Mile High Youth Corps (Denver) is pleased to present Matthew Peyko as our 2018 Corpsmember of the Year. Matt has served three terms with the corps, performing a total of 1,800 service hours. His first introduction to Mile High Youth Corps was in 2016, as an individual who was introverted and had some self-doubts. Matt decided to take a leap of faith and push himself beyond his comfort zone.
From the start, everyone who served alongside Matt noted his outstanding work ethic and how deeply he cared about his service. He was driven to prove he could do anything he set his mind to – and he did! Matt served in 2018 as an Assistant Crew Leader in the summer and became a Crew Leader in the fall. He has followed an upward trajectory of leadership during his time in the corps, blossoming from a shy follower into a hands-on leader who is able to teach his crew new skills and provide feedback to foster their development. “I have changed through being able to trust my decision-making more, as well as being more open and extroverted with my personality, “Matt noted. “I learned to have more patience and how to communicate with someone that has a different style of learning.”
One of Matt’s project partners, Mike McHugh with Eldorado Canyon State Park, said that his crew was “the best he’s ever worked with. Matt knows his stuff and runs a tight ship.” Matt is currently in the midst of his fourth term of service with Mile High Youth Corps’ Winter Fire Crew and hopes to land a wildland firefighting position with the US Forest Service next summer.