Rocky Mountain Youth Corps

Green Crew Update

2011-07-19T09:27:00.000-07:00

After our project in Wagon Mound ended, the Green Crew had a summer intensive training week which consisted of: hauling and splitting wood; camping and hiking at the Great Sand Dunes National Park; visiting a solar array in Southern Colorado; visiting the Earthship Biotechture visitor center; learning about indoor air quality risks; and Wilderness and Remote First Aid training. Through these trainings and field trips we learned quite a bit about nature, alternative energy, off grid housing, toxic chemicals and head/neck/spine injuries.

Last week Green Crew partnered with Taos County Housing Authority. We've been working with recycled newspaper insulation. It has been hard but rewarding work and its nice to work with non-toxic materials. We have to break down the insulation into fluffy pieces and feed them into the insulation blower machine. Two people must go into the hot, cramped attic spaces and blow a few inches of insulation over the existing insulation. This will save the home heating and cooling energy by increasing the R-value of the insulation. Even though the materials are non-toxic, we have to wear goggles and face masks to prevent the tiny particles from getting into our eyes and lungs. Wearing proper gear does add to the heat factor and makes it little harder to see and breathe. This work definitely makes for a good night's sleep and a clear conscious!

Today is day two of Education Block. Ed Block is one week of intense education and training for all corpsmembers. Yesterday consisted of preparing for life after RMYC, like learning proper interview techniques and setting up our AmeriCorps online accounts to access our scholarships after graduation. My $2700 will go straight towards my existing student loans. Some RMYC graduates will be putting their scholarship towards their first years in college or vocational training. We also discussed the preparation needed for our Presentations of Learning (POL) that we do at graduation. POLs are five minute presentations we do as individuals to explain our experience and growth during the program and to share what our next steps are.
The rest of the day was held at UNM-Taos' campus where we played some icebreaker games, received a self-defense lesson from IMPACT Personal Safety out of Santa Fe, and chose from several breakout sessions like "The Roots of Violence", Media Literacy and a Parenthood Panel. The day ended in the computer lab where we prepared and printed resumes and cover letters.

Stories From Questa

2011-07-19T09:16:00.001-07:00

A month and a half into our AmeriCorps term, Crew 11 is working efficiently and steadily towards our summer goals. We have finally reached the bottom of La Junta Trail at Wild Rivers! Awesome, right?! We continue moving rocks and clearing the trail to help hikers navigate a little easier. Looking back on the beginning of the program, we have improved significantly in our communication and teamwork. We're even having more enjoyable conversations with the hikers using the trail than we were at the beginning of the program. We are now a well-oiled machine who also has fun at work!
I'd like to share a couple of stories, one of which is frustrating, another which is hilarious. The crew was all really disappointed the day after we did some cement work on the trail when we found a vandalized inscription, "OSU 2011" etched into the fresh cement. It was really not cool, considering how hard we work! On a lighter notes, one of our fellow crewmembers, Micaela, learned an important lesson when she left her lunch out one afternoon and found that a squirrel actually chewed THROUGH her bag and stole all of her candy!
We continue to grow as a crew and as individuals and continue to make an impact on our community and the environment. One good word that sums up our experience so far: BOOYAH!

MariaElena Martinez, Crew 11, Questa

Fun. Friends. Future.

2011-07-07T09:21:00.000-07:00

As the past few weeks have gone by, Questa Crew # 11 have done excellent work on the La Junta Trail. We've been fixing and preparing the trail for the summer hikers to walk down to the river and see the natural beauty of nature. We've installed six water bars, built rock walls and steps along the trail, removed large rocks and smoothed out the trail and making the slope less steep. All of this is to make the trail easier to walk down. The crew has put strength and energy in the creation of this trail and we'll continue to use our skills and teamwork to make it a safe and easy trail. We are making a difference!

Crew 3 Blog 06-30-2011

2011-06-30T14:59:00.001-07:00

For the past two months our crew has been in the heat of the Tijeras mountains. We spent our time breaking through solid rock to install ATV barricades and giant information kiosks, as well as putting up thousands of feet of fencing. When we finished with digging holes for 10 hrs. a day we began work on cutting corridor for biking and hiking trails. YIPEE chain saw work again!!!
Finally this week we were once again slaying the White Fir dragons, in their unusually dry dwellings up in the La Jara mountains. Due to fire restrictions we ripped our selves out of bed at 4:00 AM so we could start sawing at first sunlight. We had to shut down at 10:00 am. After sawing in the morning we were able to eat lunch, take a nap, do a training and cook dinner. Thanks to Justin we where able to cook meals in his families cabin near by. Cutting would start at 6:00 pm and go until darkness once again fell on the land.
Unfortunately due to wild fires across New Mexico, Carson national park instituted stage III fire restrictions starting 12:00 on Wednesday night. This means all forest roads are closed and no chain saws in the mountains. So our future work schedules are in the wind. We will keep you in the loop as future projects present themselves.

