Weekly Energy Saving Tip

Energy Star-qualified CFLs (compact fluorescent lamps) use about 75% less energy and can last 10 times longer than normal incandescent bulbs.

Replacing just 15 incandescent bulbs in your home with CFLs could save you $50 every year!

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Looking for a Paid, Unique Leadership Experience? Become an ACLC!

Mile High Youth Corps is full of diverse job opportunities in order for it to run smoothly as a growing nonprofit. MHYC requires folks who can work in management, finance, program development, employee recruitment, marketing, direct conservation service and more. One program exists to blend the direct service with the operations of a nonprofit: the AmeriCorps Conservation and Leadership Corpsmember (ACLC) program. MHYC-Colorado Springs is currently seeking to hire two ACLC’s for a six-month 2012 term of service.

In Colorado Springs, the ACLC program is a demanding leadership experience providing diverse service opportunities in education, community outreach, nonprofit management, youth development and physical land conservation projects to achieve a common goal: youth employment in environmental conservation.

Aside from mixing two ends of the MHYC operating spectrum, this program might be the most unique due to the time frame it requires. Most Corpsmembers and crew leaders who work at MHYC-CS work only during either the summer or fall months. An ACLC in Colorado Springs however, works for six months: from the end of April through the second week of October, as they are expected to not only work in the field with the crews, but they assist with operations of MHYC-CS, as well.

ACLCs actively participate in and facilitate weekly environmental education and team building activities, assist various staff in recruitment and hiring of summer Corpsmembers, plan and lead service projects, and work toward future career goals, while learning what it takes to make successful programs and projects happen in the nonprofit/environmental conservation world. Successful candidates will demonstrate a strong personal work ethic, a commitment to service, self development, and team work.

If you are between 19 and 24 years of age and are interested in this position, please read more into the job description. For more information, visit www.milehighyouthcorps.org or call 719-630-7421. To apply, visit the website and in the top, right-hand corner, click “Apply Now.” Be sure to select Colorado Springs for Field Location and for position title: AmeriCorps Leadership and Conservation – Colorado Springs.

The 2011 Colorado Springs ACLC, Johnston Robare, aides Nate Howeya in fence building at Chico Basin Ranch. Aside from spending time in the field with the crews, Johnston also spent quite a bit of time in the office to help operations run smoothly.

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MHYC: Living on a Budget

Last month our VISTA in Colorado Springs, Kate, gave some great tips on how to live within her AmeriCorps VISTA budget. This month, we’ve asked a Corpsmember and Assistant Energy Crew Leader, Robin, to give some insight on living on a Corpsmember budget. Here’s what Robin had say:

“Living on a budget is tough, but it is doable.

Since I began working at Mile High Youth Corps, I have grown accustomed to managing my money better and adjusting to the living stipend. Before working here, I had another job where I was paid weekly. I was able to keep some spending money and still put some into savings every month. Going from that to a living stipend with AmeriCorps has taught me several ways to better control my budget and watch my spending. Here are just a few of my tips to help you make it work on a Corpsmember budget:

• Eat smarter: Pack you lunch every day instead of always going out for fast food. Also, don’t be scared of leftovers! You can always bring some of last night’s dinner and heat it up for a quick lunch.
• Keep an eye on your utilities: Don’t spend money you don’t have to by leaving lights on around the house or taking extra-long showers.
• Curb your spending: Use coupons! It may seem like something for the elderly, but believe me, coupons come in handy.
• You can still have a good time: Although a lot of places to have fun can cost a pretty penny, there are a ton of things to do around town for free. Check out a free day at the museum or aquarium or go play Frisbee in the park.

There are plenty of ways to live well on a Corpsmember budget. The secret is to keep an eye on your spending and cut unnecessary costs. You can still have fun and eat well while covering all of your basic needs and utilities. You don’t need to cut out all of your spending, just spend smarter!”

-Robin P.
Assistant Crew Leader, Energy

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Weekly Energy Saving Tip

Set your computer to “Hibernate” mode after 30 minutes of inactivity.

When you are finished for the day, remember to shut down completely and turn off the power strip!

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From Peace Corps to AmeriCorps: A Journey of Service

After saying goodbye to my new family in Macedonia and receiving my certificate for completing my 27-month term of Peace Corps service in Macedonia, I felt relieved, proud and anxious for what was to come upon my arrival back in America. I had my resume, cover letter, and references all ready to go out and venture into the “real world” when I stumbled upon Mile High Youth Corps and their AmeriCorps Programs.

