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 2 of 3)

Another of our Corpsmember of the Year was Christian Ndushabandi. Christian was also selected as the Youth Speaker at this year’s CYCA Annual Youth Corps awards ceremony. The Gazette out of Colorado Springs, also published a story about Christian and his journey to becoming a 2012 Corpsmember of the Year (read it now here) and a copy of his speech is available on YouTube (watch it now here).

Christian Ndushabandi

(Corpsmember of the Year from MHYC’s Southern Front Range Region)

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Christian Ndushabandi joined his first crew with Mile High Youth Corps at the age of 18 with a very different story than most of our Corpsmembers.  Christian was born in Rwanda. At the age of one he was saved by his babysitter after his father was killed and his mother was left for dead during the genocide.

Years later, two and a half of which were spent in a refugee camp, Christian and his mom were invited to come to the United States as refugees. Christian welcomed the chance to experience a daily life filled with opportunity and dreams. He enrolled in high school and began learning English. As his English improved and as he adjusted to life in the US, Christian decided it was time to start working. After a couple of jobs in food service, Christian found Mile High Youth Corps.

Christian’s first term as a Corpsmember, taught him a lot and challenged his ideas of American culture. Although he admits that the first 10 day hitch with his camping crew was challenging, he found a welcoming and supportive crew to help him adjust. Christian says, “My fellow Corpsmembers changed the stereotype I had about American teenagers. The members of my crew were curious and they wanted to know about me and my country. They made me comfortable telling my story, and I feel more relieved every time I do.”

Christian has now completed two Summer of Service terms with Mile High Youth Corps and looks forward to using his AmeriCorps Education Award toward a college degree. When asked about the role MHYC has had in his life, Christian says, “MHYC is different from any other job that I have had. It taught me how to work hard and they recognize hard work. I have had fun working and I’ve learned a lot about this culture, how to solve problems and how to make friends.”

Congratulations Christian! You are truly deserving of being called Corpsmember of the Year and your dedication to your own personal growth, your crew and your ability to keep going in the face of adversity epitomize the spirit of the Corps.

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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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My Summer with the Ridge Runners

This post is authored by Casey, an ACLC Corpsmember and Assistant Crew Leader of the Ridge Runners.

This summer I served as an Assistant Crew Leader on the Ridge Runners Camping Crew. We worked out of the Pike National Forest in the Rampart Range and cut six miles of new single-track dirt bike trail over the course of two and a half months. The crew consisted of ten 18-24 year-olds and required us to camp out for ten days at a time. With the exception of an occasional bathroom break and a few minutes of alone-time in our tents at night, we spent virtually every moment of every day with one another. By the end of the summer we were like a family. Living with a community of nine others, working and living in the woods for ten days at a time was one of the most valuable experiences of my life. It brought me closer than I have ever been with a group of coworkers and taught me more about myself than I could have every imagined.

Tuesdays and Thursdays were our travel days, but once camp was set up from Wednesday-Wednesday our average day looked something like this: We would wake up around 5:00am, have breakfast and make our lunches for the day. This usually consisted eggs and oatmeal, but occasionally we had time to make bacon, potatoes, and green chili if we got up early enough. Lunch was usually a couple sandwiches, some fruit, and an assortment of snacks including energy bars, trail mix and plenty of protein. Dinner was the real treat, where Matthew would whip up the most gourmet meals you had ever seen at a campsite. I still can’t believe how well we ate out there. Long story short, food was a very big part of our camping experience, mostly to sustain ourselves and get through the intense days on the trail.

After breakfast and making our lunches we would have a stretch and safety circle which usually included some ridiculous question such as: “If you could be one mythical creature what would it be?” or “If you had 24 hours left to live how would you spend your final day?” or “If  you could marry one celebrity, who would it be?”. After that we would take off for the trail, which was typically a 1-3 mile hike. All in all, we were hiking around 5 miles a day. Once out on the trail we would get to work and assume one of the various trail-building roles. Usually a few of us would go up front and clear the corridor, removing and large logs, branches, or vegetation that were in the way of the flag line that marked the trail. Behind them were usually a couple pickmatics and a few McCleods, breaking ground and pulling away the dirt. Next would be a couple more pickers, McCleoders, and shovelers working on the backslope, defining the critical edge and flattening the bench. Once we got in our groove and figured out an effective process for constructing the tail we were unstoppable and cut an average of one mile per 8 days on the trail.

