NATURAL PERSPECTIVES:Corps graduates a fine group

Vic and I attended the 2007 Orange County Conservation Corps graduation ceremony last Friday at the Doubletree Hotel in Anaheim. Twenty corps members graduated from the John Muir Charter School in an emotional ceremony.

Each of the students prepared a speech in which they generally talked about the hardships they had endured and the obstacles they had overcome to reach this milestone in their lives.

Some of the graduates had successfully battled drug or alcohol addiction, gang membership and/or probation. Others had never been in trouble with the law but simply needed to earn a living while they completed their high school educations. Their career goals ranged from journalist to sheriff to drug counselor to medical doctor to commercial airline pilot.

The transformation that these young people undergo from the time they are in my orientation class to when they graduate is remarkable. Although my contribution to their progress is minor, I’m thrilled to have played even a tiny role in their metamorphoses.

In this group of graduates, six are already parents, four have served on the corps Leadership Council and seven are the first in their families to have earned a high school diploma. Eight of the graduates are either already enrolled in college, or will enroll in the fall. By volunteering, they have earned AmeriCorps scholarships while they were at the corps.

Most of the graduates are in their early twenties, and all are headed in a more positive direction than when they first joined the corps.

One of the graduates, Rocio Rodriguez, thanked the corps for giving her a second chance in life. Although she has two boys to raise, she is college-bound in the fall. “I want to offer my boys a better life than I ever had,” she said.

I know Rocio well enough to know that she’s going to succeed. She has performed a number of jobs at the corps, including working as a recruiter to bring in new corps members.

Another graduate was Eva Orozco. She is on the education crew that is stationed at the Bolsa Chica Conservancy. Freddy Madrid was another graduate who has worked on the Bolsa Chica Conservancy crew.

The corps members at the Bolsa Chica Conservancy lead tours of the wetlands for school children and teach them about recycling. Between tours, the corps members have worked on conservation projects that have ranged from installing “chick fencing” to protect Western snowy plover and California least term chicks to pulling iceplant to improve habitat.

Freddy encouraged corps members who are still working toward their diplomas to not give up on themselves.

Demetrio Quintero-Pineda, another graduate, was one of many corps members who worked at Bolsa Chica under my supervision on a grant to the corps from the Southern California Wetlands Recovery Program. The career goal of this serious and hard-working young man is to be a firefighter.

“At the corps, I attained chainsaw certification and a forestry certification,” Demetrio said. He is also a crew leader. With his superior work ethic and leadership skills, he would make a fine addition to any fire department.

The pride that the students felt in their achievement was palpable.

“I feel very proud that I’m able to graduate. It was hard, but I got ‘er done!” Ernest Parraguirre said.

Students at the corps often seem to lack confidence in their own abilities. One of the great things about being associated with the corps is seeing the transformation that takes place as these young people gain skills, confidence and maturity. Shane Kansana, a very bright young man, is a good example of how students grow at the corps.

“When I first came to the corps, I was just looking for a paycheck,” Shane said. “Now I want to do better and make a good life for myself. I’m going to college in the fall.” With his intelligence and natural leadership ability, he should be successful.

His wife, Daisy Ramirez, another member of this graduating class, is also college-bound. With a new baby, it won’t be easy for either Shane or Daisy. But easy isn’t what the corps is about. All of these graduates have already demonstrated that they have the hearts of lions, the patience of Job, and the courage and drive of linebackers. They’ll make it.

Janice Urrutia has also been on field trips with Vic and me. Like so many of the others, she has matured while at the corps.

“I’m a different person now than what I used to be,” she said. “I plan to go to college. This program does work.”

Although all of the students spoke — some while fighting back tears — there unfortunately isn’t room to cover all their speeches. Other graduates included Gilbert Ceniceros, Eric Cortes, Renee Edwards, Peter Meak, Karry Res, Angel Robles, Eric Robles, Maria Rodriguez, Gregorio Romero, Felicia Sandoval, Jose Uriate and Manuel “Cheeto” Valenti.

Congratulations to all of them for a job well done.