Search Results

The Corps community was able to celebrate the achievements of our 2025 Charter School graduates in June. Friends and family gathered together to watch as 2025 graduates took this big step into the next chapter of their lives. 2025 Charter School graduates reflected on the highs and lows of their journey to get their high school diplomas, and the memories they made along the way. The graduation ceremony opened with a speech made by CEO Dorsey Moore, followed by speeches made by SJCC+CS Board Vice President Deryk Clark, SJCC+CS alum Yvonne Pinal, and student speakers Jasmine Mejia, Seut Campos, and Mindy Phan. Watch the video below to enjoy highlights from the graduation ceremony, as well as hear from Charter School students about each of their journeys and their encouraging words for future Charter School graduates in the years to come. Congratulations to the graduating class of 2025! We are incredibly proud of each and every graduate for completing this incredible milestone. In the words of our Charter School director, Nicole Dunn, "Don't let it stop here. This is just the beginning. This is your ticket to more opportunities."

Have you ever wondered what happens to electronic waste, also known as E-waste, when it gets recycled? E-waste goes through several stages of life post-use. The first stage in the life of E-waste is to be collected. When an electronic device becomes unusable, the materials can be salvaged by recycling it. At Zero Waste Silicon Valley, electronics get dropped off five days a week as well as on Zero Waste Saturdays, our recycling drop-off events. We also collect E-waste from residents and businesses throughout the Bay Area. However, what happens to all of this E-waste once it has been collected? The second stage is storing and organizing the E-waste in our warehouse. E-waste is brought to our warehouse to be sorted, weighed, and stored on pallets, waiting to be picked up by our R2 certified recyclers. Each and every electronic we collect is sorted into different categories: monitors, printers, CRTs, flatscreens, cellphones, laptops, network, wires, and mixed. Once the E-waste is sorted and weighed, it’s ready for the third stage: transportation. A certified recycler that we partner with, like ERI or CEWS, arrives at our site to transport the E-waste. One of our Zero Waste team members utilizes the forklift to load the trailer. Inside the trailer, the E-waste awaits the next step in its journey as it is transported to a recycling center. The fourth stage is to begin the recycling process at the recycling center. Electronics are dismantled so that the materials can be recycled. When recycled, materials that would otherwise end up in the landfill are given a second chance to be utilized in creating new devices. This salvages finite materials and prevents toxic chemicals from leaching into our waterways and soil. This is why it’s important to protect our environment and recycle E-waste instead of ending its life cycle at the landfill. Watch the video to follow along with Luz, our E-waste expert and ZWSV supervisor, as she guides us through each stage of the life of E-waste.

It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of our dear colleague and friend, Albertano Rocha, who passed away on May 29th. Albertano started as a corpsmember with the Corps in 2018. He worked on natural resource management projects and got the opportunity to respond to the Paradise Fire. Throughout his time as a corpsmember, he took advantage of opportunities to develop his skills and formed close bonds with other corpsmembers. Albertano demonstrated his characteristic positive energy with this quote about his time as a corpsmember, “Always stay positive in tough times. Take life day by day because everything will only get better.” In 2021, his dedication to advancing himself technically and personally led to him being hired as a Crew Supervisor.  As a Supervisor, Albertano embodied the mission of the Corps. He created an inclusive family atmosphere on his crew where they all supported each other and had each other’s backs. The fact that he had been a corpsmember and had gone through similar challenges to the ones his corpsmembers faced showed them all a vision of a positive future for themselves. Corpsmembers credited him with giving them the confidence to advocate for themselves and for being there for them as a mentor and leader. When we decided to create a video about the experience of working on a crew, it was obvious that Albertano’s crew should be the one highlighted.  As a colleague, Albertano connected with staff within his team and across the organization; most SJCC+CS staff can cite a special connection they had with Albertano. He always showed up at Staff Retreats and Development Days eager to learn and participate and he inspired us all with the perspective he shared at the supervisor panel at the 2024 Retreat. He had volunteered to present the Projects department Corpsmember of the Year award at this year’s Beginnings Bash and was excited to cheer on the corpsmembers who had been or were currently part of his crew at Graduation.  As a person, his warm smile lit up every space he was in and he had the ability to make everyone he interacted with feel special and heard. He was overflowing with love for his daughter and took every opportunity he could to share photos or stories about her. His positivity, generosity of spirit, and kindness will be remembered by all who interacted with him. Albertano’s impact on our community cannot be overstated. He changed the lives of about 50 corpsmembers who were on his crew over the years and touched the lives of hundreds more corpsmembers that went through the program and staff who worked with him. Additionally, he transformed the landscapes of countless trails and parks in our community and beyond. Albertano is truly a community hero.  We know this loss will be felt deeply within our Corps community, and we encourage everyone to take care of themselves in whatever way they need. A wake and service will be held on Friday, June 6th at 6 pm at a family member’s home at 5251 Great Oaks Dr., San Jose.  Please note that you will be directed to an off-site parking location and shuttled to the house. The burial will take place on Saturday, June 7th at 10:30 am at Oak Hill Memorial Park at 300 Curtner Ave., San Jose. The family invites everyone to attend who would like to show their support.  For those who wish to show support to Albertano’s family during this difficult time, a website has been set up with more information and options to donate or send condolences . Our thoughts are with Albertano’s family, friends, and loved ones. He will be greatly missed.

When disaster strikes, communities often face overwhelming devastation, loss, and uncertainty. Events like hurricanes, floods, wildfires, and earthquakes not only devastate the environment but also disrupt the lives of countless individuals. The recovery process is often lengthy and challenging, but it also provides a unique opportunity for resilience, rebuilding, and transformation within the community. The AmeriCorps Disaster Response Team (A-DRT) exemplifies this by bringing together AmeriCorps programs nationwide to provide critical relief and recovery services to communities that were affected. Emergency response work is more than just clearing debris or providing immediate aid—it’s about helping individuals and families return to a sense of normalcy. Whether responding to hurricanes, wildfires, or floods, corpsmembers leverage their skills to assist in restoring homes, clearing hazardous debris, and ensuring essential resources reach those in need. For many disaster survivors, the support of our corpsmembers makes all the difference. "The more hands, the faster the work will be done...Just in this one day, they got a lot of things done...me by myself, it would've taken months," Matthew, a Typhoon Mawar survivor, explained as he thanked the corpsmembers who helped remove fallen trees that blocked access to his house after the Typhoon. The types of work corpsmembers do on these mission assignments include: Damage Assessments – Visiting affected homes, documenting the extent of the destruction, and coordinating work orders to ensure assistance is prioritized. Mucking and Gutting – Removing debris, dirt, and damaged materials from homes, making them safe for rebuilding. Chainsaw Work & Debris Removal – Clearing trees that have fallen on homes, obstructed roads, or blocked access to essential services. Warehouse Operations – Sorting and distributing food, hygiene products, water, and medical supplies to those in need. Stormwater Management – Preventing hazardous materials from spreading into water sources and laying down protective barriers to mitigate further contamination. San Jose Conservation Corps and Civicorps corpsmembers working together during a Muck and Gut project One of the most inspiring aspects of emergency response efforts is the unity among the different corps. Many corpsmembers come from around the United States, yet we all share a common mission—to serve. The power of collaboration enables us to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. Emergency response work is ongoing, and the need for professionally trained crews will always exist. The ability to mobilize quickly and work efficiently in high-stress environments is crucial in providing timely and effective support.