Q and A with Craig Young: 2019 Champion of the Year

Craig Young is a Terrestrial Program Leader with the National Park Service. Craig is a 21CSC Champion of the Year for 2019. This Award recognizes individuals from agencies and organizations that partner with 21CSC programs to help engage the next generation of conservation and community leaders in service, education and training.

The 2019 Champions of the Year will be recognized at the annual Partnership for the 21CSC Meeting, happening February 11, 2019 in Washington, DC. This event is part of The Corps Network National Conference.

Learn more about Craig – Click here.
Learn more about the 21CSC Champion of the Year Award – Click here.

Tell us about your current role.
In my current role, I work with the National Park Service (NPS) as an ecologist and program leader. More specifically, I work for the Heartland Network, one of 32 inventory and monitoring networks within NPS. In this capacity, I lead a small team of excellent plant ecologists who monitor plant communities, wetlands, rare plants, and invasive plants across 15 national park units in the Midwestern U.S. I also manage a small, but energetic Exotic Plant Management Team. This team assists parks with designing, planning, and implementing invasive plant control and restoration projects in those same 15 parks.

Tell us a little bit about your background. How did you get started in conservation/land and water management?
Growing up on military bases as a child, I was always able to explore places with woods, rocks, water, and creatures. After writing to the U.S. Forest Service as a junior in high school (this is pre-internet!) to learn about forestry careers, I planned to study forestry. Finding myself at a Centre College, a liberal arts school in Kentucky, the most similar course of study was biology. So, biology it was. During this time, I was given amazing opportunities to work closely as a research assistant for Dr. Robin Kimmerer. That work allowed me to experience field work in the Adirondack Mountains and the Ecuadorean Andes. These experiences inspired me to want to learn more about, enjoy, and protect natural areas. Looking back, I also experienced the power that mentorship can have on a career path as well as a life more broadly. I continued my studies, pursuing bryophyte ecology under Kimmerer’s direction at SUNY-College of Environmental Science and Forestry where I completed a master’s degree in forest biology. That was the start.

Tell us about how you have engaged with Service and Conservation Corps.
My supervisor in the NPS, Mike DeBacker, and regional I&M/EPMT coordinator Carmen Thomson encouraged me to look at young adults organizations as partners for our EPMT work. We already had a history of working closely with numerous high quality individuals through American Conservation Experience and Student Conservation Association. In all of these cases, the interns immersed themselves in our work, contributed, and almost always found a natural next step in their career. One of my most important interactions with Service and Conservation Corps really started in 2010 through a partnership with the Iowa Conservation Corps (ICC). As this program was finding its feet as an extension of the legendary Minnesota program, we were also finding our feet as the Heartland Exotic Plant Management Team. Our team began to train with the Corps members and spend more face-to-face time with their leaders. Through this interaction, I began to understand the deep vision and care that they brought to young adult development. As a result, we have worked with ICC to broaden the range of stewardship activities and educational opportunities for Corps members. The equation of young adults + parks + stewardship = outcomes that are good for parks, good for the public, and formative in so many ways for the Corps members. This is the opportunity that working with Service and Conservation Corps has provided.

What advice would you offer to other employees from land/water management agencies and nonprofits that are interested in partnering with 21CSC programs (What to expect, etc.)?
My advice to land and water management agencies would be that an investment in partnership with the Service and Conservation Corps can actually be strategic. That is, Corps have strengths that federal agencies may not have. For example, Corps can amass large groups for a job that requires operational flexibility. On the other hand, federal land managers provide sites of unrivaled conservation value and a history of leadership in conservation. In my experience, forming a more strategic partnership has required commitment from federal and Corps leadership to openly discuss their vision and to grow that vision over time.

While I initially thought of the Iowa Conservation Corps more as a service provider that could provide natural resource graduates a first opportunity in the field, my view was limited. I now see Corps as able to form hard-working teams of young adults from many different educational and personal backgrounds. The experiences of working with land managers in national parks prepares members for numerous, yet unknown paths. All of this happens while meeting the objectives of important conservation projects on federal lands. This is a win-win.

