"Could we 'BEE' any busier?"

Greetings Friends!

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While we did not watch the Friends Reunion show, we hope you read the title of this week’s post in Chandler Bing’s sarcastic tone….it was a busy month of good news. From seeing our pollinator meadow starting to bloom to obtaining high school diplomas, to receiving news of being awarded a $32,000 NJ DOT grant and having our NJYC grant renewed; a lot has been happening!

In June we observed National Pride Month, Great Outdoors Month, National Trails Day, and National Pollinator Week. We also celebrated with an in-person, outdoor graduation ceremony for every diploma earned through the pandemic. It was a busy month! Here’s a look at what we did:

Service Learning Project Highlights

June began with our last cohort of FY21 wrapping up. The crew was firing on all cylinders - starting the month off with our National Trails Day project, building and installing some puncheons along a section of the Morris Canal Greenway Trail in Hackettstown. The puncheons will allow hikers to traverse the landscape without getting their feet wet and muddy. Check out the video we made of our event here or by clicking the image the right.

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In preparing for Pollinator Week, on June 17th, we worked alongside program partners NJ Audubon on a native plant installation outside of the Mars Wrigley facility in Hackettstown. This project was the 2nd stage of a planting that began last year. (See here for that video.) This year’s planting included donations from the Xerces Society - a science-based nonprofit organization that protects wildlife through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitats. NJ Audubon secured a grant from the Xerces Society for the planting materials. See a video from our planting here or by clicking the link above!

Speaking of Pollinator Week - check out the progress our pollinator meadow has made in the past year since we installed it! We compiled some footage from last year to this year - check it out! The growth since last year is impressive, and we’ll be thinning plants come the fall for propagation and future plantings.

Mission Accomplished!

Cohort 3 - the final cohort of FY21 completed the Stage One portion of the NJYC program on Friday, June 25th. (Succesful completion is obtained by maintaining 85% attendance overall, completing a 16-week Employability skills curriculum, and completing 140 hours of Service Learning Projects) We celebrated the collective achievements of Class 81, a group that averaged 156 hours of service per CM (140 hours is required to meet our benchmark), and earned 8 diplomas! You can see their happy, smiling faces here or by clicking on Jaden’s handsome face above. They all now begin Stage Two of the program, with eight of the CM’s securing employment, and two of them accepting placement of the Transition Team (formerly the Full-Time Crew).

Graduation!

On Tuesday, June 29th we were finally gathered to host our official Cap-and-Gown Graduation Ceremony - but boy, was it a scorcher! We picked the hottest day of the year, and amid the sweltering heat, we celebrated every diploma earned throughout the pandemic. Check out the video from the event here or click below.

‘NEW’ NJ Youth Corps programs!

It was a crazy pace to finish off the program year, but there is no rest for the weary. Fresh with the news of being awarded the NJYC program grant for FY22 - we now have 13 NJYC programs throughout NJ! Join us in welcoming Leaders4Life (Newark), JEVS Human Services (Atlantic City), and United Way of Greater Union County (Elizabeth) as new NJYC program entities! Welcome to the NJYC family!

We here in Phillipsburg have already started with a new cohort in Orientation for FY22! We began on Tuesday, July 6th, and will induct the newest cohort this coming Friday, July 16th. Hard to believe we’re starting a new group when it feels like the last one just began!

And so the cycle repeats.

Even as we start our 82nd class of Corpsmembers, there is excitement and anxiety in the air as we get to know our new recruits. we will keep you posted on them in the next post - so until then-

Be well, and stay cool!

Michael

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Buzzing right along....

Greetings Friends!

We’re now almost 3/4 way through our current cohort, and things are moving right along. Warmer weather is starting - meaning lots of opportunities to be outside, and we haven’t wasted any of those opportunities. When possible, we’ve been conducting our classes outdoors - even conducting a Forklift Training right outside our building at our picnic area!

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Ms. Thea and her famous good luck frog shoes!

Last week, Ten (10) members of NJYC Phillipsburg took the first of the 5 subtests that they need to pass to earn their high school diploma. We are happy to report that nine (9) passed! We received this report from our instructor Ms. Thea that she typed up waiting patiently outside the testing center at Morris County VoTech while wearing her stylish, good luck ‘frog shoes’:

“For over two decades I have been assisting and supporting hundreds of Youth Corps members on their journey to earn their high school diploma. Every three to four months, I assure anxious Corpsmembers that they are very capable of passing the exams required to earn their high school diploma and every three to four months I beam with pride when they do exactly what they and probably others, had doubted...they pass the test. Many people falsely think that taking the high school equivalency test is an easy way out, but no less is expected of HSE candidates than their traditional high school counterparts. The rigors of the exam often change to reflect current secondary education level expectations. Did you know that GED testing started as a service ONLY for veterans returning to civilian life after leaving high school to serve their country during WWII? In a 1946 study of 1500 veterans to 1500 non-veterans at the University of California in Los Angeles, it was determined that veterans performed better because of their maturity and stronger motivation. The very same could be said of our students, it’s their strong motivation to move toward a brighter future that pushes them to succeed; though some of my former students may tell you that it’s all in the lucky frog shoes!”

