Halloween at MHYC

Check out this video from Mile High Youth Corps’ Energy Conservation Corpsmembers dressed as conservation-minded Oompa Loompas. More Halloween fun photos from MHYC to come next week. Stay tuned!

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Light Bulb Berg — The Power to Illuminate

Mile High Youth Corps’ AmeriCorps Leadership and Conservation Corpsmembers have been working throughout their terms on individualized Capstone Projects to highlight a specific interest they have that is somehow connected to their terms of service. Check out the plan and story behind one such incredible project.

Light/bulb/berg – The power to illuminate! A Capstone Project by Jeri Ho, Derek Berardi, Nilanjana Saha and Sophie Calandros-Savoie.

“Crash… tinkle, tinkle. Crash… tinkle, tinkle…….” This is the raining sound of bucketloads of incandescent light bulbs smashing into a dumpster. This sound used to echo throughout parking lots around metro Denver, as the Mile High Youth Corps Energy Conservation Crew discarded hundreds of these still-functional incandescent bulbs taken from homes, replacing them with 75% more efficient compact fluorescents each week.

Accompanying each cycle of smashing sounds were guttural groans emitted from a few corpsmembers protesting these still-functional bulbs going to waste. From our conservationist roots, we could not justify throwing away still-functional objects… Furthermore, clients inquiring into the fate of these bulbs brought forth the realization that our practice and our commitment to sustainability at Mile High were out of alignment.

With no available program for re-using or recycling incandescent light bulbs, we cringing corpsmembers innovated our own recycling project:

With nowhere to put hundreds of bulbs, and wanting to somehow share the magnitude of our energy crew’s collective achievement that was saving Denverites money, while diminishing the city’s carbon footprint, we decided to amass these hundreds of lightbulbs into one towering superstructure of awe and shock! – A light bulb berg, each lightbulb unique – detailing the stories from whence they came and how we acquired them: grease-stickied from being atop a stove, or black-speckled from rubber-padded gloves melting onto still hot glass as we extracted it.

This iceberg will hopefully tell the story of conscience, conservation, community, individuals, and the power of collective action. Instead of the power to illuminate our homes, these light bulbs will wield the power to inspire dialogue… “What can I do?”

-Jeri Ho, AmeriCorps Leadership and Conservation

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Kung Fu at the Corps

Name: Rasty Qader
Age: 20
Crew: Energy Conservation

Rasty grabs some energy efficient light bulbs to install in low-income homes as part of MHYC's Energy Conservation Program.

I joined MHYC because I wanted to help people and my community at large. I invented the Energy Kung Fu dance because I wanted to make a remembrance for my Energy Crew and it is a great thing for new Corpsmembers to see.

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Make a Difference with MHYC – CO Springs

Didn’t get the chance to make a difference last weekend?

You still have a chance to serve your community with Mile High Youth Corps – Colorado Springs this Saturday, October 30th.
MHYC-Colorado Springs will be volunteering for a United Way Make a Difference Day project doing trail restoration at the Garden of the Gods Park.

This is a strenuous, challenging activity. Volunteers will work on rebuilding the north end of Strausenback Trail which has become extremely eroded and is a safety hazard to trail users. The project involves building rock retaining walls, steps and drainage structures, moving material by bucket brigade, seeding and laying down erosion control matting.

Pack your water bottle, rain gear, put on your sturdy work boots and come join MHYC to get dirty and get work done!

Space is limited, so please invite your family and friends and RSVP today. If you have any questions or want to RSVP, please contact Sylvia at 719.630.7421 or sylvias@mhyc.net.We look forward to seeing you there!

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MHYC Making a Difference

Saturday was Make A Difference Day, which means people all over the country were gathering to get to work and make something in their communities just a little nicer, brighter or better.

Mile High Youth Corps gathered at Denver’s City Park to help seal a wooden playground, paint picnic tables and mulch around some of the beautiful orange and yellow autumn trees.

Thanks to everyone who came out and helped us make a difference in our community!

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From YouthBuild to Outreach

Hey, my name is Maurice Miller and I am 19 years old. I graduated from Mile High Youth Corps’ YouthBuild Program in the summer of 2010. I joined the program to better my education and learn new job skills.

Maurice on the YouthBuild construction site.

I applied for Mile High Youth Corps’ Outreach Corpsmember position to take more action in the community. My main task as the Outreach Corpsmember is to recruit youth for our conservation programs. Some examples of that are going to job fairs, walking around the community giving out information on MHYC or giving presentations to groups of youth. I like the Outreach Corpsmember position because of all the different people I’ve met and it is also helping out the youth. The thing I like most about MHYC is the opportunity to network and expand my job skills.

-Maurice Miller, Outreach Corpsmember

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MHYC Gets Sneak Peek at Colorado’s Newest State Park

On Tuesday, MHYC’s TrailBlazer crew got a sneak peek at Colorado’s newest State Park. Staunton State Park, nestled in the mountains south of Denver, is a beautiful haven for coyotes, mule deer and mountain lions. Set to open in 2012, the park’s access to spectacular vistas and idyllic rock faces make it a top destination for hikers and rock climbers.

The Trailblazers were working at the site of a future backcountry campground, clearing standing dead pine so as to remove potential fire hazards for rock climbers camping at the foot of a massive rock face. The work was hard and dirty, but the TrailBlazers thrive on such conditions, and were able to make great progress.

The Corpsmembers even got in two raucous team-building games of ninja, and were able to enjoy beautiful views provided by the as-yet-unopened Staunton State Park. All in all, it was a great way to experience what is sure to be one of Colorado’s most beautiful parks.

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Why Should You Join MHYC’s AmeriCorps Leadership and Conservation Program?

Current AmeriCorps Leadership and Conservation Corpsmembers Brendan and Derek share their experience at MHYC….

To apply for a ten month term of service and to learn more click here.

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Photos from the Field

We don’t see much of Mile High Youth Corps’ Fall Forestry crew, they’re at our headquarters building early in the morning loading up trucks and vans with tools and chain saws while us office folks are still finishing our morning coffee. Then they head up to the mountains for sawyer work by the time we are writing our first emails.

Here are some photos from the field — the crew spent yesterday up near Golden Gate State Park doing fire fuels mitigation work.

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NOW HIRING for 10 month term of service at MHYC

Mile High Youth Corps is currently hiring for our AmeriCorps Leadership and Conservation Program. Corpsmembers spend ten months serving their community with energy, water and land conservation projects.

For more information and to apply visit our website.

Check out why Michelle and Jeri joined the crew last year!

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