Blog | American Youthworks

Revitalization in the Montopolis neighborhood

On August 10, 2011, In American YouthWorks, By Rachel Matvy

On Tuesday, August 16, 50 American YouthWorks (AYW) students will gather at the historic, Burdett Prairie Cemetery in the Montopolis neighborhood for landscape rescue and litter pick up. The AYW students are seeking their high school diploma or GED while learning job skills. This is the fourth time AYW students have worked to clean up the Cemetery in the last two years and is a service project they are doing in conjunction with a larger revitalization vision in the Montopolis neighborhood that includes energy efficient, affordable homes and more green space.

The Burdett Prairie Cemetery is located just a few blocks from seven lots where AYW students in the Casa Verde Builders (CVB) program have built or will build, energy efficient, affordable homes for low-income, first time home buyers. The clean up and construction projects, represent an investment that AYW has made in the Montopolis community and in the at-risk youth that may have come from neighborhoods just like it.

The CVB program provides at-risk youth with an opportunity to earn their GED or high school diploma while gaining job skills in green construction and industry recognized certifications and instilling a service ethic through community revitalization projects, such as the ones in the Montopolis neighborhood.

The Burdett Prairie Cemetery is a historic, private cemetery in a low-income neighborhood that has been used for illegal dumping and illicit activities. Over the last two years, much of the overgrowth has been cleaned out, making the inner parts of the Cemetery less secluded. One neighbor said his kids are not afraid of the Cemetery anymore. For pictures of the clean up in October of last year, visit our facebook page.

The Burdett Prairie Cemetery Clean Up will be on Tuesday, August 16, from 8:00 am to noon. The group needs volunteers and tools such as lawn mowers, pruners and work gloves. Since many of the plots do not have headstones, staff will provide an orientation to ensure that the graves are properly cared for. If you would like to volunteer or donate items, contact Rachel Matvy, rmatvy@americanyouthworks.org or 512.744.1904.

E-Corps Member Spotlight

On July 26, 2011, In American YouthWorks, By Rachel Matvy

E-Corps Member Sara Pikora

Sara Pikora, a graduate of the University of Michigan with a degree in Sociology, moved from Michigan this year to work with E-Corps. Here in Austin, Sara is a member of the Barton Creek Trail Crew (BCTC), which we featured in our February newsletter and on our blog. The BCTC maintains the quality of the trail surface in order to preserve the trail for long term use and removes invasive species along the Barton Creek Greenbelt. Earlier this year, Sara attended the National Trails Conference in Virginia where she had the opportunity to hike parts of the Atlantic Trail System and learn about the local flora and fauna and trail maintenance techniques. In her free time, Sara enjoys rock climbing, hiking, seeing live music and playing disc golf.

For more information about the Barton Creek Trail Crew, see our blog from February 24, 2011.

AYW Students Advise President Obama?

On July 19, 2011, In American YouthWorks, General News, By Rachel Matvy

This spring, American YouthWorks’ (AYW) students were one of 100 groups of young people across the country who formed a Roundtable of Young Americans as part of a White House Initiative to encourage youth to take an active role in the betterment of American society. This Roundtable opened the door for AYW youth to become involved in the issues that matter to them by providing feedback to President Obama’s Young Americans team. Students named their five top community concerns, education, transportation, crime, lack of affordable housing and lack of jobs. They then submitted their answers to the White House and can continue to stay involved with the Young Americans team by joining in White House conference calls and web chats about issues that matter to them. The Young Americans team is encouraging young people to write letters to the editor, host another round table and be open to differing perspectives.

Roundtable responses were included in an e-book, “100 Youth Strategies for Winning the Future.” The book includes workable, scalable models of success that young leaders can replicate in their own communities. For example, one group successfully rerouted a public transit line so that youth in that community would have better access to the bus system, and they saved their city money in the process! To view the book, click here.

90 youth graduate from AYW and earn $230,000 in scholarships

On July 14, 2011, In American YouthWorks, By Rachel Matvy

2011 Graduate

We would like to congratulate our 90 young people who graduated from American YouthWorks’ (AYW) Charter High School on July 2. Not only did they earn their high school diploma or GED but, collectively, they were awarded $230,000 in scholarships! At the ceremony, we recognized the Charter School Campus and Service Learning Academy Campus valedictorians, who are continuing their education at Austin Community College and the University of Texas, respectively. Margarine G. Beaman, AYW Board President, announced the winner of the Joe Jerkins scholarship for perfect attendance. Graduation is a special day for students all across the country, but it is particularly special for the students at AYW whose path is especially challenging.

