MHYC Crews Tackle Different Projects

Two of our crews at Mile High Youth Corps have been working on some interesting projects outside of their typical work schedule!

The Water crew, which installs efficient toilets and aerators in low-income households, has spent the past several weeks working in small groups on their Independent Service Learning (ISLP) projects.  Each group has a particular area of service on which they concentrate, whether it’s the environment, youth development, health and disabilities, or animals.

Last month, the ISLP groups worked together to research different volunteer opportunities within their focus area.  On Friday, March 22^nd, the groups spent the morning giving their time and serving their communities.  They mentored high school students on different prospects after graduation, made arts and crafts with children at Children’s Hospital Colorado, did environmental projects at Red Rocks, and helped out with a local animal shelter.

The groups are currently seeking out new opportunities for their second project, to be held late next month.

Sarah and Izzabella create Easter crafts with kids at Children’s Hospital Colorado.

At the beginning of their term, our YouthBuild Corpsmembers were presented with a challenging project:  working alone or in pairs, to come up with their own idea for a non-profit organization.  This non-profit would address whatever community issue they felt most strongly about.  Corpsmembers were tasked with developing a budget, a staffing structure, and a plan to reach their intended audience.

The YouthBuild Corpsmembers created a wide array of non-profit organizations that aimed to do everything from helping the homeless to providing teens with free counseling services to working with teenage girls to improve their self-esteem.  Corpsmembers presented their ideas to rest of the Corps and to the MHYC staff.  Perhaps they will go on to create the very organizations they developed here!

Vincent and Dae’Mon present their non-profit organization idea, an after-school recreation center for kids and teens.

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Congratulations are in Order (Part 3 of 3)

The final story of this three part series is about Jesse Roehm. Jesse is one of six 2012 National Corpsmembers of the Year. He will be honored this year at The Corps Network’s National Conference in Washington, D.C. taking place the week of February 11, 2013.  Jesse will represent the 30,000 Corpsmembers who serve annually across the nation. Read below or link here to find out more about Jesse’s story and his lifechanging experience with Mile High Youth Corps.

Jesse Roehm

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Over the past two years, Jesse Roehm has come to Mile High Youth Corps with a dedication to sharing his passion for service. Jesse first came to MHYC in 2011 to serve in our 10-month AmeriCorps Leadership and Conservation Program. It was evident from the very beginning that Jesse was ready to work hard no matter the project, despite the personal challenges he had to overcome. One Corpsmember shared this story about Jesse:

“At the end of every day I would see him getting back from the day’s work site where he had been cutting down trees for forest thinning. He would always have a smile on his face even though he would crawl out of the van dirtier than anyone else in the van; a strong testament to his ability to work hard all hours of the day while constantly being upbeat and positive. Every day that he comes to work he goes above and beyond what is required of him. His positivity and work ethic are infectious.”

After Jesse’s first term, he was hired as the Conservation Alumni Mentor. In this role Jesse got to continue his work as a positive influence within MHYC as well as the larger community by planning service projects at local non-profits and other community organizations such as Food Bank of the Rockies and ARC Thrift Stores. Jesse took the lead role of coordinating and facilitating MHYC’s first Crew Leader training and implementing MHYC’s Career Day event. He also created and implemented weekly “big picture” activities, helping other Corpsmembers connect to the larger mission of service and see the positive impacts of their service.

Jesse excels at building relationships among a diverse group of peers, showing his understanding of and dedication to the Corps and what it is all about. One of his supervisors says, “Jesse is a true mentor, leader and inspiration to everyone he works with. “

When Jesse’s fellow Corpsmembers were asked what they have learned from him they had to say this:

“He taught me the power of positivity day in and day out and that if you truly care about something to work hard every day to achieve it, you can not only create change in your community but can excite and inspire others to do the same.”

“Jesse taught me to stay positive through thick and thin, keep a level head and always look on the good side.”

“He showed me how to be a great communicator and not to be afraid to step up to the plate and say and do what is needed in a leadership role.”

“I feel lucky to have Jesse as a mentor, I think he truly believes in the influence that Mile High Youth Corps and AmeriCorps can have on young adults, and his belief comes through in his overwhelming concern and compassion towards every single Corpsmember. He has been a key agent in helping me to always see the bigger picture and to understand truly what service means. Jesse had made a huge impact on me and how I have come to view my own term of service.”

Jesse has worked tirelessly over the past two years to help his fellow Corpsmembers recognize the impact they can have on their community and themselves. As a result of his passion for service, dedication to the Corps and exceptional work ethic, Jesse has been hired to continue his work with Mile High Youth Corps as a staff member. He will serve as the Programs Specialist: Conservation and his job duties will include the supervision and program management of the two roles that he filled as a Corpsmember, the AmeriCorps Leadership and Conservation crew and the Conservation Alumni Mentor.