We look to have more good news to report soon, as CM’s will be testing more in the first full week of June. For now, they have a lot of motivation and encouragement from their first successes - wish ‘em luck!

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CM’s with resident Bill Benz and Comeback Cafe’ owner Clayton Mitchell

On the Service Learning Project front - we’ve been busy as well. Keeping things looking ‘ship-shape’ was a theme. Corpsmembers spruced up the historic district along the S. Main Street corridor - trimming along sidewalks, pruning street trees, picking up litter, and planting flowers. It was incredibly gratifying in a way that our more remote service projects are not - we got waves, shout-outs of appreciation - and were able to interact with residents and business owners, informing them about the NJYC program, and networking in a really positive way. Corpsmembers planted a donated tree, learned about some employment opportunities from a local restaurant, and were treated to some ice cream at the end of the day.

click above to see the video!

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Corpsmembers at the Oxford Furnace - with thier new friend.

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images of Oxford Furnace

Corpsmembers also pitched in at Shippen Manor and the Oxford Furnace in Oxford, NJ. The furnace and adjacent property were in need of some TLC - we removed older damaged split rail fencing around the perimeter of the property, and removed other accumulated debris from the site. We even made a new friend with a milk snake the CM’s discovered!

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at the Karen Nash Memorial Butterfly Garden.

We even got an afternoon of work in at the Karen Nash Memorial Butterfly Garden - working with Ms. Diana Dove, CM’s were able to clean out some planter beds to make room for new growth, and learned about native species of plants and the benefits they provide all pollinator species.

Speaking of pollinators - Thursday, May 20th, 2021 was #WorldBeeDay - and we made sure to make it out to the hive to thank our girls for all their hard work. In the news, we saw that Angelina Jolie decided to celebrate in a particularly interesting way. We love our bees, but have to tip our cap to Ms. Joile for her determination in making that kind of statement!

We got out to our hive this past week to check up on our hive and *knock wood* things were looking good. Corpsmember Will (seen below) while inspecting the hive even got to see the queen!

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Lastly - yesterday was the final workday for our Transition Team member Kai Wilson. Kai began NJYC in November 2020. He completed Stage 1 of our program in March, obtaining his Diploma - and then continued our Stage 2 Transition Team, working on Service Projects and setting a good example for incoming Corpsmembers. Kai has secured work with a landscaping firm, and no doubt his NJYC experience will come in handy. Kai’s friendly disposition and positive attitude were infectious, and we will miss seeing him every day - but we are so proud of him for all he’s done since starting here 7 months ago! Best of luck, Kai!

Next week we will update you on our gardens - and hopefully, begin in starting to share the stories of our current CM’s - how they came to NJYC, what their experience has been like, and where they see themselves going. We think it will be interesting - our CM’s always have a lot to say!

Until then - ever forward-

Michael

News from White Lake

Greetings from White Lake Natural Resource Area! The busy season is beginning here at White Lake.

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(A Snapping Turtle is seen walking near a wetland area, possibly on its way to lay eggs.)

 With nice weather, comes visitors; hikers, anglers, kayakers, dog-walkers, birders, and... beavers?!?

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A beaver dam blocks the only outlet to the Paulinskill River

That’s right! Beavers have been spotted at White Lake before, whether it is evidence of them, (beaver lodge within reeds or fallen trees with shavings near it) or actually seeing them! 

There are pros and cons when it comes to beaver dams, in some cases they can improve the ecosystem by creating wetlands and acting as a filter for toxins.  In other cases, they can negatively impact the surrounding environment by slowing the flow of water, building up silt, or flooding the surrounding area. For White Lake, there is only one outlet, so it is important to keep it clear to prevent flooding.

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Same outlet but with the beaver dam dismantled.

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a side by side comparison.

If you are visiting, keep an eye out for the beavers. They are often seen at dusk! Be safe and hope to see you soon!

-Aaron 

Hitting our Stride.

Greetings Everyone!

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Sanaya, Livy and Nicholas spruced up the sign at Bread Lock Park this week!

