Moose Teens Continue YCC Presence
> For the 14th straight year, Mooseheart students headed to Yellowstone National Park this past summer to join the Youth Conservation Corps, working hard while making precious friends and memories.
Andrew May, Jasmin Barnes and Nic Grasty of Mooseheart joined 29 other teens from June 12 through Aug. 18. Other students chosen from a Moose-families drawing included Sam Garner (Kilbourne, LA Lodge 2281), Matt Schuhow (Batavia, IL Lodge 682), Samantha Skinner from Greenwood, IL (Spencer, IN Lodge 2482 and Christina Cummings (Fairbanks, AR Lodge 2379). In addition, Owen Clyde, a Moose-family member who was selected for YCC in 2003, had been selected to return as a Youth Leader.
The students spent most of the trip working on such projects as construction of bridges, restoring log cabins and trail rehabilitation, all under adult supervision.
The students enjoyed seeing the beauty of Yellowstone firsthand.
Sophomore Nic Grasty said he made so many friends and enjoyed the experience so much that he was thrilled to be selected to return in ’05 as a youth leader.
“It was tough at first . . . but it was worth it,” he said. “All our hard work helps keep the park in good condition for all of the visitors to enjoy. ”
The Moose fraternity became involved in YCC in 1988, shortly after huge fires swept through Yellowstone, destroying numerous visitor facilities. Seeking a way to help in repairing the damage, the fraternity worked with the National Park Service to establish the Yellowstone Youth Fund which since 1990 has underwritten the approximate $135,000 annual cost of YCC, which receives no funding from the federal budget.
Mooseheart students have been a part of YCC every year since 1991; they must apply and are selected by Superintendent of Education Gary Urwiler.
Click here for an application form for YCC 2005!
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Please click on any photograph below to view a larger image.
From left: YCC staff member Helen Lynn and YCC participants Jeff Baran, Ryan Litus, Mooseheart student Jasmin Barnes, Sam Garner and Shantel Starkey take a break from building a tent bed at Yellowstone National Park. Despite long hours and hard work, the students are always grateful for the opportunity to spend a summer making great memories in a beautiful place.
‘All our hard work helps keep the park in good condition for all of the visitors to enjoy.’
—Mooseheart student Nic Grasty—who’s returning for YCC ’05 as a Youth Leaders
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November/December/January 2004-2005