Green Crew Blog 2/23/11

2011-06-27T09:17:00.000-07:00

After the end of our project in Wagon Mound, the Green Crew had a summer intensive training week. The week consisted of hauling and splitting wood, camping and hiking at the sand dunes, and visiting a solar array. We also visited the Earthship visitor center, had a lecture about indoor air quality, and learned wilderness and remote First Aid training. Through the trainings and field trips we learned quite a bit about nature, solar energy, off-grid housing, toxic chemicals, and head, spine, and neck injuries.
This week the green crew is partnered with the Taos County Housing Authority. We've been working with recycled newspaper insulation. The work has been hard and rewarding. Working with non-toxic materials is nice. We have to break the insulation into fluffy pieces and feed them into the insulation blower machine.Two people must go into the hot, cramped attic spaces and blow a few inches of insulation over the existing insulation. The homes will save energy on heating and cooling because of the increased R-value of the insulation. Even though the materials are non-toxic, we still have to wear goggles and face masks to prevent the tiny particles from getting into our eyes and lungs. Wearing the proper gear does add to the heat factor and makes breathing and seeing harder. The work definitely makes for a good night sleep and a clear conscience.

June 20, 2011 - June 23, 2011 Blog! Crew #13

2011-06-24T08:45:00.000-07:00

The first day of the third week was freezing cold. Everyone had the chills but at least everyone had a sweater to keep warm. In courtyard number two, we had to finish putting 3 yards of crusher fine. So, Ariana delivered two truck loads of crusher fines and we started to level the crusher fines. We were moving all of the excess dirt to the sagebrush and finished up moving all of the dirt. We started with courtyard number one and we were in teams laying and leveling pavers inside courtyard one. We took the pavers from the helipad area and transported them into the courtyard. Damian, Estella & Amber got plants and weeds from the hospital to decorate and put around the excess dirt. While we were doing our daily PT, a dog named Charlie took and ran off with Joe's lunch! Charlie from Crew #12 ran after the dog. But at least the dog only yook the sandwich bread. Estrella came up with a joke everyone enjoyed. When we can't find an answer or we're stuck at some point, Estrella simply says, "phone a friend, need a lifeline." As soon as we finished courtyard number one, we started in courtyard number three by pulling out weeds and digging a hole for the pond. We dug 6 feet wide and 2 feet deep, but unfortunately the people at the hospital don't want a pond anymore. So we filled up the pond with dirt and made it into a flower bed. We started to plant trees, shrubs, plants, and flowers as well.

TJ - Penasco Crew

2011-06-22T13:33:00.000-07:00

In the last 2 weeks I've met new people, along with my crew members meeting new people. I have learned new tools and how the tools work. I have also learned about working as a team. We have been making and cleaning trails for people in and out of the community to use. Our work impacts the community because it makes some outdoor activities like hiking possible for people.

We have come across some challenges like deciding on one idea and a certain way to do something. There has been very very few miscommunications between crew members. We have overcome these kind of things. I am excited about working on new trails and making more paths possible for hikers.

June 13, 2011- June 16, 2011 Blog!

2011-06-22T13:17:00.000-07:00

Our week at Crew #14 was fun and intense work at the Holy Cross Hospital. At the job site, we have three major projects. We started with courtyard number three and we mounded 2 1/2 tons of dirt! Then Damian and Estrella flatten the dirt to level it out. After we leveled it out, we plan to put crusher fines and sand to the next layer after the dirt. Finally, we will add the bricks that match the courtyard's bricks inside the hospital. Courtyard three will then be a patio and seating area for the hospital staff to sit and eat lunch. Also the barbque can be rolled out onto the courtyard for cookouts. We started working on courtyard two. We took out the red donor bricks and placed them in the dumpster. While we were digging at courtyard three, Cory, our supervisor, found a mole! The first mole was nice but the second mole bit Cory five times! Luckily there was no bleeding. Throughout the weekend it was exciting and fun.

Crew 1 blog by Jared Hazard

2011-06-22T13:04:00.000-07:00

This week Crew 1 is on spike in Santa Fe. It is our crew's first back country spike. Packing light and hiking long distances was very challenging for our crew. It was rough losing Angi and Josh during the spike but even being two people short our crew finished three out of five properties! We also got lots of help from Lynn and Miles from the Forestry Service. We also did three crew trainings. First public speaking, second conflict resolution with Rosie, and last internal and external perception. We played an awesome game of football, which helped us with teamwork. The awesome spike was challenging and rewarding.

Wilderness is...

