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Welcome to the June 30, 2009 issue of E-News. In this Issue Faces Behind Our Success 
Abigail Mendenhall joined the VYCC as the Youth Development and LEAP Program Coordinator in 2008. Prior to the VYCC, Abigail was a Staffing Coordinator for a firm in Oregon and a Wilderness Therapy Guide for youth and adults in Southern Utah. Currently she lives in Burlington with her husband Chris, and is thrilled to be continuing her love of outdoor education and leadership development here at the VYCC. She has done an outstanding job with this year's Summer Program training! Job well done, Abby! Pass it on Know anyone who might be interested in our e-newsletter? Forward this email to a friend. Donate Make a secure online donation. Online Store Want a VYCC hat or coffee mug? Visit the Online Store. |
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VYCC’s 24th Summer Has Officially Begun! 
On Saturday, June 13th, the VYCC hosted its annual Start-Up to kick-off the 2009 summer season. New enrollees for the 220 Corps Member positions were joined by family and friends, as well as Crew Leaders and headquarter staff to celebrate the start of VYCC’s 24th year. After arriving at the West Monitor Barn, scores of young Vermonters found their fellow Corps Members and Leaders, donned new uniforms, and headed to the field out back for a fun and lively circle up. After hearing from headquarter staff and President Tom Hark, different pairs of new and returning Crew Leaders stylishly and enthusiastically introduced themselves. After settling in and realizing that they were among friends, new Corps Members bade farewell to their parents and headed out into the field for four weeks of fun, learning, and hard work. Vermont Mountain Bikers Say Thanks! 
In late May, approximately 40 VYCC Crew Leaders completed an intensive, hands-on training session on the Perry Hill mountain bike trails in Waterbury’s Putnam State Forest. This trail system provides Vermonters with popular and technically challenging trails, and there is a pressing need for annual trail maintenance. To see a muddy mess of a trail turn into a work of art, click here! Through a grant from the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation (FPR), the Vermont Mountain Bike Association (VMBA) partnered with the VYCC to conduct an extensive overhaul of one of the longest and most technical downhill trails in the system – Burning Spear – which runs from the top of Perry Hill and down the south face towards Waterbury. VYCC Crew Leaders completed several significant 'bench-cut' reroutes around steep and unsustainable sections, extensive armoring with crushed stone, rock wall construction, and the installation of three bridges over streams and around wet areas. The work maintained the challenging nature of the trail was completed to standards established by the International Mountain Bicycling Association, thus improving long term sustainability and trail “flow.” The project also offered VYCC Crew Leaders an in-depth training in many trail design and construction techniques they will use throughout the summer and fall. A big thanks to the VYCC Crew Leaders and HQ Staff, FPR and VMBA for making this project such a success! Help Us Grow Food for the Hungry 
Did you know that we’re growing food for local food shelves? We could really use your help. And, you wouldn’t just be helping us, but the growing number of Vermonters who rely on food shelf services. Come join the Richmond Community Crew and VYCC's Farm Manager, Erin Seward, and get your hands dirty in the rich soil of the Monitor Barn's half-acre garden. To contact Erin please call 802.434.5200. Remember not to forget your straw hat and garden gloves! 
The need for VYCC services has skyrocketed, and we need your financial support to enroll Vermonters this summer. The stimulus dollars we thought would come our way have not materialized and thus we need you more than ever. We are 60% of the way to our spring goal and with 220 Corps Members starting Saturday it is vital we hear from you as soon as possible. Thank you! To make your donation in support of Vermont’s Youth, contact Breck Knauft, Development Director at 434-3969 x110 or donate online. 
This past month, our land saw a new and exciting use when providing a home for our new summer Crew Leaders during our Spike (i.e. technical skills) training. Half of the Crew Leaders stayed in our lean-tos, while the other half camped in a meadow north of the East Monitor Barn. The nearly 400 acres of VYCC property was as a perfect example of a typical Wilderness Crew spike camp, allowing us to give our new summer staff a realistic immersion into the daily life of a VYCC crew! 
