December 2010 Corpsmember of the Month

Miles Minoletti

Supervisor: Emily Byrnes, Natural Resources Crew Supervisor

Crew: Natural Resources Crew Sonoma

Length of time at CCNB: 6 months

Reason corpsmember was selected: Miles is doing a great job and is an asset to our organization. He is a calm, positive force on his crew and in the classroom. He is responsible and follows through with his actions and commitments. He goes above and beyond what is expected and is a good example to others. He has a clear sense of direction, sets goals and meets them.

Skills training received at CCNB: He has received Sawyer 1 and woodchipper certifications through training with his supervisor and sponsors, and learned various college scholarship/degree obtaining methods from teaching staff.

Leadership roles at CCNB: Officially, Miles has acted as Field Education Faciliator in the field, while assisting teachers with lessons and teaching classes at the center. He tries his best to help his peers understand and accomplish our various work projects.

Favorite project: Landscaping and building a trellis at the Nathanson Creek Preserve Demonstration Garden. The variety of interesting and challenging work they've been doing has been very fun.

Favorite educational component: Assisting with and leading Field Education. While not a lot, it's nice being able to cotnribute what little he can to the education process.

Favorite aspect of working at CCNB: The wide variety of projects that we do around the North Bay. No place or task ever becomes boring, except trash picking, of course.

Future plans: Go through the Police Academy, become an officer for 4 years, while getting an undergraduate degree in law/criminal justice. Join the army for 3 years while getting his JD degree, then go through the FBI Academy and become a special agent.

Prior to CCNB: He worked for the California Conservation Corps for one and a half years, then drove around the United States, did a little college in Colorado, then came back here.

Why they joined CCNB: To sustain his financial needs while he attends the Police Academy.

How CCNB has changed their life: It's given him stability and hope for meeting his goals.

Life lessons learned: How to manage my money better; how to act more professional with my peers, sponsors, supervisors, and the general public; and how to act as a better leader.

Advice for young people: Set goals for yourself in and out of CCNB. It's a great program, and you can learn a lot from being here, but unless you make plans for the future and work toward accomplishing them, all the potential you gain here, can go to waste.

Most important thing learned: To never give up on your goals. No matter how desperate or hopeless your situation might seem, there's always going to be a way to turn it around, whether you see it or not.