Another week in the books - literally and figuratively. CM’s are plugging away in the classroom preparing for taking their first few HSE tests next week, and they’ve also been logging hours on Service Projects. This past week CM’s worked mowing and trimming at Bread Lock Park & Port Warren (plating some flowers at the former) and maintained the South Main Street Gateway site. Check out their work at the latter location here.

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Josh (l) and Will (c) visited us!

This past week was Teacher Appreciation Week - and we hope you reached out to your favorite (past or present) to thank them for all they do. I read a quote recently that said “a teacher is one who makes themselves progressively unnecessary”. - and while we at YC would love nothing more than to see our students graduate and be so successful that they are too busy being successful to stop by and see us - we do enjoy their visits. This past week Will M. & Josh B. stopped by to let us know how they were doing (Will is in college and Josh just bought a home!). AND we learned that Tevonne D. is in the United States Army now - we could not be more proud!

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Specialist Tevonne Dorsey (3rd from r.) marching in formation in Fort Jackson, SC.

Next week we look to update you all on how ur CM’s fared taking their tests, show you some work we’re doing along South Main Street, and update you on our project plans for National Trails Day coming up in June.

Until then- stay safe & be well -

Ever Forward-

Michael

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This crew!

Another busy week!

Greetings again friends!

Another week in the books - We are almost 1/2 way through this cohort already! it never ceases to amaze us how fast time flies at NJYC!

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CM Sanaya made friends with a snail this week in the garden.

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Corpsmembers have been working hard in the classroom and staff are working hard to schedule them to take their exams in the next few weeks. Soon the air at our offices will be filled with some anxiousness - but we are confident in our CM’s abilities even when they are not.

Click to see the video from our work last Saturday!

Last Saturday, we joined with NORWESCAP’S Office of Community Development and community members to participate in their 3rd annual Community Day of Action. See the video from our day here.

This past week we worked at Shippen Manor, removed debris from the Warren County Parks Foundation’s clean up event at Florence Kuipers Park, mowed at Plane 9, Spruced up one of the Welcome to Phillipsburg signs, and even planted our gardens at the Stine Farm.

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Next week we’ll be continuing our gardening work, will catch you up to speed on our pollinator habitat, and hopefully have some news on some grant opportunities we recently applied for. Until then, stay safe and healthy!

Ever forward-

Michael

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outside our offices in Walters Park, a maple seedling takes root in the cavity of a chestnut tree.

First Steps. Deep Breaths.

Greetings Friends -

Another week in the books - this cohort is going by really quickly!

This past week we got a lot done - and for most of our crew, it was the first time doing the types of work undertaken. People began weed-whacking that never did before. People used zero-turn mowers that never did before - it wasn’t easy and it wasn’t without some hiccups, but they all did a great job!

We worked at Bread Lock Park mowing, The Stine Farm weeding the Pollinator Garden, we maintained the Strykers Road trailheads and trail from Rte. 22 to 519, and did a litter sweep there - as well as at the Gateway Site along South Main Street in Phillipsburg. Add in some tool & vehicle Maintenance and a sidewalk chalk mural to celebrate Earth Day - and you can see it was a busy week. Rather than write about it, we’ll let the images speak for us. Roll that beautiful team footage!

More next week as start to plan for Arbor Day - and report out on the Community Day of Action with NORWESCAP.

Ever forward - until then-

Michael

Hoppin' to it!

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the manicured lawns at Bread Lock Park

Greetings Friends!

Another week in the books for Class 81- and they got a lot done!

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The Crew trimming the steep slopes at Shippen Manor in Oxford, NJ

Mowing season began and the properties at Bread Lock Park, Port Warren and Shippen Manor saw their first cuts of the year - We have been maintaining these parks fr some 12 years now, and are very proud of the work we do!

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The trail at Port Warren

While working at Port Warren, Corpsmembers have been busy cutting, trimming, and brush-cutting the perimeter of the upper fields to establish a loop trail. Coming in at just under a mile (.89) - this new trail will provide additional hiking activities and some beautiful viewsheds. All we need to do now is add the blazes! (see pics below)

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Nicholas & Cody thin the seedlings for optimal growth.

At the Stine Farm, CM’s were busy preparing the garden beds for planting. We cleared out the beds, added some topsoil to build the beds up - and now we wait for the threat of frost to pass. Back at the YC offices in Walters Park, our growing cart was working its magic, and CM’s were thinning the plants to prepare them for planting/sale.

