Developing Youth and Conserving Natural Resources
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Our Impact
Last Year Our Youth Corps...
Diverted 495,507* pounds of E-waste from the landfill.
*Based on internal weights. Official count will be available in Fall 2024.
Restored 366 acres of natural habitat.
Reduced fire fuel on 487 acres of public and private land.
Restored or maintained 130 miles of trails.
Diverted 7,945 tires from the landfill.
Corpsmember Spotlight
Corpsmembers of the Year: Gaby and Yessica
We are thrilled to announce CCNB’s 2024 Corpsmembers of the Year! Yessica in Sonoma County, and Gaby in Marin County, were selected in recognition of their outstanding accomplishments, their drive, and their contributions to fellow corpsmembers and the organization.
About Gaby:
Since she started at CCNB a little over a year ago, Gaby has always been a corpsmember staff can rely on. Soon after, she earned the role of Safety Officer; she takes a lot of pride in it and is consistently finding new ways to improve this position to ensure the crew stays safe while out in the field.
A dedicated student, Gaby has earned many certificates, including several industry-recognized certifications such as Sawyer, Sawyer II, Forklift, and OSHA-10, among many others. She has also made strides as a student at John Muir Charter School. Last fiscal year, she received the most school credits out of all corpsmembers in our program. Recently, she signed up for ESL classes at College of Marin, hoping to polish her English skills to secure her dream job.
“CCNB has opened a lot of doors for me,” Gaby shared with us, “I am forever grateful to CCNB.”
About Yessica:
Yessica came to CCNB with the main goal of obtaining her high school diploma. Nonetheless, as part of both our Zero Waste and Natural Resources crews, including the Sonoma County Youth Ecology Crew, she accomplished impressive feats. “I got every single certificate [CCNB] has to offer,” she said.
In just her first three months in our programs, she was offered an Assistant Crew Leader position, which she recalls as a highlight of her time with us. “I liked motivating other corpsmembers at work and in school.” She also recalls receiving similar support from CCNB: “I had staff members at CCNB that were very supportive and got me through personal issues—having support through CCNB really helped.” She earned her high school diploma last November, and she is excited about successfully navigating this barrier that prevented her from applying to jobs she was interested in. “When I go to a job interview I know what to say. The certificates make me a better applicant too,” she said.
“I loved meeting the people that I met, and the friends that I made. It was like my second family,” she said.
Congratulations, Gaby and Yessica, on being named Corpsmembers of the Year!
Project Spotlight
A Week in Merced
In order to serve corpsmembers with paid, on-the-job training, CCNB ensures that work is available year-round. Working with partners throughout the region, corpsmembers get to work on special projects such as the recent engagement with Merced Irrigation District (MID Parks).
Corpsmembers traveled and camped out at cabins nearby to complete this project ahead of a bike race the district hosted. During their four-day stay, corpsmembers completed several miles of brush cutting to widen the path from two to eight feet. Along the way, they removed invasive species and hazardous poison oak, as well as jagged rocks to ensure the safety of participants and spectators.
Corpsmembers develop project management skills, as well as self-reliance, teamwork, and planning via these projects. “Leaving home, staying out, making sure they are responsible for themselves, [this project] was a good opportunity for corpsmembers to step up” said Chris Springe, the crew supervisor in charge of this project. These corpsmembers also relied on each other. “It was a good team-building opportunity for these corpsmembers who bonded with each other,” said Natural Resources Coordinator Joshua Mosebach. This crew can take this camaraderie to other projects on the horizon.
These projects represent excellent opportunities for growth for corpsmembers. Beyond the technical skills they develop with the use of tools, they are also an opportunity to develop self-direction, autonomy, and confidence, all crucial skills for the everchanging needs of the workplaces of today.