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79 youths restore Tillamook Trail as part of annual Summer Youth Crew Program.
6 SEPTEMBER 1, 2007
By Ariel Bailey
Sum trior Youth employee
For the last 16 years,
Grand Itonde youths have
participated in the Summer
Youth Crew Program.
The Tribe and Oregon
Youth Conservation Corps
partner to give teenagers
a work experience through
the six-week program,
which is aimed at high
school-age students. The
Youth Crew program helps
build positive experiences
and work habits.
Nineteen youths worked
on various projects beginning
July 9. The main project has
been restoration of Tillamook
Trail, which is located up
4 Agency Creek.
" Youth Crew members are
split into two groups and work
on different parts of the trail.
"We're very fortunate to
, have such a good group of
M kids this year," said Tiffany
J Brockway, who accompanies crew
it members on the trail and supervises,
making sure there are no problems.
Only one girl, Alana Hobbs,
ft worked as a crew member this year.
:i She said working with 18 boys was
a fun experience and that she didn't
mind being the lone female.
To become part of the Summer
Youth Crew Program, teens sub
, mitted an application and were
interviewed. Once selected, youth
received first aid training and
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The Summer Youth Crew worked to restore the Tillamook Trail located on Agency Creek in Grand
Ronde. They spent six weeks working on various projects including building campgrounds at
Devil's Lake near Lincoln City.
then spent the first two days of the
job being taught at the Natural
Resources Department the proper
ways to handle tools and keep safe
while working around each other.
Each day before going to work,
crew members participated in a
safety circle. They stood in a circle
and each person took a turn recit
ing a way to keep safe during the
day. They also choose a stretching
exercise for the group to perform.
After working for six weeks,
Summer Youth Crew participants
became experienced in how to build
a trail. The top ground layer, which
is called duff, was removed and
then crew members evened out the
surfaces to make it easier to walk
on, Sometimes obstacles, such as
trees and stumps, stood in the way
of the trail and crew members, but
the youth didn't seem to mind.
"Cutting down trees is one of
the most fun things we do out
here," said Youth Crew worker
Travis Trammel, a se
nior at Willamina High
School.
Trail restoration isn't
the only thing the crew
worked on. They also
helped with Fort Yamhill
projects, such as cleaning
campgrounds and work
ing on trails.
Crew members said
they also enjoyed har
vesting, cleaning and
preparing lamprey
caught at Willamette
Falls for Tribal mem-
I bers. There were also
: a few trips, including
i a challenge course day
' where all of the teens
got together in team
j building exercises.
Also, each group took a
trip to Devil's Lake, near Lin
coln City, to clean and build
campgrounds, along with a
canoe trip up the Willamette
River. At the end of the sum
mer program on Aug. 24, Youth Crew
members attended a goodbye celebra
tion and went Whitewater rafting on
the Clackamas River.
Several members have returned
after previous years of working on
the Summer Youth Crew, taking
the opportunity to work outdoors,
familiarize themselves with trails
and put a little change in their
pockets. The youths worked 8 a.m.
to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday
and earned $8 an hour.
'07 Youth Program A Success
D 33 youths receive help with school work, making up classes.
By Erika Merrill
Summer Youth employee
According to Elaine Ferguson in
the Tribe's Youth Education Pro
gram, this summer's Youth Program
was a huge success.
The six-week program, designed
to help youth with school work and
making up classes, started in June
and ended in July.
Middle school students worked
Ifrom 8:30 a.m. to noon Monday
a through Thursday and high school
students worked from 1 to 5 p.m.
Monday through Thursday.
Middle school and high school
students were separated this year,
which was a change from 2006.
Students were separated because
of curriculum, Ferguson said.
High school students had to finish
credits while middle school students
only had to work on getting better
grades. Separating the students this
year helped because it gave the stu
dents more time to finish what they
needed to and reduced distractions
since the two groups were doing such
different things, Ferguson said.
Activities that middle school youth
were involved in this year included
Chinook lessons, language arts,
math, Native Plan projects, a Port
land LumberJax lacrosse player's les
son, a Northwest Indian mural with
Richard Fenwick, a health careers
mini-field trip, a field trip to Fort
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Youth Teacher Elaine Ferguson
Yamhill, a writing skills classes with
Marion Mercier at the library and
other kinds of presentations.
Activities thathigh school students
participated in included Chinook les
sons, independent work using Nova
NET to recover high school credits,
basket weaving, and other activities
youth wanted to be involved in that the
middle school students were doing.
Next summer the Youth Educa
tion Department is examining other
changes for the Summer Youth Pro
gram, including not having a six
week daily schedule. Possibilities
include going to an every other day
schedule or offering shorter classes so
youths can pick the days they want
to go, which might spur larger daily
attendance.
FtuakWG raft PoeCis?
Former Minnesota
Viking safety Joey
Browner signs a
football for Tribal
member Dakota
Rock, right, as some
of the 93 youth
who showed up for
the Aug. 23 football
skills workshop
go through their
paces.
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