What are the most beneficial aspects of partnering with a 21CSC Program?
The 21CSC really carries on the tradition of the Civilian Conservation Corps. Even now, I often see the mark of the CCC in national parks: structures built, forests planted, trails blazed. To think that those CCC workers so skillfully and painstakingly laid stones along trails that I walk on now is humbling. This is the same work that 21CSC offers now – investments of time, energy, skill, and care that will endure into the next generation. The public service mission of the 21CSC expands the capacity of federal land managers to meet the demands of investing in public lands for the enjoyment and inspiration of all our visitors.

What advice would you offer to young people in 21CSC programs who are interested in careers in conservation and land/water management?
My sense is that young people are often discouraged as they begin to pursue careers in land and water management because the career path looks less clear than those found in medical, engineering, or accounting fields. I think this is combined with perhaps less certainty on life-time career earnings or career advancement. All of that can be discouraging and disconcerting for youth and their families.

From being in this field for over 20 years, I can assure young people that there is opportunity here. I think some of the uncertainty in how to get started or in predicting career outcomes stems from the abundance rather than the lack of different opportunities in land and water conservation. Because distinct geographies and local cultures strongly shape conservation jobs, they vary more compared to more standardized careers. This is a reality of environmental conservation work that must be embraced in order to find a place in the field.

So my advice is simple, but challenging (even for me at this point in my career) – commit to the work and not to a job or a salary. The career will follow. To prepare, first spend time being in nature and working in nature – in wild places, urban places, rural places. Give yourself the gift of time to begin to develop an intuitive sense of nature in its greatness and smallness. Prepare yourself through formal and informal education. Then learn about the range of actions that people and organizations are taking to integrate the care of land, water, creatures, and people – from scientists, environmental justice activists, land trust officers, impact investors, to green business leaders. Begin your work somewhere, but early on in your career continue to look at job announcements, network, and listen in order to find the slipstream where your talents can best be used. Find a mentor that can help you navigate some of the differences in jobs, organizational cultures, and, yes, salaries. This is a field where everyone needs to knock on many doors throughout a career. Don’t be discouraged – keep knocking!

Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke gives keynote at 2018 Partnership for the 21CSC Meeting, part of The Corps Network National Conference.

From the Partnership for the 21CSC (P-21CSC)

The Partnership for the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps (P-21CSC) is a collective of key federal, state, local and non-profit leaders that supports the development and implementation of the 21CSC. In conjunction with The Corps Network National Conference in Washington, DC, the P-21CSC holds an annual meeting to honor important leaders in the Corps movement, review 21CSC accomplishments and goals, and discuss priority issues.

During the 2018 P-21SC Meeting, which took place February 12, Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke delivered the keynote address and covered a range of topics, including his priorities for the Department of the Interior (DOI), how he is influenced by the legacy of President Theodore Roosevelt, and his vision for the future of the national park visitor experience. We heard details of his plans to create consistent “regions” across the various DOI agencies to ensure more efficient resource management that’s based on landscape features, like watersheds, wildlife corridors, and trail systems. Sec. Zinke also shared the Administration’s infrastructure plans, which prioritize addressing the National Park Service backlog and modernizing our parks. He emphasized that Corps have a role to play in partnership with the Department, and that there will be opportunities for young people who want to learn skills and a vocation.  Continue reading →

Every year, the Partnership for the 21CSC (P-21CSC) holds a meeting in conjunction with The Corps Network National Conference (The Corps Network is a Co-Chair organization of the P-21CSC). During this meeting, we discuss Corps and land management agency partnerships; review accomplishments from the past year; hear inspiring speakers; and honor the 21CSC Champions of the Year, as well as the 21CSC Corpsmember of the Year and Project of the Year. We invite you to attend the 2018 P-21CSC meeting and The Corps Network 2018 National Conference.
Please see below for more details.