2011-06-20T14:14:00.000-07:00

Wilderness is the land all around us. undiscovered. untamed. unnamed. - Alyssa Sampson

Wilderness is a place that is hardly touched by roads, earth moving vehicles, and technology. A place that people, animals, plants, and insects can be free and have peace. - Cody Allrunner

Wilderness to me is a place where anyone can go where the modern world doesn't impose. Where nature is able to be wild and undamaged by humans. Wilderness is a place where the environment can flourish. - Callie Miller

Wilderness is places that are untouched or as minimally exposed to man as possible. A place to reflect, work, build character and become completely subject to all the elements you can't control. - Karen Mirabal

La Jara Canyon

2011-05-13T13:31:00.000-07:00

by Joshua Mondragon

These two weeks went by really quickly! My birthday was on the third. My crew was really nice and made my day go by great. I am really appreciative of them. This is one of the first weeks we had good weather. We were all able to cut with each other and be swampers with everyone on the crew. We learned a lot about "leave no trace" which I think is really important. I think everyone in the world should start doing the leave no trace. The environment would be way better. We got to go for wood to bring down for Ancianos. I used to think it was hard going for wood when I would go just with a friend, so now that we do it with the crew it makes it a whole new experience. Jamie came up to jive us training on Wilderness First Aid and that was awesome and is something we had to learn because we are out in the backcountry. Thanks Jamie!

Crew 3, Spike 1

2011-04-26T08:20:00.000-07:00

First we established out village in the foothills. Soon we realized we were under attack. We responded to the call to slay the dragons. The southwest white pine and aspen dragons were calling for our help. The white fur dragons where attacking from their base. We knew not the dangers that lie in our path; rain, snow, wind, and the hike of death. One of our comrades almost fell, but we saved him, and slew the white fur dragons HAHAA!!!! The knight training continued. As we got more comfortable with our weapons of destruction and death, we realized that by bathing in their sap and drinking their tears we became invincible. We thus stand victorious, with the dragon heads and wings at our feet.

This was our last week of S212 training; where we started felling trees with our chain saws. We worked on CFRP (collaborative forestry restoration program) in LaJara canyon in Taos, NM. Our main objective was to thin out the forest so that the Aspen’s growth would not be hindered by the White fur, Blue spruce, and Engelmann spruce, among other high latter fuel producing tree types. In doing so we were able to provide much needed fire wood to the elderly. We worked in weather conditions varied from very nice in the day to 5 in. of snow on the ground. We had challenging times and times for great team building. Most important we made it through as a crew together stronger and closer.

Blue Crew Blog Two

2011-04-26T08:18:00.000-07:00

Kids with saws
we control the fire
safety laws.

As we move higher
up the trees
making a difference
as we please.

Thinning for safety
with the breeze
we make our entry,
cautious ease.

We will eat and sleep
with the trees
safely removing,
sizing them up,
always improving
as we cut.

2011-04-26T08:17:00.000-07:00

Week Two at R.M.Y.C
4/4/11 - 4/8/11

This week we started the Forest Worker Safety Certification Program. The first day was a little rough. A lot of sitting down, but we got through it. Everybody from the crew learned something new. We went over Dynamics of Southwest Forests, Safety Requirements, and Job Hazard Analysis (J.H.A).
On Tuesday we went over Chainsaw Maintenance and Operations, Chainsaw Tasks and Techniques, Hazardous Materials, and Logging Equipment and Transportation Safety. We played games for break to get the blood flowing from all that sitting. This was a lot of information for two days. We finished the handbook for the test on Wednesday.
Test time! I think everybody was a little anxious to start the test. We reviewed before the test, and then got going. I am proud to announce that everybody in our crew passed with a 90% and over. After that we went to the Red River Fish Hatchery to see five guys get Re-certified. Before the day was over we went around to the wild rivers. That pretty much finished our day.
Today was the best day so far. The beginning of S-212 training. We got to assemble our saws today. It was all hands on. We were with crew 3 and it was awesome to see both crews working as one. We got all our P.P.E. to run a saw and then had a race to put them on. We learned how to carry a saw properly that way we won’t over work ourselves. The best part is when we got to start our saws for the first time. Everybody did great on this part and now we’re all ready for next week!
To finish this week we got in house training with our crew. We’re going to be covering our first Spike Training Packet. Stages of Group Development and Crew Code of Ethics will be taught by our crew supervisor. Then Jamie and Rosie will be going over our I.D.P’s. That should take us to the end of our day. Finally the weekend!

-by Andrew Segura

Chainsaw Training

2011-04-19T13:35:00.000-07:00

This week we did s-212 training. We learned how to work a chainsaw properly. They taught us how to use a wedge to drop a tree, how to do maintenance, and how to limb the proper way. It's important to look up, down, and all around and to use your PPE. Also this week the crew and I learned more about safety and feeling safe while working together.

by Joshua Curry

Final Thoughts From YCC Crews #11 and 12

2010-08-17T09:51:00.000-07:00

From Daniel Herrera, Crew 11:
Yesterday we did a "complement circle" where I learned how to give and receive complements. I also learned more about my role in the group through this exercise. We have been working on the Big Arsenic River Trail at Wild Rivers Recreation Area. We are making the trail better and safer for hikers. Some challenges we've faced in the last week included having the Taos crew come work with us. We had to learn how to work with people we didn't know while showing them the basics of trail maintenance. We also had to deal with very unpredictable weather. I am really excited to finish our work and graduate from the 10-week program next week!

