MHYC Participates in Global Youth Service Day

April 26-28th marks Global Youth Service Day 2013, the largest day of service in the world and the only service event specifically dedicated to children and youth ages 5-25.  In honor of the event, MHYC took part in five different service projects throughout Denver.  Take a look below to see how our Corpmembers and Staff lent their helpful hands today:

Picking up trash, sweeping, and checking for graffiti at our Adopt-A-Spot location.

Weeding and helping to install an irrigation system for the Boys and Girls Club.

Sorting food donations, preparing pallets of food orders, packing boxes of food orders at Food Bank of the Rockies.

Landscaping and maintaining trails at the Bluff Lake Nature Center.

Helping Denver Urban Gardens lay gravel pathways for an existing community garden.

And check out the video of why our Corpsmembers serve:

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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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Lauren Johnson: Sawyer Experience Alumni Spotlight

We often hear “chainsaw” and automatically picture horror movies that have left us with a fear of people with chainsaws. Fortunately, that didn’t scare away Lauren Johnson, a Mile High Youth Corps (MHYC) Alumna, who began at MHYC in 2011 as a Fall Forestry Sawyer and continued to serve with MHYC as AmeriCorps Leadership and Conservation Corpsmember in 2012. She reminisces about her experience as a Sawyer throughout her two terms at Mile High Youth Corps.

There’s no denying that moment of nervous hesitation when accepting the offer to be a sawyer on a summer chainsaw crew for MHYC. For a large number of people the fear resides in never having touched a chainsaw, let alone ever using one. For others, it’s in the unaccredited notion that cutting down trees is a man’s job. These fears are quite normal. The greatest thing though, is when these fears transform into a powerful eagerness to do what you thought you couldn’t do.

I am an advocate for the Mile High Youth Corps saw crew experience. There is just no way words can justify how uniquely special this job can be. As a Fall Forestry sawyer in 2011 as well as a saw crew ACLC in 2012, I created some of the most memorable moments of my life. From the moment I wrapped my fingers around my first STIHL MS362 power head, or Michelangelo as it was so affectionately called, I was hooked. Any fear of not having operated a chainsaw escaped me. Being a girl just made me that much more powerful and eager to prove myself. With chaps on my legs, gloves on my hands, plugs in my ears, helmet on my head, and Michelangelo clenched in my grasp, I took down my first tree within three days of training. Once I took down one, I wanted to do another. It was an instant addiction, and to say falling trees is anything less than a passion of mine would be an understatement.

The best part of being a sawyer, for me, was the variety in daily challenges. Every tree is different. Every location is different. One week you might be at Cherry Creek State Park cutting Russian Olives. Another week you might be at Golden Gate Canyon State Park fire mitigating pines. Each tree is encompassed by factors that lead to a safe fall of it. What worked on one tree won’t necessarily work for the one standing right next to it. No matter what, I controlled how each tree came down.

However, being a sawyer at MHYC is more than just cutting down trees. The people I worked with are some of the best people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. I have never met a group of individuals so dedicated to their coworkers, their work, and its purpose. Whether it’s a saw partner struggling through a tough project, or the crew pushing to meet a goal, someone is always able to motivate a person or the crew to finish strong. The toughest days and the toughest projects are the ones that you’ll remember and be the most proud of when it’s all said and done.

One of my favorite memories was at Genesee in October 2011. My crew had been working at Genesee for a couple weeks and we were close to finishing our project goals. As luck should have it, Genesee got six or eight inches of snow on the first day of our last week there. So, with six inches of snow in a rock filled mountainous park, we had to finish. Quitting was not an option. We bundled in our warmest clothes, assembled the saws, and trudged through. Ten hour days spent in thirty two degree weather, snow up to our knee caps with the saws blazing along. We spent our lunches that week crammed in the van trying to warm up. The crew leader would pass out hand warmers, but nobody’s gloves escaped the viciousness of the cold, wet snow. No one quit, and at the end of the week we looked back proud at what we had accomplished amidst the unruly circumstances.

