Giving and Taking: CJC teens gain experience, and give to the environment

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Teenagers from all over Prince George’s County are learning life skills, professionalism and the value of hard work while they help preserve nature as a part of the Conservation Job Corps at the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission’s Patuxent River Park in Upper Marlboro, Md. This program, which takes place in Prince George’s County and five other locations in Maryland, seeks to teach environmental responsibility and professional behavior to teens who “don’t receive some of the things you get in a normal upbringing,” according to Conservation Job Corps coach Josh Holt. “I never thought I’d be doing stuff like this,” said 14-year-old JazmineStromar, who became involved with the program by signing up with YES, as she took a water break from clearing equestrian trails with her work crew. Clearing trails is a typical job for these teens, as well as restoring structures around the park, building a bridge and a hut for boat storage, and even helping to prepare for environmental studies taking place at the park. The work they do can be physically taxing, but as crew chief Deidre Locklear said “This is the hardest thing they’ll have to do,” in hopes that the lessons learned working for the corps will help the teens have success in their future careers. “It only gets easier from here,” she said. While the teens work hard during the three days a week they are at Patuxent River Park, they are rewarded with a competitive wage and meals during the work day, as well as the opportunity to do weekly enrichment activities and go on a camping trip with their cohort. Participant Guy Young said that these activities taught him “what stewardship is, treating animals and plants with respect.” For Joshua Fernandez, the lessons learned at Conservation Job Corps will very soon have a real-life application, as the 18 year old plans to join the Maryland National Guard in the fall. Fernandez said that the most important lesson he will take with him from the job corps is teamwork. “Teamwork is very important,” said Fernandez. “You can’t really rely on just one person, you have to rely on each other.”