From Michael Mundy-Passmore, Crew 12:
The skills I have developed during my time as a crew member for YCC are how to communicate my ideas without begin confrontational, and how to depend on other for help- I don't have to work alone even if the job is simple. The crew has been doing a great job working together. We all know what needs to be done, and if we disagree on how it should be done then we discuss it. We reason until we can find common ground.
Recently we finished a sand volleyball court. We did a great job on it. Even though the work was hard and the weather hot, we kept a good attitude through the whole process. The crew has worked really quickly and very hard, plus the good attitudes help every hour of work go by faster. It also helps us finish projects a lot sooner than expected. The biggest issue the crew has had to deal with is difference ideas of how to do a specific thing. Although we discuss it, it takes time and sometimes puts everyone at each others throats, but we always make it work. I can't wait to see how all of our projects look after we have completed them!

Crew 12-Taos Crew by Mia Anglada

2010-07-20T15:32:00.001-07:00

Before I joined Rocky Mountain Youth Corps I noticed that I wasn't doing much to feel proud of myself. Oh, I knew I had to make a change. My life is improving and I can feel a change. Last year was a tought year for me and I;d like to make up for how everything then had an impact now. I was so uncomfortable with my body and I was so deressed and confused.

As I reflect on the days I've been here I've seen such a huge improvement in my behavior, work ehtic, communication and my body. I actually am comfortable with the way I look now and that's something I would not have been able to say if it weren't for RMYC.

My crew is a very hard working crew and we are making a difference. To be honest I feel lik I'm not very smart. But when I'm with the crew all of the intelligence rubs off on me and there is so much that I've learned from the crew and I;m so grateful.

Starting during our second interview I saw all the great opportunities to give back and start making progress in life. They actually take time to help each and every individual. In the mornings we all gather together and try our best as one to push ourselves at PT. We have cleaned so many tons of trash so our Mother Earth could become the beautiful creation she once was.

Questa YCC Crew 7/1/2010

2010-07-20T13:07:00.000-07:00

In the last 2 weeks I have seen myself improve in my communication skills. I have saved three hundred dollars from my past two checks, many other skills I learned are being able to use tools properly.

So far this summer we have been working on the hiking trails , bettering it for the community as well as ourselves. We cleaned out an area for the BLM, this area will be used for a concert benefit. The trails we work on benefit the beautiful scenerty we have and attracts fore people.

My crew has faced gnats, rocks falling, and the heat. We finally found a bug spray that repels that gnats. The rocks are gonna fall, so we have done our best of keeping an eye on them. In order to not be too affected by the heat we drink plenty of water and wear sunscreen. We are a pretty tough crew, we help each other through everything.

The next two weeks should be really exciting being that we should be down lower on the trail, hopefully we will be at the springs. I plan on getting more leadership skills in showing people who and what RMYC does.

Taos Youth Conservation Crew Blog

2010-07-20T08:46:00.000-07:00

For the most part my goals have been accomplished. Communication with the crew has definitely improved. Also my strength has been growing. Most of our projects involve picking up other people's trash and cleaning up river sites. Cleaning up illegal dump-sites had a major impact not only on people but also on the crew. Some of the challenges are beginning an area of trash. I've noticed that it's hard for us to get started picking up trash. But once we do the day moves faster than Speedy Gonzales. Really looking forward to Gusdorf Park because when we went to check it out it was completely dead. Hopefully we can bring it back to life when we're done.

As the day starts it's hard to start the work. But as people stroll by and say "thank you," or "it looks nice," the inspiration comes along without being asked to. Our arms and legs get too tired to continue the clean up. We ask for a break as Lisa goes on like if there was no tomorrow. 22 legs and arms are being burned to make a difference in the community. As for us, we just keep going, going, although some may yell at us, others will make food for us and thank us. Personally, I think we are not just making a difference, we are showing those who complain about illegal trash that it just takes a few hours and a few days to make the site look like nature again. As our journey continues with planting trees and rebuilding a park we have learned responsibility and taking charge of some of the issues of dump sites. Who are we? We are Crew 12, Taos Crew from Rocky Mountain Youth Corps. And yes, we do make a difference all around the county. -Irma Bernal

Questa Crew 7/19/2010

2010-07-19T15:40:00.000-07:00

We have started working together better as a team and we use our tools in the right way. We work on trails moving rock, digging water bars, and cleaning trash. The challenges we have faced include learning how to build a rock wall. We're excited for the river!! Hoping for rain and clouds, it was too hot!

2010-07-19T15:29:00.000-07:00

El Rito Crew Blog
7/12/2010
Today we started by exercising. Then we left the job site with the other crew to review the hazard analysis of the saws and the wilderness. Then we started scattering brush.

