Last updated: December 22, 2022
Article
Rocky Mountain Youth Corps’ American Sign Language Crews Improve Trails and Historic Structures at Petroglyph and Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monuments
NPS Photo
The National Park Service Youth Programs Division continues to increase accessibility in our national parks and expand opportunities for youth and young adults through a partnership with Rocky Mountain Youth Corps’ (RMYC) American Sign Language Conservation Program. The American Sign Language Conservation Corps Program provides opportunities in natural and/or culture resources conservation to young adults who are deaf or hard of hearing. The three partner organizations who co-manage this program are: American YouthWorks/Texas Conservation Corps, Northwest Youth Corps, and the Rocky Mountain Youth Corps New Mexico.
RMYC is celebrating 27 years serving New Mexico youth and has enjoyed a partnership with the National Park Service since the late 1990s. This partnership has provided ASL Conservation Crews a greater opportunity to work in conservation, climate response, preservation, and education, as they contribute to the National Park Service mission, while also expanding their own pathways and futures.
Since its inception in 1995, RMYC has engaged 2,640 youth and young adults. RMYC provides comprehensive workforce development training programs across northern and central New Mexico to young adults ages 17 to 25. Younger crews serve 8-10 weeks, while adult crews last up to 36 weeks between April and November each year. In addition to crews, there are also Individual Placements who work on a diversity of land conservation, recreation, and historic preservation projects in partnership with all levels of government and land-management agencies. Through this project work, RMYC delivers a training curriculum focused on developing specific job skills for improved employability, life skills for greater independence, and civic engagement to inspire a sense of citizenship and community service.
In 2022, RMYC hosted two ASL Crews, one of which worked at Petroglyph National Monument and Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument. This crew worked on trails, infrastructure, invasive species removal, and preservation projects. The second crew partnered with the New Mexico School for the Deaf and Santa Fe Railyard, where they worked on trails, landscaping, and public outreach.
Project 1
Petroglyph National Monument’s Visitor Use Management Plan identified two social trails needing rehabilitation to prevent further degradation. This degradation creates soil erosion, which leads to channelization of runoff during storm events and loss of park resources. To support this plan, ASL Inclusion Corpsmembers, along with other RMYC crews, helped construct 3,990 feet of rod and cable barrier, installed 109 signs, repaired 235 feet of fence, closed 551 feet of user-created social trails, and revegetated a 39,220-square-foot area. In 2023, crews will return to work on an additional 241.57 feet of trail, collect 12.85 cubic yards of garbage, and construct 60 feet of shade awning.
Project 2
In 2022, ASL Inclusion Corpsmembers, led by their ASL-fluent supervisor, worked for four weeks at Salinas Pueblo Mission National Monument on the two-mile-long Abo Trail. The trail was originally designed and built for ADA accessibility and is the longest handicapped trail at the monument. The crews made improvements to 543 feet of the Abo Trail to provide visitors safe and controlled use, which also helped reduce visitors going off trail onto adjacent vegetation and historic ruins that are off-limits to the public. Reducing off-trail use helps preserve the native soils and prevents erosion and excess runoff. The crew repaired cracks, filled them with expansion joints, and resealed the trail with tar to prevent additional cracks and preserve the surface for all visitors. They also provided maintenance masonry work on the walls and caps of the 17th century ruins at Abo, Gran Quivira, and Quarai and repaired portions of the church, convent, and kiva to prevent stone movement and erosion. Finally, the crews removed vegetation and performed landscape maintenance on nearly four acres in and around multiple structures.
RMYC ASL Video 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BSAiGQvWWg
RMYC ASL Video 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEtRHeGJArA
Have a question about Youth or Young Adult Programs? Please e-mail us. Learn more about what we do. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
RMYC is celebrating 27 years serving New Mexico youth and has enjoyed a partnership with the National Park Service since the late 1990s. This partnership has provided ASL Conservation Crews a greater opportunity to work in conservation, climate response, preservation, and education, as they contribute to the National Park Service mission, while also expanding their own pathways and futures.
Since its inception in 1995, RMYC has engaged 2,640 youth and young adults. RMYC provides comprehensive workforce development training programs across northern and central New Mexico to young adults ages 17 to 25. Younger crews serve 8-10 weeks, while adult crews last up to 36 weeks between April and November each year. In addition to crews, there are also Individual Placements who work on a diversity of land conservation, recreation, and historic preservation projects in partnership with all levels of government and land-management agencies. Through this project work, RMYC delivers a training curriculum focused on developing specific job skills for improved employability, life skills for greater independence, and civic engagement to inspire a sense of citizenship and community service.
In 2022, RMYC hosted two ASL Crews, one of which worked at Petroglyph National Monument and Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument. This crew worked on trails, infrastructure, invasive species removal, and preservation projects. The second crew partnered with the New Mexico School for the Deaf and Santa Fe Railyard, where they worked on trails, landscaping, and public outreach.
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS AT NPS SITES
Project 1
Petroglyph National Monument’s Visitor Use Management Plan identified two social trails needing rehabilitation to prevent further degradation. This degradation creates soil erosion, which leads to channelization of runoff during storm events and loss of park resources. To support this plan, ASL Inclusion Corpsmembers, along with other RMYC crews, helped construct 3,990 feet of rod and cable barrier, installed 109 signs, repaired 235 feet of fence, closed 551 feet of user-created social trails, and revegetated a 39,220-square-foot area. In 2023, crews will return to work on an additional 241.57 feet of trail, collect 12.85 cubic yards of garbage, and construct 60 feet of shade awning.
Project 2
In 2022, ASL Inclusion Corpsmembers, led by their ASL-fluent supervisor, worked for four weeks at Salinas Pueblo Mission National Monument on the two-mile-long Abo Trail. The trail was originally designed and built for ADA accessibility and is the longest handicapped trail at the monument. The crews made improvements to 543 feet of the Abo Trail to provide visitors safe and controlled use, which also helped reduce visitors going off trail onto adjacent vegetation and historic ruins that are off-limits to the public. Reducing off-trail use helps preserve the native soils and prevents erosion and excess runoff. The crew repaired cracks, filled them with expansion joints, and resealed the trail with tar to prevent additional cracks and preserve the surface for all visitors. They also provided maintenance masonry work on the walls and caps of the 17th century ruins at Abo, Gran Quivira, and Quarai and repaired portions of the church, convent, and kiva to prevent stone movement and erosion. Finally, the crews removed vegetation and performed landscape maintenance on nearly four acres in and around multiple structures.
Additional resources:
RMYC ASL Video 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BSAiGQvWWg
RMYC ASL Video 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEtRHeGJArA
Have a question about Youth or Young Adult Programs? Please e-mail us. Learn more about what we do. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.