Many of our students are at risk of dropping out of high school, or have dropped out of high school, because of challenges in their life such as homelessness, economic disadvantage and pregnancy or children. At AYW, we offer young people a chance to improve their lives through an education plan that fits their unique life circumstances and encourages post-secondary education and job training programs that ensure they graduate with more than a diploma.

We would like to thank Horizon Bank for sponsoring Graduation, our keynote speaker, Raul Magdaleno, who is the Director of Diversity at Southern Methodist University Meadows School of the Arts and winner of the US Congressional Gold Medal of Honor, Jerry Davis of Goodwill who donated clothing vouchers and Jamey Glynn of Accenture and Aaron Lee, AYW Board Member, who donated business attire for the students.

For more Graduation photos, visit our facebook page.

Environmental Corps Returns from Joplin, on KXAN with Jim Swift

On June 28, 2011, In American YouthWorks, By Rachel Matvy

Environmental Corps Members in Joplin, MO

If you missed the story about the Environmental Corps in Joplin, click this link to watch the story.

Environmental Corps Joplin Coverage on YNN

On June 23, 2011, In American YouthWorks, By Rachel Matvy

See interviews on YNN with our young people as they prepare to depart for disaster relief in Joplin, MO.

Environmental Corps members exceeding expectations in Missouri

On June 8, 2011, In American YouthWorks, Environmental Corps, General News, Volunteering, By Rachel Matvy

Look closely to see our E-Corps member standing next to the tree with a big chainsaw.

According to FEMA, AmeriCorps teams have directly assisted 128 Missouri households and organized volunteers to assist 136 more to clear their properties of storm debris. Five of our E-Corps members are in Joplin and five in another town about 5 miles away, Duquesne. They are working in leadership positions where they are managing everything from distribution at FEMA supply warehouses, to volunteer teams of up to 100 individuals, to media. The word is that they are a valuable asset to the effort because of their skills and their hard work. American YouthWorks staff are in touch with the members and they are in good spirits! Stay tuned for more photos and hopefully some videos.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department awards AYW $350,000

On June 1, 2011, In American YouthWorks, Environmental Corps, General News, Service Learning Academy, By Rachel Matvy

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission (TPW Commission) approved $3,318,450 million to fund 21 National Recreational Trail Grant projects in communities across the state. The commission also awarded an additional $485,000 in re-allocated trail funds to underwrite trail improvements in seven state parks and three local communities. $350,000 of this state appropriation of federal funds will support American YouthWorks’ travelling Trails Across Texas (TAT) Environmental Corps (E-Corps) crew. The action by TPW Commission will also fund many projects for local municipalities throughout the state that E-Corps will work to contract with, including development of nature trails in the Montopolis neighborhood in Austin. The seven state parks that will receive part of the recreational trails funding are Cooper Lake, Eisenhower, Huntsville, Lake Brownwood, Lake Corpus Christi, McKinney Falls and Tyler. The money will go toward renovating existing trails, making trails more accessible, and helping with layout, design and other improvements.

According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), the National Recreational Trails Fund comes from a portion of the federal gas tax generated by the sale of gasoline for use in off-road recreational vehicles such as dirt bikes and All-Terrain Vehicles. Money from the trail fund goes toward the creation and maintenance of motorized and non-motorized recreational trails. The Federal Highway Administration manages the fund and distributes portions of it to states based on a formula that takes into account the state’s population and fuel sales for off-road vehicles. Nationwide, the program was appropriated $95 million for the current fiscal year.

The TAT crew consists of 18-20 young adults that will spend six months to one year building trails while camping in state parks across Texas. The TAT crew members are considered “roving trails experts” who actually help train the TPWD staff on the technical trail building skills they learn under AYW staff. This results in Texas State Parks staff and volunteer groups with intensive training in trail building and maintenance and therefore a safer and more sustainable trail system for Texas State Parks. In addition, after completion of their six months to one year term, these 20 young adults will have gained exposure to career pathways through interacting with industry professionals and developed the problem solving and technical skills they need to become future leaders in conservation that can make a significant impact in their community.