7/8/2010
The morning began with exercise. Preparing for the day assuring that we had all refreshments and tools needed for the task at hand. We proceeded to Juarita Mesa alongside another YCC crew and two engines. Before beginning we had a brief tailgate meeting with the engine foreman. We moved brush and slash one chain in from Forest Rd 44. We worked throughout the day. Everyone was very tired heading back down at the end of the day.

6/29/2010
Today we are putting up the new picnic tables. We started by exercising and covering the hazard analysis on staining safety. We replaced the 2 x 6's and 2 x 8's that had graffiti. Then we stained the tables, posts, and picked up trash.

Penasco YCC - Crew # 13

2010-07-01T08:49:00.000-07:00

6-25-2010

This week's task was for us to make a trail down in the Pilar Camping area. The trail was approximately 1000 feet. The trail work was more intense than last week. Our most challenging task was constructing a a rock bridge across an arroyo. Last week's morale ranged from low to high. This week our morale stayed high all week. The only occasion I can recall of our morale being low is when our supervisor got sick. On another note we had a new recruit to our crew. Overall, our week was very productive and we accomplished all our goals.

RMYC Community Meeting, Great Music by Adrian & Niko

2010-07-01T08:48:00.000-07:00

Questa YCC Crew, Crew #11

2010-07-01T08:44:00.000-07:00

6/18/2010

I learned to work together as a team and how each person plays a special role I learned people can get dehydrated fast and it's my duty to make them drink more H2O and take breaks when necessary.

We have been working on Big Arsenic trail providing cleaner safer and effective space for hikers.

Bugs and heat became a challenge to our crew. We used more bug spray and wore long sleves to cover up bugs and heat.

In the next two weeks I am excited to keep working on Big Arsenic Trail and make it to the bottom safely.

6/24/2010

Swinging picks has helped me get back in shape and PT helps a lot as well.

We have been working on trails at Wild Rivers and have really made a big impact on the trail and the safety of the visitors.

The heat has bee a big challenge since the first day on site. Also, we have gone through many bottles of bug spray trying to fend off the millions of bugs!

I'm excited to go down the river!

Abiquiu Youth Conservation Corps Crew

2010-06-30T15:02:00.000-07:00

6/21/2010 Today we exercised and then went to the campgrounds and had a tailgate meeting. Then we went over the hazard analysis. Then we put on our Personal Protective Equipment needed and started staining the fence.
All the crew worked as a team to accomplish our goal of staining the fence.
We helped pick up trash from the road to improve the look and air in our community.
Our crew has gave it our best to accomplish everything that was needed to be done as a team even if it was a big a challenge.

6/22/2010
Today we exercised, sanded tables, painted tables and fences. We also went over the hazard analysis and used all our PPE.

6/23/2010
Today we sanded off all the graffiti from the picnic tables. Once that was done we began to paint the tops and bottoms of the tables. We also played a few team-building games after we finished our work.

6/24/2010
Today we began our work by staining 2 by 4's and 2 by 6's to replace the terribly graffitied tables at the El Rito Campgrounds. We then laid down forms for the barbecue grills. Then we stained some more tables and picked up trash at the campgrounds.

Penasco Youth Conservation Corps: Week 1

2010-06-30T14:53:00.000-07:00

The week was very productive. As a team we accomplished our goals and more. Our week consisted or making a bike trail. We accomplished that goal halfway through the week and ahead of schedule. We finished the week off by hiking trails and maintaining them; such as cactus removal and applying drainage systems to the trails.
During the week our emotions ranged in a variety of ways. In the morning we were all energized and ready to work. But as soon as the heat picks up and gnats started to attack us, it took its toll on our spirits. Although we had some lows, we overcame most of it and remained happy.

Taos Youth Conservation Crew

2010-06-30T13:35:00.000-07:00

by Nikolai Bennett

Getting to know the crew better has been a great experience. It's a awesome accomplishment to clean up nice places so other people can enjoy them more. We've been cleaning out brush, trees and trash. Our work makes Taos's environment safer and more pristine by removing eyesores and scrap metal. The challenges we have faced include dust, rust, snakes, scratches, broken glass and soreness. And we overcame it all with teamwork and humor.

A Poem (illegal dumpsites)
By Nikolai Bennett

Rusty dirt settles on faces
Forgotten places
That people neglected
And never protected
Because keeping it real was just too hard
Don't ruin nature like it's your own to discard
It's where we're from
Don't forget your roots
Like a forest of trees interwoven
The youth of today have a token
We must harvest what the world has sewn
With strength and knowledge wonders well hone

A Week with Crew 19

2010-06-22T10:03:00.000-07:00

6/14/10
Today we started out with exercising then we went over the Hazard Analysis Form and the tailgate safety. Then we overlooked the job site and went over our job assignments.

6/15/10
Today we sanded off the graffiti from the gazebo. Then we covered the cement so we didn't spill stain on the cement. We started staining the gazebo. We cleaned up trash around our area.