About the 2018 Partnership for the 21CSC Meeting

February 12, 2018
3:00 p.m. – 5:00 pm.
Grand Ballroom, Fairmont Hotel, 2401 M St NW, Washington, DC 20037

CONFIRMED SPEAKERS
Secretary Ryan Zinke, U.S. Department of the Interior
Glenn Casamassa, Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System, U.S. Forest Service
Ben Cassidy, Senior Deputy Director for External and Intergovernmental Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior
Marshall Critchfield, U.S. Department of the Interior
Rebecca Knuffke, Officer Restore America’s Parks, The Pew Charitable Trusts

HONOREES
21CSC Champions of the Year

National Distinction Awardees
Jen Murphy, Operations Manager, CNCS
Betsy Wooster, Retired -Bureau of Land Management

Champion of the Year
Ben Baldwin, Intermountain Region, National Park Service
Kelly Pearson, U.S. Forest Service
Lonnie Pilkington, National Park Service

21CSC Corpsmember of the Year
Earl Bowman, Delaware State Parks Veterans Conservation Corps

21CSC Project of the Year
Save the Sierras, California Conservation Corps

About The Trail Ahead – The Corps Network 2018 National Conference

February 11 – 14, 2018
Fairmont Hotel, 2401 M St NW, Washington, DC 20037
Learn More

On the invitation of Ranking Member Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), John Leong – CEO of Kupu, which operates Hawaii Youth Conservation Corps – testified on benefits of Corps for participants and public lands, and how the Corps model helps create the next generation of outdoor stewards, recreationists, and entrepreneurs

Chairman Steve Daines (R-MT), Ranking Member Mazie Hirono (D-HI), John Leong, CEO of Kupu

Click here for a press release from the office of Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI)

Click here to watch a recording of the hearing

Click here for Mr. Leong’s full written testimony

WASHINGTON, DC (Sept. 27, 2017) – In a hearing organized by Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) on “Encouraging the Next Generation to Visit National Parks,” John Leong, CEO of Kupu – a member organization of the 21^st Century Conservation Service Corps (21CSC) – testified before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks about how the Corps model is an effective way to engage the next generation of outdoor stewards, recreationists, and entrepreneurs.

“While America is growing more diverse and urban, and younger generations are making up a greater share of the population, these trends are not reflected in visitors to our national parks,” said Senator Hirono. “Kupu and programs like it are helping to fill this gap by training our ‘keiki’ [youth] to become stewards of the ‘aina’ [land] and serve our communities as Hawaii’s future conservationists.”

The National Park Service (NPS) celebrated its 100^th anniversary in 2016 and saw a record high of nearly 331 million visitors. Today’s hearing was an opportunity for Senators to receive testimony on ways to address barriers to visitation and attract younger, more diverse users. The most recent comprehensive surveys show a marked underrepresentation of non-whitesand young adults among both park visitors and employees.

Service and Conservation Corps are locally-based organizations that provide young adults and veterans the opportunity to serve our country, advance their education and obtain in-demand job skills. Kupu is one of more than 130 Corps represented by The Corps Network. Collectively, these programs annually enroll over 25,000 youth and veterans across all 50 states, DC, Puerto Rico, and American Samoa. Additionally, Corps organize service events that generate hundreds of thousands of volunteer hours every year on public lands and in communities.

During defined terms of service in crews or individual placement positions, Corps participants – or “Corpsmembers” – gain work experience by performing important conservation, recreation, infrastructure, disaster response, and community development projects on public lands and in rural and urban communities. Through public-private partnerships, Corps work with the National Park Service and other federal, state and local agencies to complete mission-critical projects, including removing invasive species, building trails, preserving historic structures, and managing wildfires and responding to disasters. Corpsmembers have the chance to develop leadership skills and an appreciation for public lands and waters by working side-by-side with resource management professionals at America’s iconic parks, forests and refuges.

The National Park Service Centennial Act, signed into law in December 2016, included provisions that amended the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 to help strengthen the pathway to resource management careers for Corps alumni. Specifically, the legislation raised the maximum allowable age of Public Lands Corps participants from 25 to 30, and granted two years of noncompetitive hiring authority with federal agencies to Corps alumni who served at least 640 hours.

The 21^st Century Conservation Service Corps Act (S.1403, H.R.2987), a bipartisan bill reintroduced in the House and Senate this past June, would also enhance the connection between public lands and the diverse young adults and veterans who serve in Corps. Among other provisions, the 21CSC Act would make it easier for more federal agencies to enter partnerships with Corps to complete cost-effectivd mission-critical projects and engage the next generation.