Next week we’ll be focusing on Earth Day and the 3rd Annual NORWESCAP Community Day of Action. Check out what we did last year by clicking here. NJYC will again be working in Shappell Park - and the park has really been transformed over the past year. A refurbished gazebo, improved landscaping and now a designated outdoor dining area - the park is becoming the center of the downtown business district. Join us on Saturday April 24th, 2021 from 8:30 am to 11:30 am! Kudos to Phillipsburg Parks and Recreation, NORWESCAP Community Development, and the Phillipsburg Downtown Association for bringing the resources and energy to improve downtown!

More next week - we look forward to getting out hands dirty!

Ever Forward-

Michael

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Crew clearing the loop trail at Port Warren.

Getting things Growing!

Greetings Friends!

Another week has passed in our last cohort of the fiscal year - and while spring is on the march outside, we have started planning our gardens inside.

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the Morris Canal Greenway Trail from the O’Dowd Farm to Bread Lock Park, 2 miles.

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Working on the perimeter trail at Port Warren.

We also got some trail work done by clearing the perimeter trail at Port Warren Park. CM’s are establishing a 1-mile trail around the perimeter of the cornfields there and while doing so are learning about land use issues, and balancing the need for farmland preservation while promoting outdoor recreation activities.

We were out at Bread Lock park this week clearing downed trees at the Bread Lock Park trail that stretches from BLP to Richline Road. This section of the Morris Canal Greenway Trail actually extends approximately 2 miles from BLP to the O’Dowd Farm in Stewartsville.

While it feels great to be back into a ‘normal’ rhythm, it is not without hiccups -but we are hitting our stride. Over the next few weeks, we will be celebrating Earth Day and planting some trees in Walters Park for Arbor Day. Looming large on our calendar is the NORWESCAP Community Day of Action on Saturday, April 24th, 2021. It will be an event that brings out the best in all of Phillipsburg - and we hope to be present in good numbers to do some work in Shappell Park.

More next week - have a great weekend!

Michael

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From obstacle to amenity: downed trees are turned into makeshift benches along the Morris Canal Greenway Trail at Bread Lock Park.

News From White Lake!

Greetings from White Lake!

It has been quite the winter (and quite a year!), but, now that Spring is here and the snow has melted, things are becoming a little more lively around the park. 

(A Piebald White-Tail Deer spotted on the Green Trail in mid-February. Piebald is a genetic abnormality, causing a lack of pigmentation in the deer’s coat.)

The shrills of the Red-Winged Black Bird can be heard almost every morning, swallows can be seen flying above the fields, and the redbuds are making themselves apparent in the once bare Red Maples… yes, indeed Spring is here.

Recently three of our fields have been mowed for a late-winter cut, which helps alleviate the growth of invasive plants; mugwort, multi-flora rose, and ailanthus (just to name a few). In addition,  we have continuously cleared all trails, allowing safe access throughout, and have just had NJ Fish and Wildlife stock our 60-acre lake with Trout!

(A view of White Lake from the Blue Trail, this was one of the fields that was mowed.)

(A notice from NJ Fish and Wildlife informing Anglers of a recent date change for the 2021 Fishing Season.)

With the warm weather just around the corner, White Lake will be the place to go for a number of outdoor activities such as; hiking, fishing, kayaking, paddleboarding, and birding

We look forward to an awesome season and will keep you all posted with what’s happening around the lake! Remember to social distance, be safe, and see you soon!

-Aaron 

at the last minute....

Greetings Friends!

Crew Leader David marks the loop trail at Port Warren

This past week was full of contrast. From starting the week with the weather in the mid-30’s, to a warm windy Friday in the 70’s - we had the whole ‘in like a lamb, out like a lion’ thing.

Our grant will provide opportunities to improve the gateways into Phillipsburg.

It was a hectic week too - what seemed disjointed and chaotic actually represented a lot of work that we accomplished. We finished up and submitted a grant application, made a quick trip to another Youth Corps program to help them out, started planning for our gardens, starting winding up our project at Delaware River Park, plotted out a course for a new trail along the Morris Canal property at Port Warren and this morning we will be welcoming our new ‘nuc’ - (a nucleus hive) - of bees as we begin again in our beekeeping project. See? that’s a pretty good week!

I suppose it’s just that sometimes when we are trudging away at our goals, it’s good to take a look around at the landscape and see the progress we are making. It might seem incremental at best, but when you’re head down and driving, you have to take the time occasionally to see the progress you’ve made. Sometimes, that perspective is the fuel you need to get back at it, and be more determined to get things done.

Today we take a moment to wish our dear friend Happy Birthday! Carolyn Wallace is the matriarch of the Youth Corps movement here in New Jersey - she is a fierce advocate for opportunity youth, a mother (and grandmother) figure to the Newark community and all across New Jersey. Suffice it to say, the world is a better place because she is in it. Happy 86th, Ms. Carolyn!!

