December 2011 Corpsmember of the Month

Lucas Murillo

Supervisor: Erin O'Brien, AmeriCorps Supervisor

Crew: AmeriCorps Restoration & Ecosystem

Length of time at CCNB: 2.5 months

Reason corpsmember was selected: AmeriCorps member Lucas Murillo is placed at Pepperwood Preserve as an Environmental Educator and Field Technician. Alongside team member Joel Cervantes, Lucas successfully led our first All Team Day at Pepperwood Preserve. The event was well organized and a wonderful introduction to the All Team Days for the year. Furthermore, Lucas has gone above and beyond the basic requirements of his AmeriCorps position, expanding on his experience by bringing recycling to Pepperwood Events. He coordinated with CCNB’s recycling program to facilitate recycling. Lucas also has done an excellent, professional job proctoring Pepperwood courses. Thank you Lucas!.

Leadership: Alongside fellow team-member Joel, Lucas hosted a successful All Team Day, which required event planning and leadership skills. He also took initiative and led recycling efforts at his placement site.

Skills training received at CCNB: Plant identification, Teambuilding, Intro to the Organic Farm and Garden, Corps-to-Career, Diversity Training, First Aid, CPR, the Bioneers conference, Recycling Education, Intro to the Muir Beach Restoration Project, Planting Techniques.

Favorite project: Frog Pond Trail: This project was a perfect opportunity to bring together Americorp members, volunteers, and Pepperwood staff. We enjoyed an amazing view West over the Mayacamas where teamwork helped blaze a new educational trail with our fellow members, co-workers, and volunteers. The trail leads students to an ephemeral pond where they can explore the biodiversity of a riparian environment.

Favorite educational component: He enjoys teaching the 1st through 6th grade classes about the environment. It not only goes along with the lesson plans in their own schools but it allows them to participate in activities that test their knowledge while having fun.

Favorite aspect of working at CCNB: The AmeriCorp program is very organized and willing to help young people. They have connected Lucas to a community of people with similar connections to the environment and places where we can participate in major environmental programs.

What did Corpsmember do before joining CCNB? Lucas was an Americorp member with Our City Forest in San Jose. The organization has planted over 50,000 trees and is an excellent source of knowledge and work in urban forestry. They have contributed to San Jose’s green vision of becoming more environmentally sustainable by restoring and reforesting San Jose’s urban forest.

Why they joined CCNB: It sounded like an amazing opportunity for him to work with people that were enthusiastic about working outside and exploring nature. He also thinks that hiking in Mt. Tamalpais watershed and Muir Woods National Monument prior to his position played a big part in deciding to work with CCNB.

Corpsmembers's futuere plans: This question is his favorite! Lucas has many plans and one of them is paying off his debts. He has an affinity for being in the outdoors and wants to pursue something that will continue to let him do so. Graduate school is definitely in his future but he does enjoy the experience of working outdoors.

What life lessons has the Corpsmember learned from the experience? Have an opinion of your own and be open to understand the opinions of others.

Any advice for young people wanting to join CCNB? No job is too big for a group of AmeriCorp members.

What’s the most important thing you’ve learned from this experience? That there are people out there just like me: young and broke, yet motivated and passionate.