I am now working as the Administrative Assistant for Outreach and Programs at Mile High Youth Corps. In this position I not only get to meet each and every Corpsmember, but I also have the opportunity to support senior-level staff in a variety of ways. It is an amazing agency to work for and I could not have chosen a better way to transfer back into the “real world” as a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer.

There are many similarities between Peace Corps Service and AmeriCorps Service, but there are many differences also. One of the biggest differences is the time period between the applications and beginning the programs. For example, as an applicant for the Peace Corps, I applied in January and then did not depart for Macedonia until September. When applying for AmeriCorps, I applied on December 8^th and began work on January 4^th.  Staff in both the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps are great and very supportive. One of the big differences in staff is in the Peace Corps there is a large number that are Host-Country Nationals. In my case, I had Macedonian Program Managers, which was a great experience to see the differences in our work-cultures.

In both AmeriCorps and the Peace Corps, you get to work closely with the other people in your group. In the Peace Corps you may live several hours from the closest member of your group, and in AmeriCorps you may be roommates or neighbors. The other Peace Corps Volunteers that served with me in Macedonia became like my brothers and sisters or aunts and uncles and I will remain close to them for life. In my AmeriCorps position the other members are more like my co-workers due to the fact that the position is not 24/7 like the Peace Corps, but more comparable to a “9-5” job. The service mentality is similar in both programs, but it is more severe in the Peace Corps due to the fact that all volunteers uproot themselves by moving away from America with the goal in mind of helping people from another country. Peace Corps Volunteers do not get paid to be in the Peace Corps. They receive a living stipend, which solely supports a lifestyle like those of the Host-Country Nationals.

I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to make an impact upon hundreds of Macedonian youth in the Peace Corps and now getting the chance to impact youth in my home state of Colorado by helping them get jobs. Serving has always been a part of who I am. From the first time I volunteered at the Salvation Army, I knew that I would devote a large part of my life to helping those in need. As a Peace Corps Volunteer I had the opportunity to volunteer two years of my life to helping out Macedonians and now, as a member of AmeriCorps, I have been given the chance to make an impact in my own community.

Please note: The contents of this blog post are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. government or the Peace Corps. 

–Kaylee Poleschook
MHYC Corpsmember & Returned Peace Corps Volunteer

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AmeriCorps Week Service Projects Benefit Veterans

Each year during AmeriCorps Week, Americorps recognizes the commitment of members and alums by highlighting the extraordinary impact AmeriCorps makes across our nation every day. This year, AmeriCorps Week took place from Saturday, March 10 through Sunday, March 18, 2012.
The theme this year, AmeriCorps Works, communicated the value and effectiveness of AmeriCorps while providing flexibility to be used in many different contexts. It provided an overarching framework to communicate AmeriCorps triple bottom line return on investment — for the recipients of service, the people who serve, and the larger community and nation.
-Corporation for National and Community Service

To celebrate AmeriCorps Week this year, Mile High Youth Corps organized several service projects around the Denver area. This gave Corpsmembers the chance to demonstrate the strength of AmeriCorps in the local community as well as connect with other AmeriCorps alums. Our service projects this year included volunteering at a Veteran’s Hospital,  cleaning up a neighborhood through our Adopt-A-Spot program, working with Veteran’s Green Jobs, and a Donation Drive in partnership with ARC Thrift Stores.

Now, MHYC Corpsmembers are no stranger to service projects, but for AmeriCorps Week we jumped at the opportunity to give back to those who often sacrifice so much in their service to our country but rarely get the thanks they are owed, our veterans. So on Friday, Corpsmembers and staff headed out across Denver to our project locations and spent the morning working for and alongside our nation’s veterans. We did landscaping and cleaning at the Veteran’s Hospital and helped Veteran’s Green Jobs reorganize their supply yard, all while we listened to the stories of the brave men and women who serve our country every day.

Our veterans are truly an inspiration to many Corpsmembers. They embody the meaning of service and sacrifice and continually strive to improve our nation for those that follow. And yet, they do all of this without ever asking for thanks or gratitude. Our projects during AmeriCorps Week pale in comparison to the dedicated service of American veterans, but we are more than happy to give back in any way we can. Mile High Youth Corps wants to give a very special thanks to all our veterans, including those who we are lucky enough to count among our staff.

Here are some of the pictures we snapped during our AmeriCorps Week service projects this year. For more, check out our album on Facebook.

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Weekly Energy Saving Tip

Planning to buy a new appliance? Look for the Energy Star label.

Energy Star-rated appliances can qualify for a tax credit of up to $300!

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AmeriCorps Works Here!

