PORT TOWNSEND — The Youth Environmental Stewards (YES!) Program seeks applicants for its upcoming 2018-19 Environmental Science and Leadership Class.
Applications are due Thursday of this week. To apply, visit www.nwwatershed.org and click “Apply Now!” under “News & Updates.”
The class size is limited to 20 students. Students from Port Townsend, PT OCEAN, Quilcene and Chimacum Pi high schools are eligible to apply.
While the program is free, donations to help cover food costs are accepted.
The class is themed “How can we better understand, restore and protect our local ecosystems?” It is coordinated each year by Northwest Watershed Institute (NWI) — a Port Townsend-based cooperative project of nine partner organizations.
The class is completed throughout the academic year in accordance to each enrollee’s schedule by choosing and leading approved sponsored projects.
Projects include planting trees, removing nonnative invasive plants, installing rain gardens, and participating in coastal clean-ups.
During this time, enrollees must complete a minimum of 30 hours each as leaders and assistants on ecological service projects with a selected mentor.
“Jefferson County students can make important, lasting contributions … but first they need a chance to explore their home ecosystem, and learn about natural resource careers by working with experts,” Jude Rubin, NWI stewardship director, said in a news release.
To begin the course, students spend a week working outdoors with natural resource experts, learning what they do.
On July 15-20, students will participate in a six-day field course, bunking in dorms at Fort Flagler State Park, Rubin said.
Trips to Gibbs Lake, a tour of the Quilcene Taylor Shellfish Farm, and multiple sites in Tarboo-Dabob and Snow Creek watersheds; and Marrowstone Island are planned.
Mentors for the field course include representatives of NWI, the North Olympic Salmon Coalition, Port Townsend Marine Science Center, Jefferson Land Trust, county Department of Health, Washington State University Extension, