YouthBuilders Volunteer with Bessie’s Hope

For the past eight months, YouthBuild Corpsmembers have volunteered at two senior living facilities through Bessie’s Hope Youth and Elder Program. This program enhances quality of life and creates meaningful volunteer opportunities through life-enriching interactions with nursing home and assisted living elders. Corpsmembers have spent time with the residents creating crafts, playing games, even singing and dancing. It has been an unforgettable and rewarding experience for both the seniors and the Corpsmembers. Abby, a 2013 YouthBuild graduate, shared her thoughts:

Volunteering with Bessie’s Hope impacted all of us. It was challenging at first because we were not used to spending time with the elderly, but I learned a great deal about respect. We all left having learned something from attending Bessie’s Hope. I gained self-esteem, knowing that I can make a change in someone’s life even though they face challenges. I have no living grandparents, so interacting with the elderly made me feel good as if they were my own grandparents. The seniors may not have remembered us after we left, but knowing that you can put a smile on their faces for that day was an amazing feeling. It really was such a meaningful experience for me and the other YouthBuild Corpsmembers.

The YouthBuilders will be volunteering today with Bessie’s Hope for the last time before graduation. We know that these experiences will continue to have an impact even after their term has ended.

Vincent helps seniors fill in their cards during a game of food jingo

Dennis visits while coloring with a senior at an assisted living home

Abby and Maribel put together a puzzle

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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YouthBuild Corpsmembers Prepare for Graduation

In three weeks, MHYC’s YouthBuild Corpsmembers will be graduating from their program.  Since September, these young men and women have been studying for the GEDs and learning new construction skills.  With a few weeks left, ten Corpsmembers have earned their GED and 17 have earned their AmeriCorps Education Award.  Nearly every Corpsmember is within one or two tests of their GED!

I caught up with two of our Corpsmembers, Eloy Gonzales-Martinez and Abby Lopez, about their time at MHYC and what they have planned for their futures.

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What is the most important thing you learned this year?

Eloy:  Both education and college are extremely important.  No one can take those things away from you.
Abby: You can’t get anywhere in life without having an education.

What is your favorite memory from your time at MHYC?

Eloy: My favorite memory is when I went to the Young Leaders Conference in DC.  It was the best experience of my life.  (Read more of Eloy’s thoughts about the YLC here).
Abby: Making it into the program at the very beginning of the year.  I really wanted my GED!

What are you future plans?

Eloy: I’ve been accepted to the Community College of Denver.  I am going to study there for two years and then transfer to a four year school.  I want to study Anthropology and Archeology.  I also want to stay connected with MHYC by doing another term of service.  I already applied for Summer of Service!  (For more information about our Summer of Service opportunities, click here).
Abby:  I am starting at CCD this fall, as well!  I want to become a Pharmacist.

YouthBuild graduation will be held on May 24, 2013 at St. Catejan’s on the Auraria campus.

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YouthBuilders Return from DC

The 2013 AmeriCorps Conference of Youth Leaders took place last week in Washington D.C. with the purpose of connecting YouthBuild participants from all over the country.  Lawrence Pham and Eloy Martinez were selected to attend the conference which proved to be quite an exciting experience.  Lawrence was elected to be Colorado’s Representative on YouthBuild USA’s Young Leaders Council, a highly competitive and distinguished position.  The Council is a peer-elected body that serves as a voice for the national YouthBuild movement.  He will participate in various leadership roles such as policy-making and advocacy for YouthBuild USA.  He tells us about his experience here:

                 The Young Leaders Conference was fun.  Everyone had a blast.  We did a lot of group activities mainly focusing on team builders.  Everyone had to contribute and make the most out of our experience.  We participated in activities where the staff would spit wisdom into our lives.  Everything at the conference helped us think more positive and accept the fact that there are always bad things that happen. 

                The experience with other YouthBuild members was incredible.  We bonded so well because no one judged and everyone welcomed every single person there with open arms, even the chef.  We talked about life in their communities.  It shocked me how everyone could relate to each other no matter how far apart we live.  Meeting them was a true honor.  We made bonds that I believe will last forever.

                The one and only thing I was really nervous about was giving a speech for the Young Leaders Council.  Every day I was more frightened, not because of all the people looking at me, but because I didn’t know if my speech would be powerful enough to capture everyone’s heart.  The time limit was very strict, so it had to be inspiring and short which added even more pressure.  When the time came, I was shaking, but ready.  They called my name, and I went for it.  After my speech, I felt like I was on top of the world.  Many people came up to me to tell me what a great job I’d done.  It was one of the best feelings.

                After the trip, I felt really empowered.  Love and unity coursed through my veins as I entered the plane.  The energy was great, and I had no doubt it would last past the conference.  Overall, the experience was really powerful and motivating.  Being around 115 youth that were in the same shoes as me and who were taking a huge step in changing, not just their life but the world, helped me realize the potential in these once lost souls.

 

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To read more about the Young Leaders Conference, please visit www.YouthBuild.org.

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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YouthBuild Corpsmembers work to earn their GEDs

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YouthBuild USA was formed in 1990, based off the Youth Action Program developed by Dorothy Stoneman in East Harlem during the late 1970’s.   The organization’s mission is to “unleash the intelligence and positive energy of low-income youth to rebuild their communities and their lives.”  To do that, YouthBuild helps young adults get their GED while developing their construction skills and giving back to their community.  In a little over twenty years, 273 YouthBuilds have been established in 46 states.  Mile High Youth Corps’ YouthBuild program is the only one in the state of Colorado.  Since September, Corpsmembers have split their time between working one-on-one with subcontractors to learn a variety of construction skills (building, electrical work, plumbing, and more) and studying in the classroom as they make steps toward earning their GEDs.