Here at Mile High Youth Corps, we live and breathe “corps culture”.  For those who never served with an AmeriCorps program, it can be a bit overwhelming to join our team and start learning the AmeriCorps vocabulary.  And, sometimes those of us who are AmeriCorps Alums forget that “ed award”, “stipend”, “N triple C”, and “vista” aren’t parts of everyone’s regular lexicon.

For MHYC staff, the corps means different things to different people.  However, there are a few common themes that seem to ring true to everyone – working at a place where the mission aligns with our values, promoting a team-based culture in the workplace, and remembering to have a little fun every once in a while.  And of course, the sense that we are part of a larger AmeriCorps community.

That’s why when we heard about AmeriCorps Alums’ “AmeriCorps Works” campaign, we jumped at the chance to promote how AmeriCorps Alums work and get things done at MHYC.  Aside from the great work of our Corpsmembers (who are all AmeriCorps members, too), many of our staff are Alums.

Here is a brief sampling of the AmeriCorps Alums that continue their commitment to service through work at MHYC.  View more photos of our staff and alums on facebook, and add your own!

Derek is an alum of MHYC's ACLC program and now works as our Community Relations Coordinator. If you know an 18-24 year old who needs a job, Derek is your man.

Kara and Melissa are MHYC-Denver's AmeriCorps VISTA members.

Tom is an AmeriCorps*NCCC Alum and MHYC's Program Manager: Education & Training. Tom also coordinates fun staff activities like our annual March Madness Tournament.

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Apply Now for Summer Land Conservation Jobs!!!

It’s that time of year again!  Mile High Youth Corps has kicked off hiring for our Summer Land Conservation programs.  From May through August of 2012, you could spend your days working throughout the Front Range on projects that directly benefit the environment and the local communities where we work.  Both Denver and Colorado Springs have offices that will run crews for our 2012 season.

In Denver, crews will meet daily at our 1801 Federal Blvd. location and be transported to their work site in the mountains or around the metro area.  Colorado Springs crews, however, will have the chance to work and camp on site.  Camping crews will live on their worksite in mountain locations for up to ten days at a time.  During that time, food will be provided by Mile High Youth Corps, as well as some camping equipment.  Projects include trail building, invasive species removal, habitat rehabilitation and mountain pine beetle eradication.  This one-of-a-kind summer job is sure to satisfy as your office will likely be the side of a mountain or a natural reserve.

Be sure to apply now and tell your friends!  Applicants must be between the ages of 18-24.  In addition, you must currently have a G.E.D., H.S. diploma or be enrolled in a program to receive one of the two.  The program will run from May 16^th, 2012 – August 10^th, 2012.  All positions for the Summer Land Conservation crews are paid positions (paid bi-weekly) and will also include the opportunity to earn an AmeriCorps Education Award (scholarship).

To apply, click “Apply Now” in the top-right corner of our homepage at www.milehighyouthcorps.org To fill out an application in person, visit our headquarters at 1801 Federal Blvd., Denver, CO 80204 or our Colorado Springs office at 1506 N. Hancock Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80903.

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MHYC Receives Award in DC

As you may have learned last week from Nancy Wilson’s blog post on the Post to Parks Project, MHYC was recognized recently for one of our summer land projects. The Corps Network invited MHYC CEO Kelly Causey to Washington, D.C. to receive the award. We asked Kelly to tell us about the experience.

“Accepting a national project of the year award from The Corps Network was humbling and extremely satisfying. What an honor it was for MHYC to have a land conservation project recognized from among the other incredible projects completed by corps across the country. In our twenty year history we’ve conducted more land conservation projects than any other type of service to our community yet our energy and water conservation projects have been the ones to stand out among the national network of corps projects. That is, until our Southern Front Range field office, only two years old (!), changed that.

Last summer MHYC-Colorado Springs partnered with the National Park Service on their ‘Post to Parks’ initiative at the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. Seventeen youth from Ft. Carson families joined our crew for a four day educational adventure at the national park and it was a super experience for all involved. In addition to enjoying the interaction with the Ft. Carson youth, Troy Furhman and the park staff were outstanding project sponsors. Troy flew to Washington, DC to join me in accepting the award and to highlight the importance of engaging military families in projects like this.

Awards were given on the Hill in DC and I had the chance to join other Colorado corps staff in meeting with Senator Michael Bennet, who is supportive of our accomplishments. Congratulations to Nancy, Ryan and the rest of the Southern Front Range staff and Corpsmembers for this incredible accomplishment!”

- Kelly Causey, Ph.D.
CEO

Troy Furhman and Kelly Causey, Ph.D. accept the Project of the Year Award from The Corps Network

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