Polk County News
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • June 7, 2017 3A
Students work to clean up Falls City public spaces
After-school program pays youths to keep library, schools, community center looking spiffy
By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
FALLS CITY — If the
schools, library and other
public spaces around Falls
City are looking tidier, thank
eight students collectively
referred to as “the work force
crew.”
Those students are em-
ployed for landscaping
maintenance around the
school district through the
Family Academic Commu-
nity and Enrichment for
Success, or FACES, after-
school program.
Alex Ogden oversees the
crew and would like to see it
clean up around the Falls
City Community Center and
pressure wash the staircase
between Prospect Street and
downtown before school
ends next week.
They’ve already worked
around the Wagner Commu-
nity Library, Falls City High
School, the high school gym
and Falls City Elementary
School.
“We’ve been getting a lot
of good, positive feedback,”
Ogdon said.
That includes from his
boss, Amy Houghtaling, the
FA C E S d i r e c t o r, w h o
bragged on the crew at a re-
cent Falls City School Board
meeting.
“I would like to highlight,
again, the work force crew
doing work around the
schools,” she said during her
monthly report. “They are
working their tails off and
doing a great job.”
The program, which is
paid for through a grant
from Polk County, was de-
signed to hire five students
for the crew.
Houghtaling said FACES
hired all eight who applied
because they aced the inter-
views.
The first task was pur-
chasing outdoor work ap-
propriate gear, including
heavy work boots, gloves
and bright neon vests.
JOLENE GUZMAN/Itemizer-Observer
Delaina Faulconer, left, clears weeds and other debris near the playground at Falls City Elementary School.
Community members are
supporting the crew.
Amy Tucker, owner of Id-
dell Dew Gardens nursery,
helped students learn the
difference between weeds
and beneficial plants.
Auto repair shop owner
Mike McConnell taught
them basic repair on lawn
mowers and other landscap-
ing equipment.
Houghtaling said the crew
is intended to be like a first
job, teaching basic work
skills, responsibility and
teamwork.
Students earn class credit
and get paid for their time,
which consists of a couple of
hours after school and six
hours on Fridays, when
school is not normally in
session.
Two crews will be hired
with the grant this year, one
during the spring and an-
other this fall.
JOLENE GUZMAN/ Itemizer-Observer
Supervisor Alex Ogden watches as three crew members remove shrub roots.
Phoenix Brown, who has
worked with the school dis-
trict’s summer group with
the maintenance depart-
ment, said she applied be-
cause she likes working on
the types of projects the
crew takes on.
“I worked over the sum-
mer, doing outside work and
inside work,” Brown said. “I
like coming back to school
and seeing it nice and clean
and seeing we can make a
difference in Falls City and
make it look better.”
Brittney Potts agreed, say-
ing the crew demonstrates
that the city’s teens take
pride in cleaning up their
community.
Brown and Potts said they
like the presentations, espe-
cially those on maintaining
equipment.
“I think it can help us in
real-world situations and in
life,” Potts said. “If we need
to fix something, we don’t
have to rely on someone
else. We can do it ourselves. I
think it’s a big step in us be-
coming adults.”
Other crew members,
Brian Youtz, Katy Byce, and
Delaina Faulconer, said the
crew is teaching them im-
portant lessons about being
on time, prepared, and or-
ganized, and managing their
time well.
All participants must be
in good standing in their
classes.
Team work is necessary,
too, as the members of the
crew found out when they
had to put collective effort
into digging out the roots of
a shrub, which were stub-
born and required shovels,
an ax, and plenty of pushing
and pulling on the part of
Zach Varney, Kobe Smith,
and Daniel Boone.
Ogden kept a watchful
eye and gave them tips
when they got stuck.
Eventually they dug it
out — and held it up like a
trophy.
Ogden said the goal is not
just a paycheck or class
credit, but something that
can help set them up for
success after high school.
“This is a big thing to help
build their resume, so when
they get out of school they
have a little something al-
ready,” he said.
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