Last December, a group of stakeholders gathered at the Camden County Municipal Authority, as the first cohort of PowerCorps Camden was introduced. Six months have passed since then and the cohort is now nearing the end of its term. Proud to show off the skills and increased knowledge they obtained as a result of the program, PowerCorps once again assembled at CCMUA, this time to present in front of various employers and community figures.

During the presentation, members highlighted the services and projects that they were involved in throughout the course of the six-month term. Included in the job assignments were removing dead tree stumps at Camden Children’s Garden and replacing them with plants to beautify the park in time for its seasonal opening, partnering with NJ Tree Foundation to plant trees and preserve soil, and teaming up with students from Rutgers University to assist in constructing rain gardens at Adventure Aquarium. In addition, PowerCorps comprehensively guided the audience on what they encountered in their environmental duties. Those in attendance were educated on invasive species, aeration systems, sedimentation tanks, and environmental deregulation, among other ecological context.

In the opening remarks of the event, PowerCorps member, Ashley, said, “Within these six months, we’ve learned to do so much as a team. All the training and hard work that we have done has not only helped Camden, but has also allowed us to grow.” Throughout the presentation, members proved the aforementioned statement to be true. While PowerCorps aims to address the city’s pressing environmental challenges, the program was also implemented with the intentions of impacting the lives of Camden youth by providing them with meaningful opportunities.

At the conclusion of the presentation, select members took the time to open up about what they learned as a result of the PowerCorps program. When Qua took the podium to speak to the audience, he spoke of his personal growth.

“It taught me how to communicate with people more and be mindful of others. It gave me a good opportunity to give back to the community, too. It gave me a good understanding that what we do is for a purpose and that we were here for a reason.” Also speaking about the impact that he and his peers have had on the community, Qua said “I now know that we are role models…people see what we did at the end, what we’ve experienced, and the knowledge that we’ve gained, and now more people want to join and make a difference.”

Amir then spoke about the support system that he received from his fellow cohort and coordinators. “At first, when I had a problem with something, I would speak out about it. I didn’t really speak when I liked something, or when people made me happy, or someone did something for me…[PowerCorps] helped me to realize people actually do care. I don’t think I’ve had a solid support system like this ever in my life.” He went on to describe PowerCorps cohort as a tight-knit unit in which members and staff are there for each other on both a work and personal level.

Those in attendance were left inspired by the sentiments shared by the PowerCorps cohort. Before the event came to an end, a spectator commended the group by saying, “To see the camaraderie, the love, and unity…There’s a lot of negative stereotypes about young people in Camden, and you have just broke them all.”

PowerCorps Camden has been a resounding success in fostering a group of young leaders and it is with great hope and expectations that the members of Cohort I will continue to make an impact on their community.

--Submitted by Alexander Darling (Backdated May 21, 2016)