Born and raised in Northern Arizona, Eric has always been fascinated with the beauty and intrigue offered through National Forests and Public Lands. His interest in Geology grew after taking an introductory class at Yavapai College while working on AA in Business Administration; this inspired him to continue his education and enroll in the Geology Program at Northern Arizona University where he earned a BS in Geology. Upon graduating from NAU, he formed a consulting agency and began working as a geologic consultant with individuals and small companies looking to claim mineral rights or expand operations on existing claims by completing basic survey, mapping, and safety assessments on a contractual basis. After working with small miners in the Nevada desert, he was awarded a GeoCorps Internship with the BLM which led to his being contracted as a liaison with the Bureau of Land Management in the Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) Program in New Mexico, assisting in their inventory and remediation project work as a geologic consultant. It is through this experience that Eric decided to change his consulting agency into a non-profit organization benefiting geoscience students struggling to find jobs due to lack of experience or contacts within the industry. It is Eric's dream to create an environment through GEM's programming where students can apply the knowledge they have acquired in school to the practical industry applications used by many leading geologic and mining companies before they graduate, giving those students a higher chance at landing a job in their area of study, post-graduation.
What do you enjoy most about being involved in GEM? The thing I enjoy most about being involved in GEM is knowing that the work I do in the field as a geologist helps support the organization's non-profit initiatives. GEM has provided me the opportunity to do what I love while simultaneously impacting the community in a positive way. You can't ask for much more than that in a job, I have it made! What were your feelings when GEM first started and being part of the organization? The initiation of GEM both scared and excited me. I worked for two years as an intern and contractor with the BLM and realized that there were needed improvements to the hiring and training systems in place, but in order to create change, I had to work for two more years without any guaranteed income. I took that risk despite the fear because change was necessary, and I knew that I had the support of my family and friends to carry GEM through. What kind of progress has GEM made and what kind of progress do you see GEM making in the future? You will probably hear this a lot as these stories are published, but it is an important part of the narrative and our family business. GEM started at my mother’s dining room table. With the help of family, friends and the support of many in our local community, we were able to grow from the dining table to a multi-suite building that houses the main operation center for our many growing programs. I would like to see GEM grow into an organization that spreads across many states, incorporating AmeriCorps programming, professional development, and workforce solutions that help students transition into highly sought-after employees in career paths with the reputable companies and agencies across the nation. In what ways does GEM feel like a family and what do you like most about GEM? GEM is my family. Not just because it started with the help of my family, but because each and every person that comes into the fold with GEM becomes a part of my family. I think of the people involved with the organization as my family; I care for them, their happiness, their well-being, and their success. We all come to this organization as diamonds in the rough, and with the support and encouragement of our amazing team we polish out to be shiny GEM stones. Mona and Gary Welsh are the proud parents of GEM’s Executive Director and Founder, Eric Welsh. They have been working with Eric to build GEM’s foundation since day one. Mona is the treasurer and secretary of GEM Environmental. She maintains immaculate records and ensures that all of GEM’s finances remain in order. Outside of the office, she volunteers alongside her husband, Gary Welsh. Gary is one of GEM’s hardest working volunteers. He helps with every community project and can build just about anything.
What do you enjoy most about being involved in GEM? The best part about being involved with GEM is seeing the curiosity of young students as they discover science. It is like a light turns on in their mind when they discover the secrets of the universe. When a college student applies for one of our supplemental scholarships, they write about their plans for the scholarship, and they always relate their enthusiasm. Whether they plan to use it for buying books or helping to fund their graduate research, the recipients usually follow-up with stories and pictures of their projects. Seeing the dreams of students come to life and knowing that we had a small part in their fulfillment, is heartfelt. What were your feelings when GEM first started and being part of the organization? When our Son, Eric Welsh, sitting at our kitchen table, began the application for his NFP, Not for Profit, dream, which would become Gem Environmental and its service arm, GEM for STEM, we were curious, supportive, amazed, and proud of this young man who worked diligently to make his dream materialize. It took a lot of hard work to build this organization, and the perseverance to overcome the obstacles that get in the way. What kind of progress has GEM made and what kind of progress do you see GEM making in the future? Gem for Stem has partnered with Arizona Serve, AmeriCorps, The Bureau of Land Management, Prescott Schools, Parks and Recreation, Yavapai and Prescott Colleges, NAU, and local volunteers to bring STEM Projects, classes, guest speakers, and field experience to our tri city school students. Our goal is to introduce tri-city students to the many dimensions of a career in STEM. Some of our projects are: Improving the Prescott Community Nature Center. Community service projects, educational