6/16/10
Today we stained the wood and protected our area by laying down plastic and paper. In order to paint the top we used a scaffold and a ladder. We all worked as a team to move the scaffold and paint the high parts.

6/17/10
Today we got on the scaffold and finished the other side of the gazebo and finished it. After we finished the gazebo we started staining the fence with linseed oil.

6/18/10
Today was a training day, we washed and cleaned the van. Also we put the spare on the van, exercised and sharpened tools.

Thoughts on the Job

2010-06-21T11:28:00.000-07:00

by Corey Romero, Crew 12: Taos YCC

Day 1, Monday 6/14:

The first project of crew 12 we started on was improving the environment around the Rio Lucero River and helping the river look healthy. We did things like thin trees, picked up trash and improved the scenery and environment around the area. Day one started fresh with a commitment to hard labor and I noticed how much the crew grew. They learned from each other; getting good vibes of inspiration and positively working together as a team.

Day 2, Tuesday 6/15:

Right away we finished what we had left for the next day and the area around the river already started to look like a huge improvement. More people would pass by thanking us and giving out appreciation with words to feel good and be proud. The trust grew; I would guess that is because of teamwork. We improved obstacles of staying together by not feeling scared or shy, speaking our minds with ideas and sharing ideas, sharing thoughts and collaborating a bit more.

Day 3, Wednesday 6/16:

It was more work of the same today, but the more effort equals a good job and the environment looks better and better. I can already see we are starting off as a real crew team would because of how much effort we put into it.

Day 4, Thursday 6/17:

Today is the last day of out project on the Rio Lucero River, the section on Upper Ranchitos Road. After this week I am sure I can say that it was an accomplishment after the effort the crew put into it. Learning how to understand how differently people work, having an open mind towards our differences and asking questions made communication easier. The more the crew got to know each other, commitment and labor became a common goal. I think we are learning by seeing our accomplishments and I hope to experience more of this with new projects to work on. The feel of being appreciated by Taos citizens inspires us to keep it up. Now we can pass by what we worked on and know what was done. The river looks better and there was a huge improvement on the piles and piles of trimmed and dead trees and all the trash. Now hopefully the crew will show more teamwork and keeping up with the effort we showed.

April on the Forestry Crews

2010-04-19T09:09:00.000-07:00

The last couple of weeks have been an exciting debut to an unforgettable experience that everyone in this program has encountered.
Though some days can be overwhelming, those days are also healthy. I am in the forestry crew, also known as Crew 1 with eight other members including my supervisor. We have all been introduced to trail and forestry work. We’ve gone on the “Arsenic Trail” to help out Game and Fish which included hiking down into the Rio Grande with cut throat trout on our backs to restock in the rivers. We’ve worked on a dedicated employee’s house that has a trail leading to his farm animals. There we learned how to construct tread maintenance, erosion control, and retaining the already built structures. We’ve worked on a trail called “Dos Arroyos” that the town of Taos issued last year. This trail is used for recreation and as a safe route to the hospital. On Dos Arroyos we put in posts and rails that look a lot easier to put in than they actually are. We’ve also been working on our personal development. A part of this development is our team building and knowing the ins and outs of our peers. I myself have worked on my own personal etiquette, which can be overwhelming at times. I am gaining the patience and strength for my future, and it’s not an easy job. I will say that I am grateful for this glorious opportunity and am making friends along the way.
-Caleb Cruz, Crew 1

Reflection

2010-03-19T11:15:00.000-07:00

How I Feel at Times:

It’s my surfboard

And I wash away

I float in the middle in an

Ocean of decay

Tides are rough, pieces of my

Board float away.

Stuck in the middle of the sea;

I have no one to talk to or

listen to me. My skin is wrinkled

From the water, no searches,

not even a bother! I see the sea

Serpents that float under me,

Reading my mind, hatred and animosity

even the goldfish judge a fall

the smallest ones are the worst of them all!

looked to them and made me small.

The ocean is too big for m

In time try not to sink in the sea

and let time tell what it’ll do for me!

-Javonne Garcia, Crew 3

Field Crew Season 2010

2010-03-15T07:48:00.000-07:00

CREW 4 (GREEN CREW)

The Green Crew's objective is to make existing homes more energy efficient. In the last two weeks we've learned to use equipment that is necessary to run energy audits. Learning how to use a blower door may be the easiest of what we've done thus far. There are more challenging tasks that have presented themselves in the past two weeks. One includes crunching numbers to determine the most effective amount of insulation to put in the roofs of these homes. In addition to finding the point of diminishing returns (balancing the cost of insulation with the potential energy saved), we've had to take into consideration what type of insulation should be used and the most effective blower machine to use. We want to insulate as many homes in the least amount of time as possible. In our third week of work we presented our finding to our partner in this project, the Taos County Housing Authority. This week we will begin to follow up with them to ensure that the materials we need to make those homes more energy efficient. Until we can begin to tackle the insulation of these homes, we will continue to run energy audits and practice our people skills.
-Karen Mirabal, Crew 4

