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Youth Conservation Corps recruiting for summer program

Youth Conservation Corp members take a work break last summer on the Williams District of the Kaibab National Forest. Front row from left: Amanda Tibai (mentor), Breanna Chester, Tyria Harvey, Chelsea Hardison. Back row from left: Susan Brown (grants management specialist), Alex Hreha (mentor), Joaquin Salas, Mike Williams (Forest Supervisor), Adam Fritsch and Carson Frahm. Submitted photo

Youth Conservation Corp members take a work break last summer on the Williams District of the Kaibab National Forest. Front row from left: Amanda Tibai (mentor), Breanna Chester, Tyria Harvey, Chelsea Hardison. Back row from left: Susan Brown (grants management specialist), Alex Hreha (mentor), Joaquin Salas, Mike Williams (Forest Supervisor), Adam Fritsch and Carson Frahm. Submitted photo

WILLIAMS, Ariz. - The Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) is recruiting six local youth to do archaeology, recreation and range work on the Williams Ranger District this summer.

Judy Tincher, YCC Coordinator for Arizona Conservation Corps, said she is looking for 17- and 18-year-olds who are prepared to work together and work hard to complete conservation work during the program, which runs from June 9 to July 25.

"The teamwork is huge, and the willingness to challenge themselves, are really important characteristics, as well as that sense of service for the community, the future, themselves and their team," she said.

YCC started in the 1960s. The idea stems from the Civilian Conservation Corps, one of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal programs in the 1930s that put young men to work across the country doing things like planting trees, maintaining roads and fighting fires.

The Arizona Conservation Corps organizes YCC groups in Williams, Flagstaff, the Verde Valley and Fredonia.

Crewmembers will participate in a one-week orientation session, where they will learn first aid skills, CPR, and leave no trace outdoor ethics.

"It's a campout, so it's really fun to get together with the other young people and develop some camaraderie within the Youth Conservation Corps," Tincher said.

The type of work the corpsmembers do throughout the program varies from year to year. Last year, the participants cleared fence line for antelope migration, cleared debris from historic railroad sections, and cleaned graffiti from petroglyphs at Keyhole Sink.

"So that was a great project for them to be involved in and gave people a good sense of accomplishment for really making a positive impact," Tincher said.

On a typical day, the corpsmembers meet up with supervisors at 8 a.m. and drive to a worksite. The day starts with a stretch circle and safety talk before the work begins. The participants have two 15-minute breaks and a half hour lunch. The workday ends at 4:30 p.m.

While most of this group's work will likely take place on the Williams Ranger District, the participants may also do some work on the Tusayan Ranger District.

Besides gaining work experience, Tincher said the program gives students a sense of achievement. Corpsmembers receive a living stipend for the course of the program and also receive an AmeriCorps education award at the end of the program.

The application deadline is April 25. More information about applying is available at www.azcorps.org.


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