field trips for local students, Internships for University students at our New Mexico Abandoned Mine remediation sights. Our supplemental Scholarship program have helped High School students pay for their SAT; undergraduate students Pay for books, lab supplies, or rent; and graduate Students achieve their research. One of our graduate students used her GEM scholarship to help finance her research studying Islandic volcanos. In the future GEM’s Executive Director, Eric Welsh, has big plans for the GEM organization: a permanent field office in New Mexico, with corresponding partnerships; contracts and cooperative agreements in Arizona and other western states; and expanded scholarships. The future belongs to STEM students and GEM Environmental hopes to inspire American students to pick up the cause of science in STEM careers. In what ways does GEM feel like a family and what do you like most about GEM? Working and volunteering with the people of GEM is a gratifying experience. The dedication of the GEM Corp members and employees of stem is the epidemy of Team, and it is fun. In fact, it is such a great organization that one of our scholarship recipients has come to work for our New Mexico remediation program. She will work in the field and supervise GEM’s newest NAU geology interns. This beautiful part of the universe that is our community, is bringing together students, teachers, and many community volunteers in our effort to help make the future of our nation a better place to grow. As GEM Corps continues collaborating with Public Works, our team wanted to share more about what exactly Public Works is! Public Works is a government agency responsible for many public functions such as waste management, maintenance/monitoring of public structures, utilities, and much more.
For example, Public Works is heavily involved in establishing the Yavapai County Scenic and Historic Routes program and various road construction projects around town. In the context of GEM Corps’ projects, these projects are considered “utility operations,” and more specifically, stormwater management. Utility operations and stormwater management are used and seen by the public every day, especially during monsoon season! For example, when water flows next to a curb during a significant rain, it is monitored by Public Works. GEM Corps is especially interested in this type of work because of its impact on the ecosystem inside and outside Prescott's seemingly ever-growing urban environment. Among the countless benefits for urban growth, these tremendous environmental efforts are why we got involved in a few projects with Public Works. If you are interested in learning more about these efforts on a local and national level, visit these resources for more information:
As a native Arizonian, Chino has always felt a certain responsibility and commitment towards the community that raised him. This sense of responsibility inspired him to begin taking psychology classes at Yavapai College. While attending his first semester, Chino quickly developed a deep passion for charitable work. He fell in love with the rewarding feeling gained through nonprofit work while attending community college. This resolve stuck with him through the rest of his collegiate years, leading him to complete a Bachelor of Social Work at Northern Arizona University. After five years working with several different behavioral health nonprofit companies, Chino decided to continue his dream and further his education. He now holds a master’s in professional counseling.
Although he is busy doing amazing things as a counselor, Chino has always made time to support GEM. As the Diversity Officer for the board, Chino ensures that GEM’s programs reach the underserved populations that GEM aims to support. What do you enjoy most about being involved in GEM? One of the biggest things, why I enjoy being involved with GEM, is the opportunity to be a part of an organization whose mission they feel passionately about. I honestly believe they provide unique educational opportunities for STEM students. They work extremely hard to provide these opportunities through paid internships, scholarships, and vocational training. What were your feelings when GEM first started and being part of the organization? I was very excited to hear that this organization wanted to give more light to the STEM field and make sure that people from all walks of life have access to these programs. I also was incredibly happy to see that GEM would be working with community institutions and schools. What kind of progress has GEM made, and what kind of progress do you see GEM making in the future? GEM has made some significant progress; GEM is slowly developing a name for itself. GEM has made it to Prescott Living Magazine, Prescott Woman Magazine, Prescott eNews, Valley Verde TV, This AmeriCorps Life Podcast, Arizona Geology e-Magazine. It also has partnered with Yavapai Community College. I can’t wait to see the progress the GEM will make in the future. In what ways does GEM feel like a family, and what do you like most about GEM? Gem feels like a family by how they Care. Just like a family, when someone is in need, you turn to family. GEM offers support and encouragement like a family. GEM also has an outstanding commitment to all members of its organization. GEM is also committed to its communication with its members; GEM members are encouraged to ask questions and are willing to listen to one another. Hello friends, and welcome back to Annette's Adventures! This week I will take you along on what turned out to be a scouting trip to the Harding Pegmatite Mine in the Picuris Mining District. The Picuris Mining District lies between the small village of Dixon and the Picuris Pueblo. The mine features stretch from south of the Embudo Creek to the north of Copper Hill. Harding Pegmatite Mine is on private property; it is owned and managed by the University of New Mexico. My trip started as most outings do, packing the truck and getting on the road. We (my field partner Jessica and I) left early in the morning and drove north from Albuquerque. We stopped in Espanola to fill up the gas tank and headed east. We turned right on HWY 75, turned