Congratulations Jesse! You have a heart for service and your ability to connect to young adults will continue to inspire us and the nation.

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Congratulations are in Order! (Part 1 of 3)

This year Mile High Youth Corps (MHYC) has been honored to have three of our Corpsmembers be selected as Corpsmembers of the Year.  Corpsmembers are nominated by their peers and MHYC staff for this designation and then go through a rigorous process to become candidates for State and National Corpsmembers of the Year. Mile High Youth Corps has two Corpsmembers who will be recognized at the state level and one Corpsmember will be recognized as a national Corpsmember of the Year.

Danielette Griffin, from the Denver region and Christian Ndushabandi, from the Southern Front Range region, join eight other youth corps awardees from around the state to receive recognition at the Colorado State Capitol on Monday February 4, 2013 at the Annual Youth Corps awards ceremony. Christian has also been selected as the Youth Speaker for this big day.

Our third awardee is Jesse Roehm. Jesse has been selected to represent more than 30,000 Corpsmembers across the nation as a National Corpsmember of the Year. Jesse will be recognized in Washington D.C. during the annual The Corps Network National Conference the week of February 11, 2013. Jesse will visit with Senators and Members of Congress as well as participate in sessions and workshops as an active participant, providing his unique story and ideas to help support the national Corps movement.

Over the next three weeks we will be sharing the impact that our three Corpsmembers of the Year have had while at Mile High Youth Corps.

Danielette (Daniel) Griffin

(Corpsmember of the Year from MHYC’s Denver Metro Region)

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All of our Corpsmembers come to Mile High Youth Corps looking for something, and all of them come with their own life story and perspective. Daniel Griffin was no different. Faced with some big changes in his personal life, Daniel came to Mile High Youth Corps in January 2011, as a quiet and shy young adult who had a hard time interacting with new people.

Despite the personal challenges that Daniel faced, he always made the most of his Corpsmember experience. He worked tirelessly to push himself outside of his comfort zone and get to know the members of his crew and the staff at MHYC. Daniel used the leadership opportunities that MHYC provided to find a leadership style that worked for him and in turn resonated with the members of his crew. One of his peers said, “Daniel taught the team that everyone has the ability to shine.”

With his new found confidence, Daniel was promoted to assistant crew leader, was selected to participate in a 40 hour BPI weatherization training and represented MHYC at a Youth Summit Conference in Washington, D.C.

Throughout Daniel’s four terms with MHYC he exemplified what it is to be a member of the Corps. His ability to share his passion and his personal and professional growth with his fellow Corpsmembers made his whole crew and all of MHYC stronger.

Daniel had this advice for future Corpsmembers, “I would say that you shouldn’t do this type of work for the money. You should do it for the lasting relationships that you will make and the impact that it will have on your community. You will come away from this experience with some of the best memories you will ever have.”

Congratulations Daniel! You have made an impression on everyone you have come in contact with and are truly deserving of this award!

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Corpsmember Resolutions!

Just before graduation in early December, we asked the Water Crew to look ahead into the new year and share their New Year’s Resolutions! Here are the 10 best:

10) To get my body right and start eating healthy!

9) To be successful in my next term at MHYC.

8) To continue with environmental conservation and educate others about it.

7) To have my own apartment this year.

6) To use my money more carefully. Budget plan here I come!

5) To continue in my personal growth!

4) To find a job after the term ends and stick with it.

3) To stay in touch with all the graduating Water and ACLC Corpsmembers!

2) To take all I have learned this year and carry it with me.

and the top New Year’s Resolution of the Water Conservation Crew is:

1) TO CONSERVE WATER!

I mean really, did you expect anything less?

Happy New Year from MHYC!

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Outcomes for 2012!

As 2012 comes to a close we would like to reflect on the amazing accomplishments of our Corpsmembers. All our Corpsmembers were eligible to receive AmeriCorps Education Awards upon completing their terms. The total amount earned by our Corpsmembers this year totaled $$253,36.. This is one of the many achievements of our Corpsmembers. See below for many more statistics that make up only a snapshot of the work that took place at Mile High Youth Corps in 2012.

• 6 miles of trail constructed in the Hayman burn area
• 13 miles of trail constructed and maintained
• 50 acres of noxious weeds removed/1,584 feet of fence constructed
• 11,722 trees cut down
• 85% of the project work completed will last more than 10 years
• 100% of enrolled summer AmeriCorps members earned their Education Award

The Following Statistics represent the work of our Second Term Water Crew.

