Local Youth Honored by the Colorado Youth Corps Association

Durango and Salida, CO – Julio Madrid Jr., age 17, and Lindsey Kolb, age 23, will receive the “Corpsmember of the Year” award from Southwest Conservation Corps (SCC) and the Colorado Youth Corps Association (CYCA) at the annual Youth Corps Awards Ceremony on Monday, January 26, 2009 at the State Capitol. Julio, of San Luis, is being recognized for his team leadership skills, positive outlooks and team awareness as well as his dedicated work ethic and ability to resolve problems, qualities he exemplified while serving with SCC-Los Valles this past summer. Julio immediately stood out as a team leader amongst his peers” said SCC-Los Valles’ Executive Director Heather MacSlarrow. “When the leaders would give the crew directions, Julio was attentive and even repeated his leaders’ directions so that everyone was clear on what was expected.” Julio served on SCC-Los Valles’ Costilla County Community Corps program working on the Shrine Trail in the White River National Forest as well as cleaning up roads and local churches. The Community Corps program is the first of SCC’s step-ladder model of programs, which employs youth between the ages of 14-17 to complete conservation projects within the communities SCC serves. Next summer, Julio hopes to continue working with SCC to take part in the Frontcountry Camping Crew

Lindsey, a local of Durango, is being recognized for her intense belief in SCC’s mission and outstanding abilities as a crewmember and crew leader. Lindsey served as a crewmember on SCC-Four Corners’ Crew Leader Development Program, a six month program designed to train and develop successful outdoor leaders. After completing the program, Lindsey went on to spend another two months with SCC as a crew leader for various crews across the Southwest. During her time with SCC, Lindsey spent at least seven months in the field, camping out and working on a huge diversity of trails and restoration projects in Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona.

“Lindsey has stood out this year because of her belief in SCC’s mission and her intense drive to meet her crewmember’s needs and the SCC’s standards of excellence” said SCC-Four Corners’ Corpsmember Development Coordinator Eli Herb. “Lindsey demonstrated a capacity to learn and grown as an individual.”

In addition to earning a wage for their time at the Corps, Julio and Lindsey also earned AmeriCorps Education Awards to be used for post-secondary education.

The Youth Corps Awards Ceremony will also honor Secretary of State Bernie Buescher (former House Representative) and Senator Dan Gibbs (District 16) as Legislators of the Year and House Representative Ellen Roberts (District 59) will receive the Champion for the Youth award. The Governor’s Commission on Community Service will also be recognized as the Partner of the Year.

“Julio and Lindsey represent the best future for Colorado,” said CYCA Executive Director Jennifer Freeman. “In many cases, the recipients of the Corpsmember of the Year award overcame personal barriers and capitalized on the support from their Corps to serve our state, further their education, and look toward bright futures.” <–>