right down a dirt road, and arrived at the gate for Harding Pegmatite Mine. Upon arrival, we saw some people getting ready to walk into the mine, so we stopped and introduced ourselves. They were a kind couple from Ohio. We chatted with them about the different mines they have seen on their trip. I told them about a couple more mines they might want to check out before the end of their vacation. Then we parked the truck, unloaded Lady Bug, and got ready to explore/scout/see what the land had to offer. We were there on official business, monitoring, and as such, our goal was to verify the safety of the closures. The secondary purpose of the trip was to help my field partner get experience using the GPS device. Thirdly, the excursion also served as scouting for the next field campaign. I knew going into this trip that my data was skewed, but that did not bother me. I can usually read data from a separate GPS unit and input correct data into the unit that I use. I asked my field partner to use her GPS unit to read information to me. I could input the data into my GPS unit as a new point. We had three GPS units with us. Mine had skewed data, one could not connect to satellites, and a third unit that was unresponsive. SO, here I am, in the field with three broken GPS units and no way to work. We managed to document one point on my GPS unit before realizing that there was a lot of data missing from her unit. We walked around the site a bit and then decided to change the plan for our day and scout the roads. We hiked back to Lady Bug and drove around looking for mine features. We eventually found two pits overlooking the Penasco river and used that opportunity to take in the view and some pictures. All through the day, we were commenting on the likelihood of rain at our location. We watched the sky. Clouds were moving about, we saw rain, but each dripping cloud seemed to move away from us instead of towards us. My field partner and I are notorious for not setting up tents, but I decided that with such unpredictable weather, I would set mine. My partner did not pack her tent. In place of a tent, I made a make-shift bed in the back seat of Pegi for her. I piled boxes and bags in the footwell of the back seat and covered the whole thing with my yoga mat. I told her that I hoped she did not need it, but it was there just in case. She set up her cot near a tree, and we went to bed. Sometime during the night, I hear the tapping of rain on my tent. When I woke in the morning, her cot was empty, and I knew she had found her way into the back seat of Pegi. I am notorious for having poor cell phone reception in the field. It surprised me when a string of messages started dinging into my phone at 7:30 that morning. A few were from friends, but what surprised me was a text from a BLM employee telling me that he had the corrected data I needed to work. He was on his way to Taos and would meet me along the way to deliver the data. Well, that changes everything (again). He called just as I was typing my response. We settled on a meeting location and time. I shared the new information with my field partner, and we got to the business of packing camp. We had some difficulty loading Lady Bug onto the back of Pegi, but with the assistance of a local that was out riding his bike, we managed to load Lady Bug and drive off. Except, we were late. The person we were to meet waited as long as he could, but we missed him at the meeting spot. We did not know that we missed him, so we waited for an hour and decided to drive to Taos and get the data from him there. Once in Taos, we went straight to the BLM field office. Our contact person was in a meeting, but he managed to hand off the thumb drive to someone for us. Once outside, I made a quick call to thank our tech guru for all her efforts, then told her that we would set up at the local park to fix our technology. With correct data in place and two out of three units operating as they should, I reached out to my BLM contact person and asked if I could return his thumb drive. As it turned out, he was having lunch across the street. We walked over and talked about what we saw at the Harding Mine. He informed us of more areas that could benefit from our attention and thanked us for our work. After chatting for probably too long, we left him to his lunch and drove the long way around Taos to enjoy the views. We went over the Taos Gorge Bridge, headed south, and crossed the river again at Taos Junction Bridge. We took advantage of the drive and the views to watch the weather. I saw lightning above the mountains we were supposed to work next and decided that it was probably safer to head home and come back another time. The drive home, was of course, not without its adventure. The kind couple from the mine talked about Blue Heron Brewing and the delicious beer there. We could not drive by without stopping. We stopped into Blue Heron Brewing for a quick look and taste. My field partner ordered a flight of beer while I sat back and enjoyed the scenery. She tried her best to decide which was her favorite. Drinking and driving are not ok, ever. I bought a bottle of wine and tucked it into my luggage to enjoy it at home. By this point in the day, we were both tired and hungry and craving a hamburger. We decided to drive in the direction of our home until we could find a good burger, you know the kind we were craving, a big juicy burger with all the fixings. While I drove, my partner did the restaurant research. We wanted to stop in Espanola for a burger but could not find one, so we drove on. As we approached Santa Fe, my burger craving turned to Asian food. I asked her to see if she could find some good Asian food for us. She found a place called "Chang's Dumpling House”, so we made a detour and boy was it delicious. Dumpling House did not disappoint. We sat at a picnic table and enjoyed our meal amid an unofficial sculpture garden before finally making our way home. I hope you enjoyed this little adventure of mine. The trip was full of challenges, but we managed to make the most of it and got some work done despite our difficulties. Our next trip is to the Picuris Mining District will be in a couple of weeks.
