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2715 Upper Afton Road, Ste 100
Maplewood, MN 55119
(651) 209-9900
info@conservationcorps.org
In this issue |
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Reminder... |
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Thank you to all who gave to our End of the Year donation. We appreciate your continued support, and certainly could not do it without you!
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Assistant District Manager Hired in the North |
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Please join MCC in welcoming Anna Lipenga, Assistant District Manager, to the program. Our excitement to work with Anna stems from her rich conservation experience, which includes the Montana Conservation Corps and Student Conservation Association. A Minnesota native, Anna has interned with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and practiced prairie land management in Glenwood, MN. Anna also served in the Peace Corps in Malawi, Africa, where she remained to lead and supervise the opening of a café. Clearly, such a diverse experiences will enable Anna to be an integral part of MCC operations. Anna will work from the Brainerd office and supervise northern crews and projects. Welcome Anna!
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2006 Young Adult Program is Underway |
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The 2006 Young Adult Program officially begins on January 16th with the start of Crew Leader training. The 16 Crew Leaders will have three weeks to prepare for their year of responsibilites. They will be joined by the rest of their crew on February 6, 2006 for Crew Member training.
The crews will gain the foundation of their technical training in the beginning of their term and continue to build and improve their skills throughout the rest of their year. Even if these first couple of weeks comprise much of a Crew Member’s preparation, their training actually continues all year long. Whether they are maintaining a snowmobile trail in the winter, suppressing a wildfire in the spring, or restoring a lakeshore in the summer, most activities will require project-specific training; some will require days of it.
MCC looks forward to the new program year, confident that the rewards and challenges of 2006 will be as great as those of years past.
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Apply Now to the Summer Youth Program! |
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|  Are you interested in a Summer Staff position? MCC’s Summer Youth Program is now hiring for 2006 summer staff. The summer program is hiring for Cook, Work Project Coordinator, Interpreter, and Crew Leader positions. To apply, submit a cover letter, resume, and staff application. Summer Staff Applications and Job Descriptions are available online. Or you can visit with MCC staff at Job Fairs near you.
Are you a youth between the ages of 15-18 years old? We are now accepting applications for summer youth participants. MCC is looking for youth interested in working outdoors, making new friends, and enjoying Minnesota’s beautiful wilderness. Learn more about this exciting opportunity and the summer program! To apply, submit a completed application and 2 recommendation forms to MCC. Applications are available online.
If you have any question regarding the Summer Youth Program or summer staff and youth opportunities, please contact:
Emma Keyser, Summer Program Coordinator
651-209-9900 ext 27
emma.keyser@conservationcorps.org
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MCC Completes ECO Assessment |
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 The ECO Assessment, which stands for Excellence in Corps Operations, is a peer assessment process which recognizes Corps that make a commitment to high-quality standards and continuous improvement. The ECO process is considered a tool that identifies program strengths and challenges and bolsters program quality.
MCC began the ECO process in November with a self-evaluation. MCC Staff prepared documentation and narratives to demonstrate how MCC met the ECO criteria in categories such as Organizational Management, Program Design and Corpsmember Development. The self-evaluation was followed by a site visit, and December 14-16 MCC hosted three members of the ECO Assessment team. The team met with staff, corpsmembers and board members and also visited project sites and crew locations.
MCC took a great deal of valuable information, learned new practices and set continous improvement goals from the ECO experience. MCC will be recognized in February at the National Association for Service and Conservation Corps (NASCC) Conference for successfully completing the Assessment. |
Summer Youth Program and the Winton Falls Access Trail |
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A new project for MCC's Summer Program was at Winton Falls in Winton, MN. The Summer Youth Program sent a crew up to Winton, near Ely, to construct an access trail leading to the Winton Falls. This was a new project for MCC, which involved the MN DNR and Minnesota Power as project hosts.
The project included the construction of over one mile of new trail, which included a section of boardwalk, waterbars, and a series of steps. Several overgrown sections of Alder Brush also had to be removed to prevent their reemergence the following year. The entire project was completed during a two week spike by a crew of nine people. During the evenings and weekends, the crew was able to visit the International Wolf Center in Ely and swim in Fall Lake.
Plans are being made to have a crew return to the trail during the summer of 2006 for continued improvements.
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Willie Bittner was the Work Project Coordinator for the 2005 Summer Program. Willie works for Peter S. Jensen and Associates L.L.C., which is a private trail construction company on the east coast. In December Willie went down to Leesville, Louisiana with the Vermont Conservation Corps to help with the Blue Roof Project and hurricane disaster response efforts.
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Holly Sandbo was the photo journalist/head staff assistant this past summer. Holly has recently graduated from UW Stevens Point with a B.S. in Natural Resources and Environmental Communication. She is currently looking for a video production job. In addition to working at MCC this past summer, Holly also spent the summer studying abroad in Germany, Poland, and Iceland. |
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Kristin O’Connell was a Crew Leader up at camp this past summer. Kristin is pursuing a Masters degree in Geology from UC Davis. Her research and field work includes spending the next summer on Kodiak Island in Alaska, drilling rock cores, mapping the structures, and not getting eaten by bears. Kristin is currently consumed with teaching, homework, running, biking, and playing music. |
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Timothy Riegerix was one of many essential Assistant Crew Leaders and Interpreters last summer. Tim graduated last May from Florissant Valley Community College with an A.A.S. degree in Deaf Communication Studies. He is currently interpreting at a high school in St. Louis. In September 2006, Tim will start the AmeriCorps’ NCCC program in Sacramento, CA. This corpsmember position is a 10 month long service, MCC wishes Tim all the best. |
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