Many adults jump to the erroneous conclusion that any kid doing roadside work must be a juvenile delinquent penalized with community service. Nothing could be farther from the truth about the six teens, wearing highly visible orange and reflective-yellow vests, who picked up roadside litter on Hwy. 58 from the Idaho/Washinton border to Rockford in the morning of August 3, 2011, and then spent their afternoon gleaning litter along Hwy. 27 from Rockford to Latah, Wash.
Although Road Work Ahead and Ecology Youth Project signs alerted motorists, what wasn't visible to drivers passing by were the unique T-shirts these exemplary youth proudly wore -- also orange -- and emblazoned with logo in yellow letters, "Best of Our Youth. Jobs For Youth Service to Washington."
Their leader, Zig Parvey explained why 'the best' is exactly what these young people are. Out of some 500 online-applicants, only 36 teens, ranging in age from 14 to 17, achieved the distinction of being interviewed for Ecology Youth Corps (EYC) 2011 summer jobs, crew members are hired based on their interview score and references. The teens were working in the second session, July 28 - August 19, 2011.
In addition to litter pickup during the 17 days each crewmember works during a summer, 7:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday - Friday (37.5 hours per week), a strong emphasis is placed on recycling. Their paycheck, $8.67 per hour, is mailed to their home twice a month.
The EYC program in this region places an important emphasis on the environmental education of its crew members. During their 30-minute lunch break, Parvey led discussions on environmental issues such as waste reduction, pollution, energy and water conservation, biodiversity, and sustainability. Parvey's pride in her crew, who were eating brown-bag lunches at a table in Rockford Park, was a joy to behold.
Projects and inter-crew competitions will be included during their working term. EYC youth will also tour Spokane's Waste-to-Energy plant, as well as, fish hatcheries, recycling centers, aluminum can smelters or other places of environmental significance. Some crews may spend time working at the recycling center or delivering an anti-litter message to the general public at fairs, parks, or rest areas.
Contacts include, Lynette Kuehl, Program Secretary, Phone: 509-329-3434 (Email: lkue461@ecy.wa.gov), and Gary Lambacher, Program Coordinator, Phone: 509-329-3506 (Email: glam461@ecy.wa.gov.) Both are located at Department of Ecology, Eastern Regional Office, N. 4601 Monroe, Spokane, WA 99205.
Thanks to the teens employed in the environmental program, roadsides are a lot cleaner in the area.
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