GEM Environmental is excited to welcome one of our new members to the team. Troy Gamble is our new GEM CORPS AML Geographer’s Assistant. Troy is originally from Los Angeles and currently lives in Flagstaff, AZ where he attends Northern Arizona University. He enjoys hiking in the beautiful pines and camping whenever he has free time. Troy values STEM education because he feels that it provides individuals with a wide range of opportunities and education that will help in long term decision making and life skills. Welcome to the team, Troy! How did you hear about this service opportunity?
I received an email from the NAU faculty and decided to look into the organization and my specific position. Please provide a brief description highlighting your work/area of focus. I am working towards my bachelors degree in Geology at NAU What do you plan to accomplish during your service term with GEM? I plan to learn a lot about the job and see if I would want to pursue that further. Do you plan to continue your education? If so, what programs or school are you looking into and what is the highest degree you plan to earn? Yes, I want to eventually get my masters degree, maybe from NAU. Have you had any other internship or service opportunities before this? If so, how do you believe internships have benefited you so far? I had one other small position, they have helped me by showing me different aspects of how a geology degree can be used out of college. GEM Environmental is excited to welcome one of our new members to the team. Ashley McDonough is our new Human Resources and Accounting Clerk. Ashley is an Arizona native from Tucson. She has had the pleasure of living the past ten plus years in the Northern Arizona area, escaping the heat! Ashley has always held a high interest in various scientific fields including biology, anthropology, and psychology. She values STEM education because it so clearly influences all aspects of our world and society from a cellular level. Welcome to the team, Ashley! How did you hear about this service opportunity?
I first heard about GEM through friends in the Prescott area. After researching and applying for the position, I knew it was the perfect job for me! Please provide a brief description highlighting your work/area of focus. I come from many years in the restaurant industry, helping to facilitate company growth on multiple different levels. I now look forward to being of service to the community in a new light. What do you plan to accomplish during your service term with GEM? I plan being part of the growth related to GEM's program outreach in as many aspects as possible. I am also excited to expand my skills in human resource management and standardization (which I love!). What are your career goals? Working at a non-profit organization that I am passionate about, opens a whole new world for me. I anticipate staying in this arena for a very long time. Do you plan to continue your education? If so, what programs or school are you looking into and what is the highest degree you plan to earn? Absolutely! I envision myself taking classes into old age, even if its just for fun (I love learning). For the immediate future my plans include education in psychology, grant writing, and nutrition. Have you had any other internship or service opportunities before this? If so, how do you believe internships have benefited you so far? I have had first hand experience in internship (years back). It helped me gain the confidence I needed to go forward successfully in life. I am so excited to be part of that positive trajectory for many others! GEM Corps & Public Works: a collaborative effort to support green infrastructure in Prescott6/24/2021 Over the past few weeks, GEM Corps has partnered with Public Works on a series of projects addressing the green infrastructures (GIs) in Prescott. Both Public Works and GIs support urban growth with an ecological approach.
The projects GEM Corps has worked on in collaboration with Public Works have addressed three issues, two of which are primary purposes of GIs. First, the projects address the need to evaluate different GIs’ landscape and moisture levels in Prescott. This process contributes to identifying places where the GEM Corps Crew can plant seeds. If these seeds sprout, they will positively contribute to the amount of water, E. Coli, and nutrients absorbed into the soil. Additionally, these seeds will increase the biodiversity of the GI. Another aspect of the projects has been creating erosion control features in the Acker Detention Basin, located in Acker Park. These erosion control features consist of one-rock dams and medialunas, which slow down water flow and encourage sedimentation. The final issue addressed by these projects is the removal of Siberian Elms in the GIs as a part of an ongoing effort to eradicate this invasive species from the Southwest USA. Each of these projects is a part of an ongoing effort to ensure the water quality of Prescott’s waterways does not have a substantial impact on the public at large. Stay tuned for updates in the upcoming weeks, as our team will be sharing more about these projects, GIs, and Public Works on both our blog and social media. If you are interested in learning more about these efforts on a local and national level, visit these resources for more information:
In an effort to further GEM's mission, our team has worked over the past few years to create educational content that is engaging, creative, and environmentally friendly! With that in mind, in honor of Great Outdoors Month, we are highlighting a few ways we make our lesson plans environmentally friendly and sustainable.