Texas Education Agency Approves American YouthWorks’ move to Service-Learning Education Model

On May 31, 2011, In American YouthWorks, Charter School, General News, Parent Notice, Press Releases, Service Learning Academy, By Rachel Matvy

On May 24, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) approved AYW’s charter amendment to merge its two campuses, which were following separate models of education, to one campus called the Service Learning Academy (Academy) that will focus solely on teaching high school academics through service-learning. Starting in the fall of 2011, each student who attends AYW will earn their elective credits by participating in a Corps program where they will complete service-learning projects that benefit the community such as building energy efficient homes and refurbishing computers for low income Austinites, restoring habitat for endangered species or testing for water quality. In addition, these students will get exposure to career pathways by gaining job skills and by interacting with industry professionals.

AYW has always practiced project-based learning as a way students can engage more fully in their classes and gain job skills through hands-on experience. About 15 years ago, AYW began to incorporate service-learning practices in order to further enhance the students’ educational experience by giving them an opportunity to address authentic community needs. The Academy officially started two years ago as a pilot program. After comparing test scores, attendance rates and dropout rates between students in the Academy and the traditional campus, AYW staff decided they could better serve at-risk youth by merging the two campuses and focusing solely on the model that was getting superior results.

Based on the academic indicators of the TEA, Academy students have shown greater improvements in academics and participation. The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) TAKS scores for English Language Arts of Academy students rose from 59% passing in 2008 to 87% in 2010 and during the same time period, NCLB TAKS Mathematics scores rose 23%. Since the inception of the Academy, the attendance rates for its students have increased nearly 20% and the dropout rates have decreased.

In addition to considering test scores, AYW staff also looked at a study performed by, RH2, an independent research group, which compared AYW’s student population to Austin Independent School District (AISD) and statewide populations and studied the effect of the Academy on academics and employment. The study found that almost 100% of AYW students meet the state criteria for being “at risk” of dropping out of school compared to roughly half of the students in AISD and statewide. In addition, the study found AYW’s Academy motivates students, in part, by providing opportunities for them to bond in small groups and make contributions to their community. The study went on to say, “AYW’s service-learning programs tend to have more of a practical vocational orientation to prepare students for their own futures as well as to provide services to the community.”

On May 27, AYW hosted an Enrollment Picnic. Parents and current or potential students had the opportunity to learn about participating in a Corps program, solve math problems for prizes and enjoy lunch on the back lawn at AYW.

American YouthWorks’ Environmental Corps will provide disaster relief to Joplin, MO

On May 27, 2011, In American YouthWorks, Environmental Corps, General News, Press Releases, By Rachel Matvy

Young adult volunteers will travel to Joplin, MO to provide disaster relief to tornado victims

Austin, TX– May 27, 2011 – On Tuesday, May 31, 2011, eight, American YouthWorks’ (AYW) Environmental Corps (E-Corps) members will head out for a three week disaster relief mission to Joplin, Missouri. Through an agreement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), E-Corps will provide a self-sustaining crew of young adult volunteers, trained in chainsaw operation and safety, to support state and local authorities in response to the Missouri tornadoes, severe storms and flooding.

E-Corps is a fifteen year old AmeriCorps program that empowers future leaders by engaging them in service to their community though habitat restoration and trail construction projects and disaster relief services, while they are gaining job skills and earning an education award that can be used for college or technical training. Due to its national reputation of training safe and skilled sawyers and previous experience in New Orleans and East Texas aiding Hurricane recovery efforts, the CNCS asked E-Corps to again partner with FEMA to provide similar aid to Missourians. When deployed to New Orleans in 2005, crew members cleared an entire park of downed trees and debris, assisted neighbors with clean-up and started a garden to uplift community spirits. E-Corps crews are completely self-sustaining when they travel, they: camp in the area, supply their own tools and bring and cook their own meals.

E-Corps will arrive in Joplin on Tuesday evening to set up camp and will begin assisting local authorities Wednesday morning. E-Corps was specifically called upon because of their diverse experience with tree removal, brush clearing, creek clean-ups, erosion control techniques, stream-bank restoration and volunteer coordination and reputation for providing quality work. The crew may provide support in any of the following capacities: critical clean up and removal of storm debris, emergency housing repair, flood relief, registering and coordinating volunteers, assisting the United Way with volunteer disaster operations, initiating casework to enable long term recovery and providing support for special needs.

“It takes a special individual and a prepared state of mind to volunteer to go into a disaster area. We have high standards for our E- Corps members’ work ethic and provide intensive technical and safety training to prepare our members for situations where they may be called on to provide leadership and service to others, especially under physically and mentally demanding circumstances such as this disaster in Joplin. Our E-Corps members work hard daily, giving their sweat in service to others and they are eager to put their strengths to work for the people of Missouri,” said Parc Smith, CEO of AYW.