Next week will find us out on the trails, hitting the books, and welcoming more new Corpsmembers to the NJYC family. Here’s to getting things done! Have a great weekend!

More next week-

Michael

"Walking with Purpose" in the #CorpsNewEra.

Greetings Everyone!

An exciting week this past week at NJYC of Phillipsburg! We began a new cohort and the energy at the YC building is infectious (I know, terrible choice of words). Being back as close to “normal” as we have been in the past year is invigorating, and the timing could not be more serendipitous to our program or our partners.

We celebrated three of our Graduates last week: Kai W., Matthew M., and Gavin W.. Obtaining your High School Equivalency isn’t something that is easy - especially during a pandemic. With testing centers all around us closed, NJYC of Phillipsburg staff got creative and created a space for CM’s to utilize the HiSET at-home version of the test, and in no time at all - these three young men were able to pass the needed sections to obtain their diploma. Join us in congratulating them!

Work wrapped up in Walters Park at the pavilion. Phillipsburg Parks & Recreation asked us to help them remove the fixed concrete and wood benches and tables under the pavilion here in Walters Park to make way for improvements to a newer paved surface and new picnic tables. Crews have worked on and off over the past month, trudging through the snow to get to the job site, and we finished on schedule. Tough work, but satisfying to get completed!

NJYC of Phillipsburg staff attended The Corps Network’s National Conference this past week. Traditionally held in Washington DC in February- this year’s event was all virtual. TCN did an amazing job to bring the energy, enthusiasm, and excitement that the in-person conference provides! With speeches from the Corpsmembers of the Year, to learning best practices from some of the most dynamic Corps Programs all across America, to hearing from the White House on new initiatives to develop a Civilian Climate Corps - it’s safe to say we all came away feeling energized and focused.

The Closing Session of the Conference was titled ‘Walking With Purpose’ a presentation by Paul Schmitz, CEO at Leading Inside Out, LLC. Paul is a member of The Corps Network Board of Directors and brings a wealth of knowledge to the Corps Movement. In his presentation, which talked about mindful leadership he spoke on the difference between asset-based language and deficit-based language, how if affects our community building and problem-solving, and how self-knowledge in your leadership style can be one of the biggest assets you can bring to the table. He says ‘if we are confident about what we bring and humble about what we don’t - that’s the magic of leadership - that’s the sweet spot.” These words will sit with me for a while (along with everything else he spoke about) - but don’t take my word for it, you can listen to his presentation here, it’s fantastic.

Today, we’ll induct another eleven CM’s into the NJYC of Phillipsburg Family. They’ll begin taking the first few steps toward obtaining their education, serving their community, and developing a path to their future in the #CorpsNewEra. Lets wish them well, and remind them to ‘Walk with Purpose’.

More next week - until then, stay safe - be well!

Michael

Recent Presentation to ICL

Greetings Everyone!

This past week, temperatures warmed up, giving us some hope for the coming spring. Soon, we’ll be getting back to the soil, planting seeds and flowers and trees. While the pandemic has thrown our routines into havoc, the recurring rhythms of nature are a comforting constant.

Earlier last week, NJYC was invited by the Institute of Conservation Leadership to present to invited partners at their Winter Gathering. We chose to share how we have adapted to change over the past year by building on our public/private partnerships in performing ecological restoration work within the Delaware River Watershed Initiative, focusing on the Highlands Cluster Group.

Working with NJ Audubon, NJYC of Phillipsburg has become their on-call labor force to implement projects on the ground, and it has provided incredible opportunity to improve the landscape while changing the world-views of our Corpsmembers. All accomplished with significant support from William Penn Foundation. View our presentation to the partners, and let us know your thoughts.

Here’s looking to Spring!

Michael J. Muckle, Director

new website launch!

Greetings! We’re proud to launch our new and improved website - we’ve scoured the pages of all our fellow Corps programs nationwide and tried to emulate them as best we could to have an engaging, impactful and informative website.

Some of the new improvements are related to content - but we’ve also made our program more accessible by formatting it to be a smooth experience across platforms and devices. We’ve added an online application, an Alumni page, and included testimonials from Corpsmembers about their experience with us. It is our hope that by including these improvements, we’ll be able to develop a stronger online community and culture of inclusivity. In addition to our social media platforms, we’ll also use this forum to keep you updated on our activities, student successes, service projects, and more. We hope you’ll find it informative and useful.

As you peruse the site, please feel free to offer feedback and suggestions on what you’d like to see. We’ll do what we can to incorporate your ideas!

that’s all for now-

Michael M, Director