OldArchive / Outdoors
Grants give Youth Corps programming in S-B a lift
SEEDS, a Traverse City-based nonprofit that focuses on ecology and education, was recently awarded two 21st Century Community Learning Center grants from the Michigan Department of Education.
The grants will provide approximately $1.5 million annually for five years to fund the Northwest Michigan Youth Conservation Corps and after-school programs at 10 regional schools, including Suttons Bay High School and Middle School.
ELLEN POSNER of Suttons Bay digs up autumn olive, an invasive species, at a Northwest Michigan Youth Conservation Corps event held Monday at the DeYoung Farm in Elmwood Township.
According to project manager Bill Watson, the grant money will be available July 1 and programming at Suttons Bay is scheduled to begin this school year in September.
“It is a huge amount of money,” said Watson.
He added that wages for the youth workers will have to be funded from other sources, but the grant money will cover the expenses of the program’s equipment and oversight staff.
Two new positions on the staff will be an education coordinator, who will work with school staff to implement curriculum, and a family services coordinator, who will work with the students’ families, explained Watson.
“We are currently writing the job descriptions,” he said.
The Youth Corps held a summer orientation at the DeYoung farm on Monday and started work removing autumn olive, cutting grass and moving rocks for a possible stream project.
Veronica Tapia of Traverse City High School has been working with the Youth Corps for two years.
She came back because she enjoys the work.
“I really like being outside and being active,” she said.
Joe Festa of Acme is returning for his third summer with the Youth Corps for much the same reason.
“I like working outside,” he said. “You can be yourself.”
Not all of the students at the DeYoung farm were veterans, however.
“This is my first day,” said Ellen Posner, a resident of Suttons Bay. “I love to be outside and so far the work has been enjoyable.”
Starting this week, workers from the Youth Corps will be completing projects throughout Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. With the help of the grant money, Watson hopes that they will be able to continue to work year-round through the after school programs.
The grants will provide approximately $1.5 million annually for five years to fund the Northwest Michigan Youth Conservation Corps and after-school programs at 10 regional schools, including Suttons Bay High School and Middle School.
ELLEN POSNER of Suttons Bay digs up autumn olive, an invasive species, at a Northwest Michigan Youth Conservation Corps event held Monday at the DeYoung Farm in Elmwood Township.
According to project manager Bill Watson, the grant money will be available July 1 and programming at Suttons Bay is scheduled to begin this school year in September.
“It is a huge amount of money,” said Watson.
He added that wages for the youth workers will have to be funded from other sources, but the grant money will cover the expenses of the program’s equipment and oversight staff.
Two new positions on the staff will be an education coordinator, who will work with school staff to implement curriculum, and a family services coordinator, who will work with the students’ families, explained Watson.
“We are currently writing the job descriptions,” he said.
The Youth Corps held a summer orientation at the DeYoung farm on Monday and started work removing autumn olive, cutting grass and moving rocks for a possible stream project.
Veronica Tapia of Traverse City High School has been working with the Youth Corps for two years.
She came back because she enjoys the work.
“I really like being outside and being active,” she said.
Joe Festa of Acme is returning for his third summer with the Youth Corps for much the same reason.
“I like working outside,” he said. “You can be yourself.”
Not all of the students at the DeYoung farm were veterans, however.
“This is my first day,” said Ellen Posner, a resident of Suttons Bay. “I love to be outside and so far the work has been enjoyable.”
Starting this week, workers from the Youth Corps will be completing projects throughout Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. With the help of the grant money, Watson hopes that they will be able to continue to work year-round through the after school programs.
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