Being part of a saw crew gave me the opportunity to help the community and environment I live in. I went into Mile High Youth Corps with the drive and passion to make my little section of the world a better place to be, and left with so much more. I learned a type of work discipline that can’t be taught behind a desk. I transformed from a more self-centered individual, to a more self-sacrificing individual with a greater consideration for the people around me. I built a variety of uncommon technical skills that set me apart from the everyday workforce. I created a network of contacts that were helpful while seeking an enjoyable job after the term was over. I went out of my comfort zone, which readied me for the new and exciting, nerve wracking situations I was sure to encounter. I made friendships that will last a lifetime. The motivation to make my world a better place made me a better person.
You get out of the Mile High Youth Corps and Americorps experience what you put into it. My advice to anyone thinking about joining on a summer saw crew: Do it. Have passion for it. Go to work, do your best every day, and motivate others to do their best. Make friends, and create memories… Most importantly, you have nothing to lose from this experience and everything to gain.

-Lauren Johnson

The views expressed in our blog represent that of the individual and do not reflect the opinion of Mile High Youth Corps.

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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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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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Colorado Gives Day!

On Tuesday, December 4, 2012 Coloradans will come together again to raise millions of dollars for nonprofits like ours. Last year, a remarkable $12.8 million was distributed to Colorado nonprofits through Colorado Gives Day. Help us reach our $15,000 goal this year!

Mile High Youth Corps serves youth ages 16 to 24 by providing opportunities for youth to gain career readiness skills through community service. Currently youth ages 16 to 24 are experience the highest unemployment rates in the country, 17.1%, more than double the national average!

Your support can help us create more opportunities for youth to get to work. In 2012, Mile High Youth Corps received more than 1,500 applications for only 195 job opportunities. We know that we can make a bigger impact but we need your help. Preschedule your Colorado Gives Day donation today and help us build more opportunities for youth in our community!

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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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WE’RE HIRING!!

Mile High Youth Corps is now accepting applications for multiple youth positions in two separate programs.

The AmeriCorps Leadership & Conservation program is a demanding, team-based, leadership experience providing diverse service opportunities in education, community outreach, youth development, and physical labor to achieve a common goal: environmental conservation.  ACLCs have the opportunity to work across all of our other programs and play an integral leadership role at Mile High Youth Corps. The position is a 10-month commitment, earns a bi-weekly stipend of $553.07, and is eligible for an AmeriCorps Education Award of $5,550. Corpsmembers must be able to serve from January 28, 2013 to December 13, 2013.

The Energy & Water Conservation program gives young people the chance to help residents in the Denver Metro Area to upgrade their homes and save money. Corpsmembers will perform efficiency upgrades on utilities in homes to reduce utility bills and benefit the environment. In addition, energy and water crews educate clients on conservation measures, which will help residents further reduce their consumption and costs. Positions are a 5-month commitment, earn a stipend ranging between $256-$288 per week, and are eligible for a $2,114.00 AmeriCorps Education Award. Corpsmembers must be available to serve from January 28, 2013 to June 28, 2013. For all positions, for which we are currently hiring, applicants must be between the ages of 18 and 24 and must have either their GED or High School Diploma by the start date for each program.

Click here for more information about these and all open positions at Mile High Youth Corps.

Check out these pictures to get an idea for some of the projects you would be working on.

Taking a break after installing a high-efficiency toilet!

Removing some noxious weeds.

About to install a high-efficiency toilet!

Cutting down some trees to prevent wild fires.

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YouthBuild Promotion

After a lengthy application process which included numerous interviews, an orientation, 3 weeks of Mental Toughness, and 1 week of training, we are excited to announce that we have promoted 36 new YouthBuild Corpsmembers! We are very proud of the hard work and commitment our new YouthBuild Corpsmsmbers have made over the past few weeks. We are also very excited to see all of our Corpsmembers make an impact around our community, grow their job skills, and work toward earning their GED or Diploma. Congratulations to all of our new YouthBuild Corpsmembers! Below are several pictures from Mental Toughness and Training week.

Meeting Denver City Councilman Paul D. Lopez

Working hard cleaning up our water systems.

Spending time the classroom.

Even more work in the classroom.

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