“We thank the Chairman Daines, Ranking Member Hirono and the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks for holding this hearing, and extend our appreciation to Sen. Hirono for inviting Mr. Leong to testify on the value of Corps as a tool in engaging new park enthusiasts,” said Mary Ellen Sprenkel, President and CEO of The Corps Network and Co-Chair of the Partnership for the 21^st Century Conservation Service Corps. “Kupu and other Corps programs are important partners in helping the National Park Service conserve America’s most treasured natural, historical and cultural sites and leveraging their funds and capacity. Through service on public lands, Corpsmembers develop a sense of responsibility for these places, and gain the hard skills and professional experience to succeed in careers at NPS and other resource management agencies. Corps give NPS an opportunity to engage with passionate future visitors and employees from the local community.”

“I thank Sen. Hirono for inviting my testimony on this important topic, and for her consistent support of Kupu and the Corps model,” said Mr. Leong. “Since 2007, KUPU has risen to meet the increasing demands of natural resource jobs by training over 3,500 youth. Last year, Kupuʻs 300+ corps members helped remove over 20,000 acres of invasive species and plant over 210,000 native species. While the conservation work is important, our Corpsmembers are being shaped into responsible, hard-working, and effective individuals. The ability for NPS to hire local, well-trained former Corpsmembers is a huge competitive advantage both for the park and for the young adults, many of whom come from underserved, rural communities. Corps add diversity to the National Parks in age, ethnic heritage, and socio-economic capacities.”

In addition to Mr. Leong, the witness panel at the hearing included, as listed, Ms. Lena McDowall, Deputy Director for Management and Administration, NPS; Ms. Yennie Fuller, Civil and Social Impact Manager, Niantic, Inc.; Ms. Angela Fultz Nordstrom, Vice President, NIC, Inc.; Mr. Tim Rout, CEO, AccessParks; and Mr. Will Shafroth, President and CEO, National Park Foundation.

Lamar Gore is a 21CSC Champion of the Year for 2017.

Lamar Gore
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) – John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge

As the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge Manager, Lamar Gore strives to work with partners, the community, and schools to meet both refuge and community goals in Philadelphia, PA. He began his career with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) as a biological technician at the Montpelier Office of Fishery Assistance, later working with several National Wildlife Refuges, other USFWS programs, and the Northeast Regional Office. At John Heinz, Gore helped develop environmental education programs at three local schools. Additionally, working with Audubon Pennsylvania and the Student Conservation Association (SCA), Gore has developed relationships with the public to create green space (habitat, gardens, learning spaces, etc.) in Philadelphia neighborhoods. He has also worked in partnership with the Clean Air Council, the city and others to improve multi-use trail connections from John Heinz to the community. Gore is an advocate for SCA programs, and has attained support to get more youth involved in local projects. He has a vision to make seamless connections between John Heinz and the surrounding community. The result of Gore’s work has generated new funding to create a youth community restoration program, putting youth to work on conservation projects during the school year.

Q&A with Lamar Gore

Tell us a little bit about your background. How did you get started in conservation and preservation?

Since childhood, I’ve had an interest/fear in the natural world, which sounds odd. There was the desire to discover, but fear to touch.  I had some key areas that sparked me including an uncle who was a fisherman and a 7^th grade science teacher who introduced me to fly fishing.  A trip he took our class to, in which we stayed in cabins for a week in Stokes State Forest was the trip that lit the torch for me.  As a Freshman in college, I stumbled onto the USFWS with a program called the Career Awareness Institute, based in Tennessee, and it was this program that launched me into the fisheries program as a Cooperative education program student.  The opportunities and challenges were rewarding along the way, and I wouldn’t change a bit of it.

What advice would you offer to resource management agency units and nonprofits interested in partnering with 21CSC programs?

I look at this partnership as an opportunity to give back to our target communities. You can engage youth in conservation careers and teach important work skills to those youth.  It’s difficult to understand the full value of this type of programming until you realize even one of those youth sinking their teeth into a career in the conservation field and becoming a leader.

