgrounds make positive changes in their lives. Andrew has firsthand experience with just how challenging life can be for a young man with a record.

Andrew was convicted of a felony and served time at Riker’s Island; New York City’s main jail complex. When he was released from jail on probation, Andrew worried that the stigma of a conviction would keep him from finding gainful employment. He was still in his early 20s and had his whole life ahead of him, but his self-esteem was damaged by the thought that his employability might always be in question. Things turned around for Andrew when his probation officer referred him to NYC Justice Corps – a job corps that helps youth previously involved in the justice system build important life skills and gain work experience through addressing community needs.

Andrew served in the Corps for six months, from January 2010 – June 2010. Looking back on the experience he says what stands out in his memory was his participation in renovating the basement of Labor Bathgate Daycare Center in the Bronx. With decaying, water-stained walls and broken ceiling tiles, the basement was unsafe for the children. Andrew and his fellow crewmembers completed all the necessary repairs and beautified the basement with paint and child-appropriate decorations.

 “It was satisfying to just interact with my fellow cohort members and actually gain some work experience. I’d had jobs before, but nothing like that. Just the whole experience of working together with my peers and doing something positive – that stands out to me,” said Andrew. “Every chance I get or when I go past there I like to check up on the work I did. It’s been almost three years and I still take pride in it.”

While with the Corps, Andrew was placed in a prestigious internship with the New York City Department of Probation. He spent three months serving as an assistant to the Commissioner’s Office, visiting courts in all five of New York City’s boroughs to collect data from juvenile probationers. The information Andrew gathered, as well as his personal insights into the justice system, guided decisions made by Andrew’s superiors about what kinds of reforms were needed in the juvenile probation system.

After graduating from the Justice Corps, Andrew got a job handling internships and doing clerical work for New York City’s Department of Youth and Community Development. However, after two years in this position, Andrew realized that the place where he really wanted to work was the Justice Corps.

“I felt like I could use my experience there,” said Andrew. “Having been a Corpsmember and actually coming from the same place that these guys, these new Corpsmembers, are coming from…I wanted to just give my own testimony and feedback and show them that they can do something with their lives. I’ve been there and I sat in the exact same seats that they sit in. I went through what they went through and I became someone different.”

Andrew took a job with the Corps as a Site Supervisor. Every day he leads a group of about 8 to 12 youth, ages 18 – 24, in a community benefit project similar to the daycare renovation project he helped complete when he was a Corpsmember. Most of the skills Andrew teaches his crews are skills he learned with the Corps over two years ago.

“My job entails supervising our participants on a worksite. I do their time sheets [and] I teach them how to do carpentry…I’m just teaching them basic skills like how to do plastering or floor tiling – it depends on what the job is. These guys are beginners and I’m just helping them get their work experience.”

In addition to working with the Corps, Andrew is enrolled at Borough of Manhattan Community College. He says he has taken a wide array of classes with plans to receive an associate’s degree by the end of 2013. He hopes to then get his bachelor’s degree.

When he’s not at work or school, Andrew likes to indulge in his favorite hobby: photography.

“Yes. I definitely still do photography. I try to make it a part of my free time any chance I get,” said Andrew. “I take pictures of pretty much everything. Anything I see that interests me I’ll take a photo of it. I also have a strong interest in studio photography.”

Andrew hopes to soon turn his hobby into a profession. He wants to open his own photography studio and do freelance work on the side. While his money would come from putting together packages and taking pictures in his studio, Andrew would also love to send photos to publications or use his camera to document red carpet events.

Completing his degrees and starting a photography business are Andrew’s two main goals, but right now he is happy to help young offenders get back on their feet. To youth thinking about joining a Corps, particularly a civic justice corps, Andrew says:

“If you really want to change then you should take the program seriously. There’s not a lot of opportunities out there that provide these resources and services. A program like this that offers work experience and internships – there are just a whole lot of doors that can be opened for you, especially when you’re young and you’re in this population, 18 – 24-year-olds. You have to take advantage of this opportunity and take it seriously.”

 

The Story of how a Former AmeriCorps Member Became a Pink Bunny

Where are they now? – Catching up with 2005 Corpsmember of the Year,
Kayje Booker

Kayje Booker, a former member of the Washington Service Corps, won Corpsmember of the Year in 2005 for her commitment to service. Read below to find out what she’s been up to since accepting her award, or find out more about Kayje and her Corps experience by reading her bio from our 2005 National Conference.

