Nominated by RMYC’s Youth Programs team, Jonathan joined RMYC on a four-week youth crew in 2023 and then returned for a second season in 2024, participating in back-to -back four-week crews. In all, he worked eight total weeks in 2024, becoming RMYC’s unofficial Youth Corps crew member record holder in the process.

“I can’t think of a better Youth Corps nominee than Jonathan,” says RMYC Youth Programs Director Sara Duft, who spearheaded the nomination. “He consistently showed the highest standard while upholding our values and mission of community, service, resilience, teamwork, and stewardship. He exemplifies what it means to be a youth member for Rocky Mountain Youth Corps.”

After returning for this year’s crew teams, Jonathan quickly earned the title of “champion of the sledge” for his hard work ethic and positive attitude.  “He was outstanding,” says one of his crew leads. “From day one he was kind, helpful, hardworking, and had a great sense of humor. I loved getting to know him and seeing him do things he did not think he was capable of.”

Jonathan’s first stint was on the “Charlie” long-term A crew for four weeks, whose projects included building new mountain bike trails for the town of Breckenridge before moving onto the US Forest Service’s Eagle/Holy Cross District for week three, improving trails at Sweetwater Lake Recreation Area. Tasks included dismantling/removing benches and concrete footers, installing new trail signs, removing barbed wire, building trails, and beautification projects. During week four he worked with the BLM’s Kremmling Field Office with contractor EcoMetrics constructing Beaver Dam Analogues (BDAs) in North Park’s Wheeler Creek to help retain snowmelt, raise the water table and rehydrate wetlands. “I loved building the dams on the Charlie crew,” Jonathan says. “It was a fun but difficult project with a lot of cool learning experiences. And I loved that when we finished work I could just walk around and see all the wildlife.”

His second crew, Delta Long Term B, was another four-week session, including trail maintenance on Vail Pass’s Wilder Gulch Trail for the Dillon Ranger District followed by a backcountry trail project at American Lakes in State Forest State Park. “One of my favorite parts was cooking because I’ve always wanted to be a chef and this was an excellent way to enhance my culinary expertise,” he says.

But the main highlight, he adds, was simply getting to be outdoors. “I loved spending time in the outdoors and doing projects that help the environment,” he says. “A lot of people take the outdoors for granted nowadays and it’s easy to sit around doing nothing all day, missing out on the opportunity to explore nature. I also love that it’s a fun and active experience that is also accepting. I learned to be outside my comfort zone a little.”

As for advice for future crew members, he says to keep your head down, but also don’t forget to look up and smell the roses. “It’s easy to forget that this is work,” says Jonathan, who’s planning to attend college next year. “Have fun but don’t forget to finish the project that your crew is working on.”