What should one expect when partnering with a 21CSC program?

Expectations range from a member network that can recruit and manage the administrative function of interns assigned to your site. The ability to recruit in target communities, and vetted candidates.

Where can those interested in working with the 21CSC turn for resources?

There is a lot of knowledge and experience in partners who have worked with Corps Network member organizations, so talking with us can shed a great deal of light on the benefits, however, you can also visit the networks webpage to fill in the gaps.

What advice do you offer to young people in 21CSC programs who are interested in careers in preservation and land/water management?

I would first say that as you enter the program, empty your cup and let your supervisors and mentors refill it. They will prepare you for a road to success.  Second, make your first, middle, and last impression count with those you work with and for.  Those impressions can and often do follow you around.  Be sure to network with the agencies you work for and do not be afraid to try things outside your comfort zone, as it’s in those places that you will be sure to grow and learn.

What drives you to support the 21CSC and youth engagement on public lands?

For me being a part of youth engagement on public lands is about land stewardship. The conservation world has been fighting a losing battle for years, because we have not put enough emphasis on both youth and community engagement on and off public lands, making a connection between each.  The ambassadors developed by engaging people on and off public lands are invaluable to the youth, the community, and the public agency.

What do you see as the future of Service and Conservation Corps? 

I expect to see service and partnerships increasing, but the work of communicating through our youth will be of the utmost importance. Youth communicating with you and community communicating with community are often more effective than “Joe Blow conservation” communicating with youth or community.  That doesn’t mean it doesn’t work, but I believe we need a stronger impact.

Joni Packard is a 21CSC Champion of the Year for 2017. 

Joni Packard
U.S. Forest Service (USFS) – Northern Region

Joni Packard has been with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) for 25 years, working in numerous capacities in Washington, Alaska, Idaho and Montana. She now serves as the Regional Volunteer, Youth and 21CSC Program Coordinator for the Northern Region, covering Montana, northern Idaho, and North and South Dakota. Packard has been involved with Corps since she served as a Youth Conservation Corps member in the 1970s. In her current role, she has partnered with numerous 21CSC organizations, helping lead efforts to engage more veterans and diverse youth in conservation projects. Packard has championed and sought additional Forest Service funding for Corps and other 21CSC partner engagement efforts, increasing additional funding to Northern Region field units from $150,000 in FY12 to almost $1 million in FY16. Packard is considered a leader by her peers in other regions and as a trendsetter for creative ways to engage youth on public lands.

Q&A with Joni Packard

Tell us a little bit about your background. How did you get started in conservation and preservation?

I’ve had a long time interest in conservation and preservation issues since I was a junior high school student, back in the early 1970s.  Along with the environmental issues and activism that were a key part of that era, we had a family cabin in the Cascade Mountains in Washington State that was instrumental in creating my love for the outdoors.  Rachel Carson was one of my early heroes, not so much for her book “Silent Spring” but more for her book “A Sense of Wonder,” which found the beauty in nature and the “little things” as well as introducing one to the broader connections between living systems.  In the mid-1970s, I was selected as a Youth Conservation Corps enrollee, right after the program was permanently authorized.  YCC “started the spark” where I saw and realized I could turn my love for the natural world and connecting people to it, into a potential career in natural resources.  Conservation and caring for this planet – and caring for people — has been a calling ever since!

What advice would you offer to resource management agency units and nonprofits interested in partnering with 21CSC programs?

The advice I would offer is look at these programs as a way to introduce young people to not only an agency’s and non-profit’s missions, but also as way to introduce young people to the skills, strengths, and leadership potential they have in themselves.  These young folks – no matter what generation – are incredibly capable, passionate and caring – look at them not only as a way to help get needed work done, but as new stewards working shoulder to shoulder with us all right now.  Create an array of experiences that will not only introduce them to conservation projects but also the stories, the connections, and a land and community ethic that will inspire their own future stewardship, no matter what career opportunities (public or private sector) they might pursue.

What should one expect when partnering with a 21CSC program?

