February 25, 2010
In visit to Babler State Park in St. Louis County, Governor says participants will help preserve Missouri's natural legacy while gaining valuable work experience
Gov. Nixon launches Parks Youth Corps summer jobs program; encourages young Missourians to apply online
During a visit to Babler State Park, Gov. Jay Nixon kicks off the 2010 State Parks Youth Corps, an initiative that will put more than 1,000 youth to work in Missouri State Parks this summer. The youth, ages 17 to 24, will help with various projects, such as debris removal; trail-cutting; and plant and animal identification. Youth can apply online at MO.gov.
WILDWOOD, Mo. - Missourians ages 17 to 24 will gain valuable work experience this summer and help enhance the state system of parks by being part of the Missouri State Parks Youth Corps, a jobs program launched by Gov. Jay Nixon. The Governor went to Dr. Edmund A. Babler Memorial State Park in St. Louis County today to talk about how the program will benefit Missouri's 85 state parks and historic sites and to encourage young people to apply online for one of the approximately 1,000 federally funded positions that will be available between May 1 and Sept. 30.
"Missouri's parks are a legacy for us to pass on, and good stewardship of those parks will ensure their preservation for future generations," Gov. Nixon said. "The young people participating in the State Parks Youth Corps will enjoy the benefits of being outdoors, gain experience that can help them with future employment, and learn to be good stewards of the land. And as I said in the State of the State address last month, they'll also be outdoor ambassadors to show how Missouri's state parks are enjoyable and affordable places to visit."
Enhancing Missouri's parks and historic sites through the State Parks Youth Corps is one part of Gov. Nixon's initiative to boost Missouri's tourism industry through promoting state parks. The Governor's goal is to boost attendance at the parks and historic sites and thereby encourage families to spend more of their tourism dollars in Missouri.
At Babler, the Governor spoke in front of the Alta Shelter, a structure built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps that was heavily damaged by a vandalism fire in November 2008. One of the Youth Corps projects will be to remove the debris from the fire and clean up the site. The projects at Babler also will include repainting the exteriors of the Outdoor Education Center and dismantling a trail bridge.
Work at other parks and historic sites around the state will include building or repairing trails; performing maintenance and landscaping; documenting and recording animal species at state parks; collecting statistical and survey data at state historic sites; and assisting with the planning and implementation of outdoor programs, including the 2010 Katy Trail State Park bicycle ride.
Young people who want to be part of the State Parks Youth Corps can apply online at mo.gov. Participants will make $7.25 an hour and be eligible to work for 240 hours. Parks staff and counselors from the state's 14 local Workforce Investment Boards will recruit and select income-eligible applicants for the positions.
"Spending time in our state's outdoors has been a formative experience for several generations of Missourians, and that includes my own experiences with my father and my two sons," Gov. Nixon said. "In addition to the job experience and the benefits for our parks, the State Parks Youth Corps also will help many of the participants experience and appreciate Missouri's natural beauty in a way they have not been able to."
The Missouri State Parks Youth Corps is a partnership between the Missouri Division of Workforce Development and the Missouri Division of State Parks. Funding for the program is made possible by the federal Workforce Investment Act and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).