Eat and Play Family Day

2010-02-04T12:23:00.000-08:00

On January 15, 2010 Rocky Mountain Youth Corps hosted “Eat and Play Family Day” to address childhood obesity in honor of Martin Luther King Jr's vision of healthy communities. The event aimed to increase parent’s and children’s’ awareness of preventative measures they can take to decrease their risk of becoming obese and health issues associated with obesity.
260 members of the Taos Community showed up and participated in interactive activities set up to demonstrate for kids how much fun healthy food and games can be. These activities included hula hooping, Dance Dance Revolution, food art and letter writing to congress. Each attendee received a “Passport to health” which got stamped at each station they visited. Once six stamps were earned the participant was able to collect a goody bag of healthy snacks. It was great to see children making healthy choices and enjoying doing it.
We would like to thank all of our supporters in making this event a success:
Rocky Mountain Youth Corpsmember Council
Field Institute of Taos
Holy Cross Hospital
University of New Mexico-Taos Library
Taos County Economic Development Corporation
Safe Routes to School
Building Bridges to the Outdoors
Protecting You, Protecting Me
Taos Physical Therapy
Twirl
...and of course the Taos Youth & Family Center

AmeriCorps Kickoff in Las Cruces!

2009-10-29T10:25:00.000-07:00

The Community Leadership Crew made the six-hour car trip to the Court Youth Center in Las Cruces for the New Mexico Americorps kickoff. Some of us had never been south of Albuquerque and marveled at the unique desert landscape and all of us certainly enjoyed the warmer temperatures.

Upon arrival we dove into an array of workshops like First Aid and CPR, True Colors- personality assessments, energy harnessing, drumming, Positive Youth Development, working with youth, and conflict resolution. That night students from the charter high school, Court Youth Center, served a delicious meal prepared by the culinary art students, while the flamenco dance team swirled around on stage.

The next morning we participated in a World Café and had the opportunity to talk with fellow AmeriCorps members about their reasons for joining their projects and future plans. We also learned what other AmeriCorps programs in the state are doing this year. After lunch our crew created a six-word vision statement “Developing Communities, Improving Landscapes, Reaching Youth” and an accompanying presentation to share with the kickoff participants. We all went on stage to present our statement and artistic interpretation.

On Make A Difference Day we helped paint a house across the street from the Court Youth Center, participated in recycled art, including making a mosaic garden table for the garden at the school and making earrings and magnets out of bottle caps. We enjoyed the chance to let our creativity flow and socialize with other AmeriCorps members around the state.

Crews 1 & 10 SPIKE!

2009-10-22T11:26:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone his is Coy from Crew #1 at Rocky Mountain Youth Corps. This past 8 days, crews 1 and 10 went work on the continental divide in Southern New Mexico. We packed up our vehicles on Monday, September 28^th and we started our long drive down to Socorro, New Mexico. The drive was a long one. Everyone was cramped in the Suburbans with our equipment and bags. It’s about a 6 hour drive to Socorro. Every one caught up on sleep on the way down. When we finally got to Socorro we met up with our BLM sponsor. Then we had another 2 hour drive to the plains of San Augustine. When we reached our final destination, we were at our rocky camp site.

The first day was all travel but the second day we went to work on the trail. We were putting in trail head posts and building cairns. We did a lot of hiking throughout the plains. The first day we hiked about 3 ½ miles. After the first day lots of Corps member’s feet were sore. As we worked we ran into lots of wild life. We found horny toads ranging from babies to adults. They just ran away from us, but us being us we chased it and caught it. We let it go after looking at it and taking pics of him or her. I was lucky enough to get a pic of a Blue Tailed Skink. We ran into some Tarantulas and Brown Recluses. Not too many snakes out there at this time. We kept running into dirt mounds of dirt that looked like prairie dog holes but ended up finding out that they are pack rat holes. The biggest animal we saw the whole time was antelope. Crew # 10 ran into a coyote. Another person and I wanted to run into a rattle snake because we wanted a pic of one.

We worked hard day in and day out. When we were done with our work day, camp needed attention from wood being split, to cooking dinner, and many other chores. Almost everyone went to sleep early. There were only a couple of us that stayed awake till midnight. The first night was not that cold, it was a really nice night actually. The next night got really cold, then after that the rest of the time it was cold. In the day the weather was really bad. We worked in strong winds and cold conditions some days. Due to all the weather and conditions we were sun and wind burned. Lots of people’s lips got chapped badly. We all made it out fine.

We enjoyed our time out there and are looking forward to returning. Were going on another 8 days out to the same area to work on another section of trail. We enjoyed meeting the ranchers that lived out there. They told us what has been going on out there with the wildlife and with their cattle. They not big on bringing the Lobo back down there to that area not because of their safety but to protect their cattle. A Lobo is a small wolf that is native to New Mexico. They told us stories and shared what they know. We all had some laughs with them. Then we called it a night. Well until next time and enjoy the photos.