To earn a GED, a person must take five tests in Reading, Writing, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies.  As of today, six Corpsmembers from the Mile High Youth Corps YouthBuild program have earned their GEDs, and every one of them is making great strides toward that achievement!  I recently spoke to three of our Corpsmembers about their progress toward getting their GED.  Vincent Martinoli, Dae’Mon Davis, and Angel Medina are all on their way to accomplishing their goal—Vincent passed his fourth test earlier this week, and both Dae’Mon and Angel only have two tests left to complete.

What made you join YouthBuild?

Vincent:  I wanted to get my GED and make money at the same time.
Angel:  I joined to get an education and for my daughter.

What has been the biggest challenge?

Dae’Mon: Being on the construction site and learning different trades.
Vincent:  Getting focused in the classroom because it’s been awhile since I had to do that.

What has been the most rewarding part of this experience?

Angel:  The sense of accomplishment.  I never had someone say “you did a good job” to me before.  Now I’ve been Corpsmember of the Month, and it means a lot to me.
Vincent:  Getting recognized for my work ethic.  I always knew I was a hard worker, but hearing that from my supervisors has been really rewarding.
Dae’Mon:  Taking steps toward the future and getting close to post-secondary education.

What do you plan to do after graduation?

Dae’Mon:  Work and go to college for business.
Angel:  Go to college or become a plumber.
Vincent:  Go to trade school.

All three of these Corpsmembers have helped to build affordable housing with the Denver Housing Authority while studying for their GED tests.  They have done a lot since their arrival in September, and we here at MHYC are proud of all they have accomplished and excited to see what they will do in the future!

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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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YouthBuild USA’s Post-Secondary Education Conference

Last month, Mile High Youth Corps was proud to host YouthBuild USA’s National Schools Initiative /Post-Secondary Education Conference. Representatives from organizations all around the country came to Denver for three days to take part in this conference and learn more about our YouthBuild program and its emphasis on post-secondary education (PSE).

During the conference, over 100 guests enjoyed a number of educational sessions and workshops on topics including soft skills, the future of the labor market, leadership, and positive youth development.

Corpsmembers were also given the chance to speak and share their inspiring stories. Corpsmembers spoke candidly of their own personal struggles to find work without a solid educational foundation and shared their progress in the program so far.

After hearing from some of the Corpsmembers, attendees took a tour of one of our YouthBuild work sites. Corpsmembers led small groups around the site to explain their roles in the construction process. Corpsmembers offered valuable feedback to the representatives of other YouthBuild organizations about what parts of the program are effective and which parts are not.

The important topics discussed at the conference will help all YouthBuild affiliates across the country, MHYC included, improve our education programs and send more young people out into the world with a stronger desire to succeed in the workplace and the classroom. Thanks to everyone in attendance at this year’s fall NSI/PSE Conference and we hope to see you all again soon!

For more information on the National Schools Initiative, YouthBuild USA, or post-secondary education programs, click here.

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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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YouthBuild Hiring Wrap-up!

July 31st was the final orientation for our YouthBuild program and we are happy to announce that we have an amazing group of candidates that will be invited to orientation in the next couple weeks. Of the 400+ applicants to the YouthBuild program this year, only 200 made it to this part of the process, so each candidate who was invited to orientation should be proud of this accomplishment.

Next up for the chosen candidates is Mental Toughness, which will begin on August 13th. For 4 weeks, prospective Corpsmembers will have the opportunity to learn new skills, demonstrate their desire to be a part of the Youthbuild program, and participate in an intensive training course.

After Mental Toughness, we will be sure to introduce you to our latest class of MHYC YouthBuild Corpsmembers so check back!

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And so it begins…

I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Brent and I am the new Outreach Alumni Mentor for 2012. I’m sure all of you were familiar with my predecessor, Michelle. Michelle wore a lot of hats at MHYC and in doing so, connected with many of you through this blog and our Twitter and Facebook pages. By all accounts, she left behind some very large shoes to fill but I am very excited and committed to doing my best for our community and this organization.

I joined Mile High Youth Corps in July of 2011 and simply fell in love with the work that we do. I am truly looking forward to the year ahead, and what a year we have coming up! In 2012, Mile High Youth Corps will celebrate its 20th Anniversary! We will be bringing on new crews for Land, Energy, and Water, powering though a Summer of Service, graduating a fantastic class of YouthBuild and bringing on a whole new group of Colorado youth to earn their GEDs and diplomas.

I cannot say enough about this organization and the community it serves, but that won’t stop me from trying. Over the next twelve months, I will give you a sneak peak into the inner workings of your favorite non-profit, keep you updated on all of our current projects in and around your neighborhood, and gear up for an amazing 20th anniversary celebration. I know I can count on you all, our dedicated followers, to help us make 2012 the most successful year of service that Colorado and Mile High Youth Corps have ever seen!

I look forward to serving you in the future,

Brent
2012 Outreach Alumni Mentor

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In Case You Missed YouthBuild Graduation…

Here is the slideshow! Congratulations Graduates!

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