Kayje Booker, one of The Corps Network’s 2005 Corpsmembers of the Year, is now a bunny. A Pink Bunny, that is. Kayje works for the organization Forward Montana, leading the Pink Bunny Army – a statewide organization of voter registration volunteers who dress in pink t-shirts and bunny ears in an effort to engage youth in the political process. 

“At Forward Montana we believe very strongly in costume-based democracy,” said Kayje. “The Pink Bunnies register people to vote, specifically focusing on young people. For a lot of them it’s their first time registering to vote and the thought has been that your first time participating in democracy should be fun and special. Instead of just having a random person come up to you with a clipboard and tell you that you should register to vote, this is a more exciting way to do it.”

Kayje is proud to report that the Pink Bunnies managed to register over 11,400 Montana voters for the 2012 election. She says her army of floppy-eared volunteers is now well recognized: people in Montana seem to know to seek out the Bunnies if they need to register to vote.

Though she started her position with Forward Montana fairly recently, Kayje is hardly a stranger to getting youth more involved in their communities. Her first efforts to promote civic engagement were part of her experience as an AmeriCorps member with Washington Service Corps. Kayje joined the Corps in 2002. She had recently graduated from college and spent a few months working a series of odd jobs in Montana. AmeriCorps seemed like it would provide more meaningful work than a job at a pizza place or a coffee shop. What really pushed Kayje to join, however, was a phone call with a project coordinator from Washington Service Corps.

“She heard I hadn’t decided what I was going to do yet. She had me get on the phone and we talked. She basically sold me on it. She told me about how I would be creating a new program and she got me really excited about the potential of what we could do,” said Kayje.

That new project was an afterschool program for the Westway neighborhood of Federal Way Washington. Kayje and another Corpsmember ended up building the program entirely from scratch; a particularly impressive feat when you consider all the components the program needed to include. It had to serve children in kindergarten through sixth grade, and it needed to have some kind of civic engagement component. It was a tall order, but, with the help of dedicated community members, Kayje and her AmeriCorps partner were able to make the afterschool program such a success that it still operates today. They managed to get computers and internet donated. They collected a small library. They even organized a block party that attracted large crowds and involved a bicycle giveaway for Westway children. Kayje says that the bike raffle was one of the most memorable experiences of her time in AmeriCorps.

“There was this little girl who was so sweet who came from a pretty rough home and she had seen the bicycles all week and she was so excited about them,” said Kayje. “We had a raffle for the bicycles and what she didn’t know was that we held one in reserve – the one she had been eyeing all week. So instead of raffling that one off we presented it to her at the end and she was just so excited and couldn’t believe her luck. That was a really wonderful moment of seeing how something so simple could give somebody so much joy.”

Creating a civic engagement project that could be interesting and manageable for kindergarteners as well as sixth graders wasn’t easy, but Kayje and her partner eventually found success in getting the afterschool program involved in building a community garden and cleaning up litter. After completing her term in Westway, Kayje became a Team Leader with Washington Service Corps and helped AmeriCorps programs across Washington institute similar civic engagement projects. The next year, from 2004 – 2005, Kayje was an AmeriCorps VISTA with Washington Service Corps.

“The biggest thing I did as a VISTA was trying to figure out housing for AmeriCorps members,” said Kayje. “We were getting a lot of feedback in Washington Service Corps that finding a place to live was actually one of the biggest hurdles for people who wanted to do AmeriCorps. So I found this guy who had this huge house and we created an AmeriCorps house in Seattle. I did a bunch of surveying of members to figure out exactly what the issues were and I created some resources. We started a kind of Craigslist website so [AmeriCorps members] could find roommates. I also put together a list of all the factors they might want to consider when choosing a place to live.”

After her term as a VISTA, Kayje went straight to graduate school at University of California, Berkeley. She earned her master’s degree in Range Management and a PhD in Environmental Science and Policy Management. She spent a few months as a freelance consultant for an international development organization, but she eventually found her way back to working in civic engagement and youth outreach at Forward Montana.

“I would like to continue working with the organization I’m working with now. I’d like to continue to get people engaged and involved in the political process,” said Kayje. “I’d like to at some point have maybe more of an energy or environmental focus within that, but I am very happy with where I am now and I’d like to continue to work in this aspect of helping other people make a difference.”