1. Recycling In October of 2019, GEM held a STEM Day for third and fourth graders at Primavera Elementary School. Madison Link, the leader of this STEM Day, wanted to showcase how students could utilize recycled materials for hands-on learning. One of these engaging activities used old two-liter bottles for a multi-step experiment. First, GEM volunteers cut the two-liter bottles in half and filled the bottom half with soil and rocks. Students then used their scientific skills to excavate and identify the rocks. After the students identified their findings, they used the soil-filled bottle as a potholder and planted seeds. GEM shared more about proper gardening techniques, how to take care of the seeds, and the potential for their seeds to grow into beautiful flowers! Once the students had their instructions for care, they used the tops of the two-liter bottles to water their seeds for the first time! Following this, our team led an impactful discussion exploring types of materials that are recyclable for STEM activities. Ideas ranged from a bottle rocket using household supplies to repurposing old boxes for forts. This discussion allowed the students' creativity to come to life while still encouraging sustainability and environmental engagement. 2. Using Compostable Materials Being a community organization, our team values community events and engagement. With this in mind, we participated in the 2019 CASA for Kid's Annual Halloween 5k! Our team set up a booth where young learners could create their very own flying bats! Each participant picked two compostable straws, one slightly bigger than the other, and one pre-printed bat outline. After coloring the bats, students taped the bat onto the marginally larger straw, making sure to cover the hole at the top. Students put the smaller straw into the bigger straw and blew into it, making the bat fly off! This craft was both engaging and environmentally friendly, as the straws were compostable and the paper bat could be recycled. Our team enjoyed sharing our passion for the environment, working with community members, and most of all, watching students 'fly' their bats! 3. Nature Activities Prescott is unique for many reasons, but our favorite aspect is the fantastic rocks and geological sites! These natural wonders draw geologists, rock enthusiasts, and curious folks from all over the country. Wanting to share these wonders with young learners, GEM offered a hands-on geological learning activity at the Greater Prescott Outdoors Fund Earth Week celebration. At GEM's booth, students searched for and identified rocks, geodes, and gems with the help of our volunteers. After identifying their findings, students reburied the rocks for other children to find later! This activity was exceptional because it allowed young learners to engage with the natural world around them without disturbing any local ecology. Our team had such a great time sharing this learning experience with our community, and we can't wait for next year's Earth Week celebrations! We hope our experiences and ideas spark inspiration, curiosity, and excitement for your next STEM activity! We love to hear from our readers; share any environmentally friendly activities you enjoy in the comments! Hiking on designated trails, utilizing reusable bags, and supporting local ecological efforts are all great ways to be a friend to the environment! GEM Environmental is excited to welcome one of our new members to the team! Madison (Madi) Albright is our new Charity Rocks Gallery Sales Associate! Madison was born and raised in Utah and graduated from Grantsville High School last year. She recently moved to Prescott, Arizona to be closer to her boyfriend Dallas, and his family. Being from Utah, Madi loves the cold weather and is interested to see how she handles the change in temps! She enjoys being outdoors for hikes, kayaking, swimming, and taking her loving dog Steinn on walks. She also loves learning new things and being hands on, she feels that working with GEM will allow her to do both! Welcome to the team, Madi! How did you hear about this service opportunity? I learned about the position through family and was excited at the opportunity of working to build a new position in a great company. Please provide a brief description highlighting your work/area of focus. I will be opening and running the Charity Rocks Gallery and online website. Starting with getting it up and running, with help from others here at GEM. When the store and website is open, I will be responsible for all sales, in-store and online, I will run weekly inventory checks, website maintenance, and I will also maintain the cleanliness and organization of the shop. What do you plan to accomplish during your time with GEM?
Being here with GEM, I plan to help the store and website grow. By always keeping the website up to date and the store ready for customers each day. I plan to learn more about the entire organization and teach others so they can also know. What are your career goals? Honestly, I am not too sure, I am still young and have my whole life ahead. But for now, I want to help Charity Rocks grow! So, I guess this is my career goal! MAKE SURE TO KEEP AN EYE ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE AND WEBSITE TO SEE WHEN OUR GALLERY WILL OPEN! CHARITY ROCKS! |
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