When partnering with a 21CSC program, there’s always going to be some bumps along the way and some unexpected issues.  Create timelines that allow flexibility if you can, have back-up plans when staffing issues happen, budgets are late, projects change or get done early, or emergencies (such as fire or floods) occur.  Cost effectiveness and being value added is important for everyone – think about how to partner creatively to leverage resources. Talk about and develop shared outcomes. Stay engaged with each other.  Be willing to experiment with new programming and partners (and/or new combinations of partners) to stay contemporary.  Realize sometimes a partnership may not be a fit in some scenarios yet it doesn’t mean that a great partnership can’t still occur in others – it’s ok to adjust.  Be thinking how to stay be ahead of the game in terms of demographic, cultural, and technological shifts.  Be creative.  Value traditions and new ideas – there will be different “cultures” within organizations (both public and private sectors) to work with.  Understand each other’s processes, mission and goals.  And…share a few laughs, some homemade cookies and get out on the ground together – see, value and acknowledge the great work everyone – 21CSC partners, crews, interns, and agency staff — are doing!

Where can those interested in working with the 21CSC turn for resources?

People can turn to The Corps Network and its’ website; visit directly with The Corps Network’s member organizations; and visit with agencies (such as Regional Volunteer and Service contacts) working with 21CSC partners.

What advice do you offer to young people in 21CSC programs who are interested in careers in preservation and land/water management?

The advice I offer is think about what most interests you, what you really love and would like to do, then visit with as many resource professionals as you can to learn about the potential career opportunities that might be out there, and what different jobs entail.  “Taste test” different types of jobs, through either 21CSC service programs, volunteering and/or paid positions.  You might think you would really love to be a wildlife biologist yet when you are actually doing data collection, it’s not quite a fit –but you then find you do love the larger context of resource management issues that tie into wildlife conservation issues.  If a job in the federal, state or tribal government is of interest, check out what kinds of qualifications are needed to apply for those types of positions – check out the academic requirements as well as the experience requirements.  That way, when you are still in school, you can take any additional courses or get the credit hours necessary to ensure you meet the qualifications.  Stay engaged by networking through student and professional associations.  Stay connected with resource people you may have met, who can also keep an ear out for potential job openings.  Let people know what you are looking for.  Ask for help regarding resumes and applications (Even though a good system, USAJOBS can be confusing!).  Realize that you likely won’t find the “perfect” job the first time you apply – and don’t give up – keep applying/looking for jobs and concurrently keep building your resume with relevant jobs/experiences (even temporary jobs or volunteer work) that show your interest – and show your staying power.  If a federal position is where a young person wants to go, I encourage folks to apply for any job they can that they qualify for – even if it’s not the “dream job” – yet.  Getting that first foot in the door – and really, for any organization – is the hardest.  Once you are “in,” even if it’s not the “dream” job you want, work hard, work well with others, and keep adding to your skill sets and resume – that will help get you to the “next” step in your career. And do be sure to stay at least a little while… it’s a huge investment by an organization (whether public or private sector) to bring someone on, so be that “someone” that an organization or supervisor can give a glowing recommendation about, when you are ready to look for that “next job.”

What drives you to support the 21CSC and youth engagement on public lands?

What drives me is that I believe in the future, that it is good, and that each generation is what makes up that good.  Engaging youth on public lands is not only about creating future public land stewards, it’s also about creating connections – to themselves, to each other, to deeper understandings about different cultures, values, perspectives communities, and our natural systems – that will help create a better world for all.  The pride that comes from a job well done, the self-esteem that happens when you can see how strong and capable you are, the camaraderie and friendships that can last a lifetime, the sense of stewardship and caring and being able to pass that along so that your kids will be able to enjoy public lands just as much as you have been able to do – all this and more is, for me, what youth engagement on public lands and waters is about.

What do you see as the future of Service and Conservation Corps?