FROM LAST MONTH: If you have forgotten last month’s trivia, click here to view May’s E-News. The Red Eft is actually one of the four life stages of the Eastern Red-spotted Newt. These newts begin life as an egg laid by a female in a vernal pool or other wetland. The egg hatches into a larva, which looks like a small version of the adult newt with feathery gills protruding from its neck. The larva then metamorphoses into an eft, which leaves the water and can spend 4-5 years on land before returning to the water to transform into the adult stage and breed. The adult newt, unlike the eft stage, is fully aquatic and spends the rest of its life in the water. During the red eft stage, newts are highly toxic, as advertised by their bright orange color, so they have little to fear from predators and can saunter about on the forest floor unmolested. This month’s trivia is a short one…What is the difference between a POISONOUS animal and a VENEMOUS animal? All-Crew BBQ and VTFutures Presentations 
On the evening of Wednesday, May 27th, students, parents, teachers, donors, board members, and VYCC staff gathered in the 3 classrooms of the VYCC Schoolhouse to listen to and learn from the Mount Mansfield Union, Champlain Valley Union, and Center for Technology in Essex School Crews. After students and parents shared the highlights and challenges of this past year, people gathered in the West Monitor Barn for a potluck barbeque. Lamoille Union School Instructors Jeremy Krohn and Lindsay Bloxham grilled up a delicious dinner, while everyone enjoyed a potluck of salads and desserts. It was an evening full of stories about growth, successes, motivation for the future, and great company. We want to thank all of the VYCC School Crews for a great year and wish them well as they continue on their academic journeys! Now Hiring: School Instructors for 2010 
The VYCC School Program is a work-based learning experience for Vermont high school students. As an Instructor in this program, you will co-lead a crew of 10-12 high school students in a year-long educational program that inspires students to take responsibility for their own education. For more information about the VYCC's School Instructor positions, please contact Abigail Mendenhall at 802.434.3969 x138 or apply online. Camels Hump Middle School Partners With the VYCC 
The Camels Hump Middle School snake and amphibian monitoring project has reached the end of its first spring season. This has turned out to be a wonderful partnership, both for the middle school and the VYCC. The students made exciting finds, including the first document sighting of a rare smooth green snake (Opheodrys Vernalis - seen at right). According to Vermont’s Wildlife Action Plan, the smooth green snake is a Species of Greatest Conservation Need. Isn’t it great to have students help gather important data about our land while developing a real connection to their local landscape? 
Have you spent time in a Vermont State Park? If so, you probably have a good idea of just how scenic our parks are. As part of collaboration with Vermont Public Television, the Department of Forests, Parks, and recreation, the VYCC is sponsoring a photo contest for the many Vermonters who enjoy Vermont parks and public lands. This photo contest is one of many initiatives that VYCC and its partners are supporting to promote the Ken Burns documentary on the National Park System. This documentary will air later in late September. To learn more about the photo contest the Ken Burns documentary, visit parks.vpt.org. Now Hiring: School Instructors Needed in Brattleboro 
The Vermont Youth Conservation Corps is looking for full time Crew Leaders for the VYCC School Program in Brattleboro, Vermont. Crew leaders are responsible for mentoring, teaching, and designing curriculum for a crew of 10 high school students in a project-based conservation education program. The mission of the School Program is to engage students in a work based learning experience that inspires them to take responsibility for their own learning and to serve community needs. The goals of the program are basic workplace readiness, including being prepared, reaching goals, taking initiative and developing leadership skills. The project-based learning will be rooted in the land, traditions, and communities of Vermont. Farms, rivers, trails, and towns will become the classroom for your crew and important projects the opportunity for learning. Qualifications For a complete job description and to apply please visit WWW.VYCC.ORG or contact us at info@vycc.org or by phone at 800-639-8922. |
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