The Chesapeake Bay Trust introduced the newest class of its Chesapeake Conservation Corps, a program created by the Maryland Legislature to provide valuable job skills training for young people and promote the green economy in Maryland. The program matches young people ages 18-25 with non-profit and government organizations for one-year, stipend-supported terms of service, focused on improving local communities and protecting natural resources.
Since the program began in 2010 with an inaugural class of 16 members, the Corps has nearly tripled in size due to its popularity among young people pursing environmental occupations and the organizations that host Corps Members each year. It has become a premier launching pad for green careers and a reliable resource for environmentally-focused organizations who are recruiting the next generation of environmental professionals. Many of the Corps Members in each graduating class have been hired directly by their host organizations, often into brand new positions, and alums can now be found throughout the professional conservation field.
“The Chesapeake Conservation Corps program continues to demonstrate the power of investing in hands-on job training programs,” said Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr., the initiator of this program back in 2010. “Today we celebrate both the initiation of 42 young people about to embark on this career-building experience, as well as 30 young people completing their year of service and bringing that training to the job market. This program not only helps young people find jobs, but it helps our environment and our economy.”
During their year of service, Conservation Corps Members will gain valuable on-the-job experience as they work to advance environmental conservation, K-12 education, energy efficiency programs, sustainable agriculture practices, and a host of other environmentally-focused initiatives. Today, 42 Corps participants met their host organizations at Camp Letts in Edgewater, Md., to learn more about their job responsibilities for the upcoming year.
“The National Park Service is proud to be supporting the Chesapeake Conservation Corps for the 2017-2018 year,” said George McDonald, U.S. National Park Service Youth Programs Manager. “These young people will learn and teach others the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation, a theme that will stay with them throughout their careers and lives.”
The program has grown since its initiation in 2010, given the program’s early popularity and success, due to additional investment, from the Chesapeake Bay Trust from the “Treasure the Chesapeake” license plate and Chesapeake and Endangered Species state income tax checkoff, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, BGE and others in the Exelon family, and the National Park Service. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center, UMD Environmental Finance Center, and Environmental Concern also contributed matching funds for the program this year.
“Good companies like BGE really care about our communities and our natural resources. This program aims to develop leaders with experience and perspective to ensure that we not only embrace our natural resource treasures now but that we identify, educate and mentor future leaders to sustain current efforts indefinitely, ” said John Quinn of BGE, a key funder of the program. “We hope these young people will enter the work force after their years of service in all sectors: nonprofit, government, and corporate as well. The entire community will benefit from their skill sets.”
During the course of the year, Corps participants work directly with their host organizations, receive extensive job trainings hosted by the Trust, and gain experience in grant writing and project management through a capstone project.
“We know that educating and training the next generation of environmental leaders is critical to the future of our watersheds,” said Jana Davis, Executive Director of the Trust. “We are committed to ensuring that a new generation is ready to build on the great work that is already being done and we are proud that the Chesapeake Conservation Corps ensures that the pool of talented environmental professionals continues to grow.”
Of the 42 selected participants, twelve will work for organizations in Anne Arundel County; six will work in Montgomery County; six in Baltimore City; two in Baltimore County; five in Prince George’s County; three in Talbot County, two in Frederick County; one each in Allegany, Calvert, Caroline, Kent, and Worcester Counties; and one supported by NPS in Pennsylvania.
The 2017-2018 Chesapeake Conservation Corps class includes the following individuals and their host organizations:
- Samantha Alvey, Environmental Concern, Talbot County
- Heather Black, Izaak Walton League of America, Montgomery County
- Nicole Blanco, Hood College, Frederick County
- Dionna Bucci, Maryland National Capitol Park and Planning Commission Meadowside Nature Center, Montgomery County
- Linn Bumpers, National Wildlife Federation, Anne Arundel County
- Connor Burton, Environmental Concern, Prince George’s County
- William Cameron, University of Maryland Environmental Finance Center, Talbot County
- Diamonique Clark, Stevenson University, Baltimore County
- Natalie Cohen, Amazing Grace Lutheran Church, Baltimore City
- Erin Collins, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Anne Arundel County
- Shelby Cross, Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary, Anne Arundel County
- Haley Denton, Anne Arundel Watershed Stewards Academy, Anne Arundel County
- Sierra Duca, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Anne Arundel County
- Maryam El-Amin, City of Greenbelt, Prince George’s County
- Kelsey Everett, U.S. National Park Service, Anne Arundel County
- Rachel Ewalt, Maryland National Capitol Park and Planning Commission Brookside Nature Center, Montgomery County
- Mariah Gansel, Susquehanna Heritage Corp, Pennsylvania
- Zachary Garmoe, Maryland Coastal Bays Program, Worcester County
- Marcus Glomset, University of Maryland Environmental Finance Center, Prince George’s County
- Gabriella Graham-Glicksman, Irvine Nature Center, Baltimore County
- Anna Haley, Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center, Anne Arundel County
- Nora Hamovit, The Nature Conservancy, Montgomery County
- Caroline Harper, Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center, Anne Arundel County
- Humon Heidarian, Eco City Farms, Prince George’s County
- Coalter Hollberg, Anne Arundel County Govt, Anne Arundel County
- Sara Hughes, Maryland Department of Natural Resources-Resource Assessment Service, Allegany County
- Christopher Jackson, Town of Forest Heights, Prince George’s County
- Aaron Jackson, Blue Water Baltimore, Baltimore City
- Morgan Jones, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Anne Arundel County
- Suzanne Ketcham, Maryland Department of the Environment, Baltimore City
- Gabriel Lindsay, Latin American Youth Center, Montgomery County
- Eileen McMahon, Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore, Baltimore City
- Thomas Moorman, Patterson Park Audubon Center, Baltimore City
- Rebecca Murphy, Midshore Riverkeeper Conservancy, Talbot County
- Leah Nugent, Chesapeake Center for Youth Development, Baltimore City
- Yashvanth Pavuluri, City of Frederick, Frederick County
- Lauren Roswall, American Chestnut Land Trust, Calvert County
- Lilian Schneider, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Anne Arundel County
- Blake Steiner, Adkins Arboretum, Caroline County
- Jennifer Tam, Maryland Department of Natural Resources – Maryland Biological Stream Survey, Anne Arundel County
- Gabrielle Troutman, Potomac Conservancy, Montgomery County
- Kaitlin Urbanski, Sultana Projects, Kent County