I see the future of Service and Conservation Corps as a way to help connect our young people to not only their public land heritage and employment opportunities, but also as a way to help them create a more positive future.  Service, any kind of service, is a way for people to give back, to find out about themselves, about other people, about connections to communities and the larger world.  When we experience and work with other people, we get to know them as just regular folks, with similar dreams, hopes, fears and desires.  It doesn’t matter if you are an urban youth working with a youth from a rural area or a Reservation, if you are black, white, or brown, male or female, young or old, straight or gay, from different religious, cultural, ethnic or racial backgrounds, “conservative” or “liberal”… when we can begin to work together on simple things like trail building, cooking dinner together after a hard day’s work, helping a crew member hoist a heavy pack, or making sure everyone’s ok on a long slog in to a remote backcountry work site, the “differences” can melt away and folks become friends, perspectives can change, and people realize they really can work together to make a difference.  Through Service and Conservation Corps and Agency partners, there is the practical part of gaining work skills, getting work done on the ground, and understanding agency missions and conservation work.  There is also the opportunity to become a “new bridge,” by helping create much needed connections and kinder understandings between us all.

It is our great pleasure to announce the 21CSC Champions of the Year for 2017

Learn more about the 21CSC Champion of the Year Award

Read about the 2017 Finalists

National Distinction Awardees

Merlene Mazyck
U.S. Forest Service (USFS) – National Office

As the Volunteers and Service National Program Manager for the U.S. Forest Service, Merlene Mazyck provides strategic leadership and policy guidance for a program that annually engages more than 100,000 volunteers and service members on America’s 175 national forests and grasslands. Through her advocacy, leadership, and innovation, Mazyck provides support within USFS to implement the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps (21CSC). She advocated for and acquired millions of dollars for youth and veteran programs in the Forest Service. Since 2014, USFS investments of $61.3 million leveraged partner contributions of $51.4 million to engage 30,000 youth and veterans in protecting, restoring, and enhancing Forest lands. As a key member of the 21CSC Working Group – comprised of staff from several federal resource management agencies – Mazyck has played a role in developing and executing federal policy surrounding the 21CSC. Significantly, she manages the vetting process to ensure that organizations interested in joining the 21CSC comply with the initiative’s principles.

George McDonald
National Park Service (NPS) – National Office

George McDonald has served as National Youth Programs Manager for the National Park Service since 2008. In this role, McDonald has led successful efforts to launch numerous programs designed to enhance and increase the number of underserved, minority and disadvantaged youth participating in park activities and engaging in employment and educational opportunities in parks. Significantly, he helped launch NPS’s Youth Intern Program in 2009 to provide youth and young adults an intellectually challenging experience and exposure to a range of NPS job opportunities. McDonald has partnered with numerous 21CSC organizations, helping develop such programs as Greening Youth Foundation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities Internship, the Latino Heritage Internship Program, and the Mosaics in Science Intern Program with Environment for the Americas and Greening Youth Foundation. McDonald has not only championed the 21CSC within NPS, but has taken time to write congressional responses and inform leaders across the Department of the Interior about the value of this initiative.

 Regional Champions of the Year

Calvert Curley
Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) – Natural Resources Department, Navajo Regional Office

Dr. Calvert Curley is a Natural Resource Manager for the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Navajo Regional office. He has also worked as a Natural Resource Manager for BIA Navajo Ft. Defiance Agency and as an Air Toxics Department Manager for the Navajo Nation EPA. He is Navajo (Dine) from Ganado, AZ. Dr. Curley has worked with 21CSC youth programs in his former capacity with the BIA Ft. Defiance Agency, as well as in his current capacity. He was one of the first BIA Managers to partner with Southwest Conservation Corps to field Ancestral Lands crews on the Navajo Nation. Ancestral Lands is a SCC program that specifically engages Native American youth in meaningful conservation projects on Tribal lands. Thanks to Dr. Curley’s support, the Ancestral Lands Navajo Program has grown and thrived, demonstrating to other BIA offices that partnerships with Corps can be an effective way to complete agency work while also empowering local youth. Dr. Curley has become a national leader for the engagement of Native youth in 21CSC programs.

