National Park Service Will Host Summer Youth Crew

Date: March 17, 2006
Contact: Mary Frothingham, [phone]

Ten students from Grand and San Juan Counties will have the opportunity to work in local national park areas this summer as part of the National Park Service Conservation Corps. Sponsored by the Southeast Utah Group of the National Park Service, the Conservation Corps is entering its ninth summer of operations.

Tony Schetzsle, Superintendent of the Southeast Utah Group, said “We’re happy to be able to continue the Conservation Corps program this year. This is an excellent use of our visitor fee revenues and we look forward to the same kind of success that we have enjoyed for the past eight summers.” The program is funded entirely through visitor fees.

Participants must be at least 17 years of age and no older than 22 years of age when the program begins on June 5, 2006. In order to qualify for the program, students must be enrolled in an accredited school for the fall semester of 2006. The participants will be paid $9.29 per hour.

Ten students will be hired for the program. Work begins on June 5 and ends on August 3. Students will work Monday through Thursday, nine to ten hours per day. Students will need to arrange transportation to and from either the National Park Service office in Moab (2282 S. West Resource Blvd.) or the Federal Building in Monticello (32 South 100 East) on a daily basis. Many of the work assignments may require spending up to three nights and four days a week in the field. Accommodations for field assignments may be primitive backcountry spike camps without electricity or flush toilets.

In addition to work projects, crew members will participate in education programs with National Park Service staff. Throughout the summer, students will research a topic of interest to be presented to community members, parents, and park staff. Work shirts and pants will be provided to the crewmembers but the students must provide their own work/hiking boots and daily lunch. In the case of multi-day assignments, food and camping gear will be provided.

Mary Frothingham of Moab will coordinate the program. For further information, please contact Mary at 435-719-2110. Applications will be available after March 20, 2006 at San Juan and Grand County high schools, State of Utah Department of Workforce Services offices, or at the National Park Service office in Moab.