After getting back to camp in the afternoon we would usually just hang out and relax, read, listen to music on our solar-powered iPod dock, play hackey-sack and bocce ball, or take a much needed nap. Dinner was always a personal highlight of the day where we would come together and share our highs and lows from the day while relaxing over a delicious meal usually spearheaded by Matthew, one of the other Assistant Crew Leaders. The night was usually finished off with some Environmental Education or a hike up to the ridge near our campsite.

The summer was full of memorable moments that I will always carry with me. Some of them were humorous and left us laughing uncontrollably, while others tested us as a group and required us to overcome unforeseen obstacles. Everyone got a good laugh when Jason, our youngest Corpsmember, shrieked in terror as we discovered a cricket in his shoe one morning. We had some of the most amazing views any of us had experienced in Colorado, particularly the ridge near our second campsite. I saw more wildlife this summer than I have seen in the last three years living here. We got to eat bear and elk, and had some of the deepest and most insightful conversations you could imagine. On the flip side, working in the middle of the forest fires was an intense challenge. We talked about anything and everything while out on the trail. The smoke in the air combined with the high altitude we were working at took a toll on everyone. The final hitch involved a flat tire, lots of inclement weather, and a day where we hiked 12 miles. We were forced to evacuate our third campsite and move closer to the main road after being visited from a young black bear and we had our fair share of cold, rainy nights.

Coming back to the city after being out in the woods for ten days, you start to appreciate the simple luxuries in life. Ice cubes in a glass of water, sitting down on a couch, or simply being able to take a nice long shower seem like the most amazing things in the world. You also notice how nice things are out in the wilderness when you get back to 100 degree Denver weather with all the noise and stress of the city. Reflecting back on this summer, being separated from the hustle and bustle of the concrete jungle was therapeutic and good for the soul. When we were out there in the woods, the food never tasted so good, the sleep never felt so good, and the bonds between me and my coworkers were never stronger.

For more pictures of the Ridge Runners’ summer adventures, check out our Flickr.

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2012 Summer Olympics

The Summer Olympic Games– It’s a contest of unbelievable physical strength, agility, speed, and determination but in Denver at the end of the summer, it’s also … barbecue time!

That’s right, jolly old England isn’t the only site of the Olympics this year. Friday, Mile High Youth Corps hosted our 12th Annual MHYC Olympics and Summer BBQ! Every year at the end of the Summer of Service program, all of the crews meet head to head to battle it out in the ultimate test of human ability — trying to stomach Jack’s cooking!

Crews competed in events including an egg-in-a-spoon relay race, water balloon toss, and the grueling hula-hoop pass. Throughout the afternoon, crews were awarded points based on their performance in the various events: 100 for 1st, 50 for 2nd, 25 for 3rd. When they weren’t competing, each crew also designed and created a team flag for the chance at even more points. And to round it out, 100 bonus points were given to the team with the best sportsmanship throughout the day.

Corpsmembers race to the hoop in the Hula-Hoop Pass.

A little basketball, a little lacrosse — it’s Swattin’ Flies!

On a hot summer day, the Water Balloon toss is the perfect event to lose.

Alex, intent on Egg Relay domination, heads to the finish.

After several hard fought events and some quick tabulations, the results were in and the MHYC Olympics would have a brand new champion! The Trail Blazers took a strong 3rd place finish, The Ridge Runners came in a close 2nd but in the end, it was The Path Finders taking home the gold!

The Path Finders are the 2012 MHYC Summer Olympics Champions!

The Summer BBQ also marked the end of the Summer Photo Contest on Facebook where crews had a chance to bring home the one-of-a-kind Golden Helmet. Corpsmembers, friends, family, and staff could all go online and “like” their favorite crew picture with the winner taking home the trophy and celebrating with a special dessert.

With your help, The Path Finders took a commanding lead early. The Trail Blazers inched past and  took the lead on the last day, but the Path Finders weren’t done yet. With a new MHYC record 126 likes and comments, The Path Finders are taking home the new Golden Helmet!

Congratulations Path Finders!

We all had a great time at the Olympics this year! It’s always bittersweet to end our Summer of Service program, but we are happy to go out with a bang! Thank you to all the Corpsmembers who served this summer; we are incredibly proud of the work you have accomplished and we hope to see you all back next summer!

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Corpsmembers of the Month: July

Here we are again with our Corpsmembers of the Month!