 Lamar Gore
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) – John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge

As the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge Manager, Lamar Gore strives to work with partners, the community, and schools to meet both refuge and community goals in Philadelphia, PA. He began his career with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) as a biological technician at the Montpelier Office of Fishery Assistance, later working with several National Wildlife Refuges, other USFWS programs, and the Northeast Regional Office. At John Heinz, Gore helped develop environmental education programs at three local schools. Additionally, working with Audubon Pennsylvania and the Student Conservation Association (SCA), Gore has developed relationships with the public to create green space (habitat, gardens, learning spaces, etc.) in Philadelphia neighborhoods. He has also worked in partnership with the Clean Air Council, the city and others to improve multi-use trail connections from John Heinz to the community. Gore is an advocate for SCA programs, and has attained support to get more youth involved in local projects. He has a vision to make seamless connections between John Heinz and the surrounding community. The result of Gore’s work has generated new funding to create a youth community restoration program, putting youth to work on conservation projects during the school year.

Joni Packard
U.S. Forest Service (USFS) – Northern Region

Joni Packard has been with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) for 25 years, working in numerous capacities in Washington, Alaska, Idaho and Montana. She now serves as the Regional Volunteer, Youth and 21CSC Program Coordinator for the Northern Region, covering Montana, northern Idaho, and North and South Dakota. Packard has been involved with Corps since she served as a Youth Conservation Corps member in the 1970s. In her current role, she has partnered with numerous 21CSC organizations, helping lead efforts to engage more veterans and diverse youth in conservation projects. Packard has championed and sought additional Forest Service funding for Corps and other 21CSC partner engagement efforts, increasing additional funding to Northern Region field units from $150,000 in FY12 to almost $1 million in FY16. Packard is considered a leader by her peers in other regions and as a trendsetter for creative ways to engage youth on public lands.

Carter Smith
Texas Parks & Wildlife Department

As the Executive Director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), Carter Smith oversees 3,100 professionals across 11 divisions. In this role, he has been a significant proponent of the Texas Children in Nature initiative, created in 2010 to combat the disconnect between children and the natural world. Smith helped form public-private partnerships uniting natural resource agencies with the non-profit, health, education and business communities. Thanks to Smith and TPWD, the initiative is today comprised of nearly 400 partner organizations across the state that annually help 4 million kids get outside to play, learn and grow in nature. Additionally, Smith has developed a longstanding partnership with the Texas Conservation Corps at American YouthWorks to connect youth with conservation work on TPWD lands. Under his tenure, a dedicated year-round trail crew was created to engage Corpsmembers in full-time trail building and maintenance in parks across the state. Smith has also leveraged private funding to involve additional crews in wildfire recovery and restoration work.

Dylan Carrejo, an AmeriCorps alum from Texas Conservation Corps, introduces President Obama at the 2016 National Christmas Tree Lighting

Dylan Carrejo and David Vacianna – both AmeriCorps alumni of 21st Century Conservation Service Corps programs – were the special guests of Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell at President Obama’s final National Christmas Tree lighting ceremony on December 1st. Carrejo served with Texas Conservation Corps at American YouthWorks, while Vacianna served with Northwest Youth Corps in Oregon.

Carrejo also had the honor of introducing President Obama’s speech at the conclusion of the ceremony.

Read this blog from The Corps Network on Huffingtonpost.com to learn more about the event and the significance of the inclusion of Corps in one of the final public events of the Obama administration. 

The lighting ceremony was aired on the Hallmark Channel on Monday, Dec. 5th. Highlights of the event can be seen here.

Published 12/5/16

Who’s Introducing the President at the National Christmas Tree Lighting?

Later today, Americans can tune in to watch the Obama family’s eighth and final National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony. The annual ceremony, which took place last week on The Ellipse – a National Park Service property just south of the White House, is a tradition stretching back 94 years to President Calvin Coolidge.

As in past years, viewers can expect the president to conclude the evening with a speech about the meaning of the holiday season. But who will introduce his speech?

Read more 

Dylan Carrejo of Texas Conservation Corps and David Vacianna of Northwest Youth Corps. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama in the background.

National Christmas Tree Lighting 2016. From right to left: Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell; David Vacianna, a 21CSC alumni from Northwest Youth Corps; Dylan Carrejo; Jonathan Jarvis, Director of the National Park Service; Parc Smith, CEO of American YouthWorks.