Coy Gokey

Taos Crew Update

2009-08-10T07:43:00.000-07:00

Last Monday we headed to La Sombra Trail to do corridor work. We also painted tables and cleaned up the dirty fire pits.
On Tuesday we painted more picnic tables and raked the area clean. Mike showed us how to used the weed whacker, but not all of us could use it because we are not yet eighteen.
We were lucky enough to go to the Ski Valley on Wednesday. We met a Sierra Club representative and widened some of the trails up there.
Thursday we went back up La Sombra- we hiked 3.3 miles and worked with Craig Saum, one of the rangers for the Camino Real district. It was almost unbearably hot, but we managed to work right through the heat and get the job done. Throughout the day Craig showed us how to make awesome water bars.

**YCC Crews have graduated and moved on- RMYC is grateful for each crewmember's dedication to community service!**

Lessons and Reflections from the "G-rated" CREW: YCC Questa #11

2009-06-12T10:05:00.000-07:00

Our Crew gained skills...
-mad paper signin' skills
-choppin' down tree skills
-language control,
- & joking skills,
-logical skills
-workin' together skills!

Now our community has trails...
Nice walking trails
Biking trails
Calming trails
Trails for chevro-legs & patamobiles.

Yes, we were challenged
And we overcame!
Angry beavers
Shifting supervisors
Vengful pulaskis
Stubborn rocks
And life giving, bone chilling rain.

Still we're excited...
Being alive excited Austin
Working with the crew excites Joey
Nick is excited about a paycheck
Movin' big rocks excites Mike
Everything excites Sam
Casandra's excited about safety
Thursday's BBQ excites Damian
Chawaluna's culvert excites Jeremy
Karina is excited about Rinconada's culvert
Payday excites Juan, 'n'
Payin' bills excites Jerry.

With our G-rated skills, we're learning mad growing up skills!

Reflection of Pecos spike trip

2009-05-15T10:34:00.000-07:00

Over the last month and a half the field crews (Crews #1 and #2) have been on Spike at a location in Pecos, New Mexico to help the forest service create a trail through an old Civil War battle site. The trail was over two and a half miles in length and was just a dirt trail. We laid down a three inch layer of base dirt and another four inches of gravel on top through the entire trail, created lookout points and did some rock work as well. After work, we camped in tree houses at a camp outside of Santa Fe. We made dinner, washed dishes and cleaned daily. We were all homesick by the end of each week and we were all usually in a foul mood but we all got through it. Another obstacle was sickness. We all got sick over the two week break we had for S-212 training and had to deal with it on the trip. What I personally liked about the trip was I got to really open up to fellow crew members and they started to respect me a lot more after they got the opportunity to know me better. I also enjoyed working with some of the forest service workers. They kept us entertained, shared stories with us about themselves and we all got along very well. some skills that I learned over that trip was that I can open up to other crew members and that we can teach each other certain skills that we all have. I have a lot to learn and they have a lot to teach me and I, them. As for the future, I hope to get closer to my crew and help them cut some trees.

Our First week with the RMYC!

2009-04-10T14:55:00.000-07:00

Throughout this blog you will be given an insiders' look at a group of eight people embarking on an adventure of inner growth and action within the world.

ENJOY:)

1st week- Orientation & Team Building

This first week we are orientating ourselves within a new framework. We are getting to know each other on a deeper level in order for us to build a healthy positive crew for the upcoming 6 months. A tool we have been using and will continue to use is team building. It is a process orientated tool to build cohesion. We have been using communication, games, reflection, and physical activity to build a connection between us all. We use games to spark discussion, engage ourselves mentally, and to be physical together to overcome challenges which are inherent in the specific games we play. Challenges are opportunities. They push us to engage our potential. To embrace the new we let go of fear, open our doors and say yes to change. Inner growth is inevitable when we come together as a team and say yes to the journey, to the process.

This week we took a hike to the Rio Grande River near Pilar. We enjoyed nature and her beauty while getting our blood and mind flowing. We discussed the importance of the Leave No Trace Ethics and reflected upon our own personal ethics and their importance in our group and within the Rocky Mountain Youth Corps.

We also challenged our minds and came together within a circle of trust at the Ropes Course. What stood out to me was the trust fall. We stood on a platform above our crew, turned around and fell into their protective arms. Some people were at ease, for some it was a definite challenge and opportunity for trust.

Every time we come together mentally and physically we become more bonded. Team building is about cohesion and unity. A team builds a powerful force ready to influence change in the direction of the groups intentions. There is power within us and power in numbers. If change is what we desire (and it's certainly needed in our world) we'll be better able to accomplish this through groups, communities, and organizations like the RMYC.

We look forward to sharing our insights and experiences with you!

Blessings.....