July’s Corpsmembers, all from our summer crews, have shown outstanding effort and resolve when faced with challenges in the field. The incredible work ethic, dedication, and positive attitudes of these young men have rightfully earned them the title of July’s Corpsmembers of the Month!

Brennen, Path Finders

Dave, Trail Blazers

Hanibal, Rock Climbers

Jonathan, Ridge Runners

Congratulations to Brennen, Dave, Hanibal and Jonathan!

With only a few weeks left in our Summer of Service, who will take home the title for August?
Be sure to check back after next month’s community meeting and End of Summer Barbecue!

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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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A Nation of Youth

There we were: a mass of twenty something’s, all under a big white tent, our sights on the beach and the weekend ahead of us.

As a delegate through MHYC, as well as an ambassador for ASPEN, my outdoor education capstone project, I didn’t quite know what to expect at the Outdoor Nation Youth Summit. But I’ve found that this is the best way to go into things lately, without any preconceptions. I think this mentality yields the best results for anything we do.
I can only imagine how much fun it must be for the Outdoor Nation to travel across the country as a band of revolutionaries, getting young adults stoked about their jobs and their futures in the outdoors, and even throwing a few new pairs of Merrell shoes at ‘em in the process.

We got right to work when we arrived Friday morning. The hundred and fifty plus delegates were responsible for identifying actions we should take as individuals working in the outdoor realm. This included a draft of an Outdoor Nation Declaration, which outlined our commitment and priorities as outdoor leaders, educators, conservationists, etc., which would soon be submitted as a Special Report on America’s Great Outdoors for President Obama.
Pretty cool, right? Check out the ever-evolving draft of our Outdoor Nation Declaration.
The next day we got our gears cranking even more. We split up into groups to come up with what regional outdoor issues we have and some program ideas to try and mitigate them. A lot of the day was spent coming up with ideas to get children outdoors (much of the basis for Outdoor Nation, as well as ASPEN and other outdoor education schools around the country, comes from a book (and philosophy on “Nature Deficit Disorder”) by Richard Louv called “The Last Child in the Woods”). And to stoke the fire even more, the top ideas would receive $2,500 each (four from Denver), as well as other grant opportunities in the coming months.
By the evening time we were all pretty tired. And accomplished, too. From full bellies of food to the kayaking and rock wall climbing to tent-setup competitions to campfire talks from the North Face ambassador’s incredible stories, I hunkered down in a crowded tent city with a clear sky of constellations hanging out above me.

Sunday morning came and it was time to leave the beach and wave goodbye to the delegates that came all the way from Texas and Montana. But not before we voted on the top program ideas and awarded them a hefty amount of seed money to get their project going. What was most startling was how Outdoor Nation was able to provide us with connections between different states and how easy it was to collaborate ideas for such diverse regions. I’m excited to begin helping out with programs here and abroad as well as take some of the ideas for my own outdoor education program in Denver.
Let’s all be outside together.
~David Cumming, ACLC ’10

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Meet Emily! Fall Sawyer Corpsmember

I had a chance to chat with Emily when the Sawyer crew invited the office staff out for a delicious meal at their campsite! Check out her story below.

Emily graduated with a BS in Chemistry and randomly decided to take a Military Science class in her last year of school. This class led her to signing up for the Army and she soon was commissioned as an officer. A few weeks after joining Mile High Youth Corps Emily found out that she will be reporting to Fort Sam Houston, TX in January.

Emily values leadership. Her Military Science class focused on this quality a great deal and Emily was able to see it in practice in her MHYC crew through leaders and sponsors. Working with a crew has been a great experience to prepare Emily for the Army because in both cases different kinds of people come together as a team to work on a specific job.

Emily enjoyed the opportunity MHYC provided for her to see other areas of Colorado that she had not while living here. She is terrified and thrilled to see where she will go and who she will meet in her future in the Army and is thankful for the ways that MHYC has prepared her for her next adventure.

- Sylvia Sedrak, Outreach VISTA, Colorado Springs Field Office

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Camping Crew, Two Down, One to Go

Mile High Youth Corps Fall Forestry camping crew returned to the city after their second hitch (ten days out in the field camping and working) on Thursday. The crew has spent their time in the Pike National Forest doing sawyer work. With chain saws in hand, they’ve been busy thinning the forest in the Hayman burn area just outside of the small town of Deckers. The crew has one more camping hitch of the season, they’ll head back into the mountains tomorrow morning.

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