To young people thinking about joining a service and conservation corps, Kayje says:

“It’s one of the most intense experiences that you’ll ever have in terms of highs and lows, but it’s all worth it in the end…One big thing I think AmeriCorps did for me was show me how you can live on very little and still have a full life. When I did it we were making $800 a month…I think it [was] a very valuable experience that everybody should have at some point to give them empathy for people that are in that situation and to show them that you don’t need a lot of money to have a good life.”

 

 

Support The Corps Movement in America– Donate Today!

As the national association of Service and Conservation Corps, our mission is “to promote the growth, quality, and sustainability of Corps.”

December 4, 2012

Dear Friends and Supporters of The Corps Network:

Although the economy continues to improve at a modest rate, many populations and sectors continue to be negatively impacted by the most significant economic downturn since the Great Depression. Youth unemployment remains at record levels, particularly for young people of color. The nation’s infrastructure, public lands, and natural resources have backlogged maintenance needs in the trillions. And state and local budgets have been cut to the point where they are unable to meet their obligations and the “well-being of citizens is threatened.”

Service and Conservation Corps provide a solution for addressing some of these critical problems. Based on the model of the Civilian Conservation Corps, which helped pull the nation out of the Great Depression in the 1930s, Service and Conservation Corps engage out-of-school and out-of-work youth and young adults in education and training while responding to national and community needs.

In 2012, more than 30,000 Corpsmembers built trails and campgrounds, planned and developed urban gardens and community green spaces, restored natural habitats and waterways, removed hazardous fuel and invasive species, weatherized and retrofitted home and buildings in low-income communities, fought forest fires and responded to natural disasters, while at the same time obtaining GEDs, high school diplomas, college credits, AmeriCorps Education Awards, industry-recognized certificates and jobs.

And we know that Corps work ~

For Corpsmembers: “If it wasn’t for the Corps I would NEVER have gone back to school.  They helped me understand the importance of education, they gave me job training and they gave me the chance to become a leader.  I don’t like to think where my life would be if I hadn’t joined the Corps.”  2005 Corpsmember of the Year, Urban Corps of San Diego

For Communities: “We’ve worked closely with Greater Miami Service Corps during the past two and half years and this partnership has been key to our department, and a win-win situation for us.  I can’t say enough about the value of this partnership.” Jorge Pena, Neighborhood Compliance Supervisor, Miami-Dade County

For Public Lands:  “I am extremely impressed with the crew’s attitude, work ethic, land ethic, and productivity. This experience has renewed my faith and interest in the caring for the land by a young group of adults. Working with the Corps has been one of the best experiences of my career, which spans 30 years!”  Jim Sparks, BLM

While we are proud of our Corps for the opportunities that they have provided to these 30,000 Corpsmembers, according to the White House Council on Community Solutions, more than six million young Americans between the ages of 16 and 25 are out-of-school and out-of work and are in need of similar opportunities.

In 2012, The Corps Network had many notable accomplishments (read our detailed summary!). In the year ahead, we have ambitious plans for growing the Corps movement. We plan to:

·         Work with our federal land management agency partners to establish a 21st Century Conservation Service Corps to engage 100,000 young people in education, training, and meaningful work on our nation’s public lands.

·         Implement new and important provisions in the recently passed federal transit bill that will allow more Corpsmembers to work on transportation projects and gain entre into that industry.

·         Partner with experts in the field of education and workforce development to improve outcomes for Corpsmembers.

·         Promote the expansion of national and community service, particularly for Opportunity Youth and Environmental Stewards.

·         Implement an accreditation process that will promote a standard of excellence among all Corps.

You can help us make these plans a reality. As an important part of our national network, I hope that you will consider including The Corps Network in your charitable giving for 2012. By making a financial contribution to The Corps Network you can help us protect and develop our nation’s most precious resources – our youth, our communities and our lands. If you are interested in supporting us, you can contribute online directly through our website or you can send your tax-deductible donation to:

The Corps Network
Attn:  Lauren Hill, Director of Development
1100 G Street, NW Suite 1000
Washington, DC 20005.

Thank you for your consideration.  May you enjoy a wonderful holiday season and new year!

Sincerely,
 
Mary Ellen Ardouny
President and CEO
The Corps Network