• Homes serviced over 1,000
• Toilets installed 1,242
• Gallons of water saved annually 8.6 million gallons
• Olympic pool equivalent 13.4

Thanks to all of our Corpsmembers who made 2012 a year to remember!

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I’m ready for what’s next…

“So, what do you do, Brent?”

Over the last year, I have had a lot of friends and relatives ask me about my work and I was never exactly sure what to tell them. My position title “Outreach Alumni Mentor for Marketing & Development,” while a mouthful, doesn’t exactly tell you much. I could give them the elevator speech I have honed through countless job fairs and hiring events but even that doesn’t do it justice. I could point them to our mission statement, “help[ing] youth make a difference in themselves and their community through meaningful service opportunities and educational experiences” but to me, it’s more than that.

My two terms of service with Mile High Youth Corps encompass more to me than a few words could describe. I could tell you that my service has changed me but I couldn’t even begin to count the ways. I could fill a book with the lessons I’ve learned but I could fill a library with what MHYC has left to teach me. I could count up the hours of service I have volunteered to my adopted Denver community(2,375 to be exact), but that wouldn’t show you the impact the last 17 months have made on my life.

In my time here, I have been fortunate enough to share some amazing experiences with my fellow Corpsmembers. I have helped build a trail at Red Rocks Amphitheater that will be used by literally millions of concert-goers, I have helped Denver save hundreds of millions of gallons of water each year, and I have brought an elderly resident to tears of joy with the simple act of changing a light bulb. Throughout all of this, I have been learning; I have been watching and listening, growing and changing.

I began my service right out of college: excited for a new challenge, a new locale, and new friendships. I was scared and anxious but I had never been more motivated. Now I am at the end of my term with MHYC and the best way I can think to describe myself is “ready.” I’m ready for the next challenge, ready for the next opportunity to help my community, ready for a lifetime of service. When I left home, I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life but after serving for the last 17 months, I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

So now, when my family and friends ask me what I do, I have an answer:

I serve. I give back in the best way I know how. I mentor, I lead, I build and I pour blood, sweat, and tears into each and every project. I help those who cannot help themselves and I love every single second of it. That is what I do and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

I am eternally grateful to the staff and Corpsmembers here at MHYC for everything they have given me over the last year and a half. I will never forget the memories and bonds I have created and I will always look back on my service with a smile. You are never quite ready to leave a place you love, but it’s time for me to move forward onto the next adventure. I’ll leave you with a quote that has inspired me throughout my term and perhaps it could help you find your purpose too:

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” -Mahatma Gandhi

Thank you for everything, from the bottom of my heart.

Sincerely,

Brent M.
Outreach Alumni Mentor, 2012

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Happy Thanksgiving from MHYC!

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Mile High Youth Corps. Check out the photos below to see how we shared what we were thankful for at our Annual Staff and Corpsmember Thanksgiving Potluck!

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Hiring for 2013 Crews!

MHYC is currently hiring for crews that will begin this January.All Corpsmembers will experience a great team-based, leadership experience, receive a living stipend throughout the program, and be eligible to receive an AmeriCorps Education Award. There are two separate programs that we are accepting applications for until all positions are filled, so if you or someone you know is interested in this program follow the link below to complete your application. http://www.milehighyouthcorps.org/green-jobs/current-corpsmember-positions-available

The AmeriCorps Leadership and Conservation Crew gives ACLC’s to build leadership skills, work on a variety of land, energy, and water projects throughout the 11 month program. The ACLC’s will also have the opportunity to be peer leaders on the land crews throughout the summer and fall months.

The Energy and Water Program offers Corpsmembers the opportunity to build their “green” industry skills, work on small teams doing respective energy and water projects in affordable housing. For these 5-month programs there are also positions where Corpsmembers can additionally build their office experiences by working in our Bryant street location and working on the projects with their crews when needed.

Both of these Programs offer College and Career Readiness training, life skills training and an opportunity to become a part of an impactful agency at Mile High Youth Corps.

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Weekly Energy Saving Tip

Ceiling fans aren’t just for the warmer months! Flip the switch on your fan to reverse its direction and blow warmer air down into the room.

And while you’re up there, make sure you are using CFL bulbs!

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Weekly Energy Saving Tip

With our first snow in Denver yesterday, it’s time for an important reminder about the coming winter months.

When using an indoor space heater, ALWAYS take the proper safety precautions. NEVER use a propane heater indoors and make sure all heaters are secured in their upright position, away from any clothes or curtains.

Before you even reach for that space heater in the closet, try reaching for a sweater instead. Dressing in layers can help you keep your thermostat low and save you money on your energy bill.

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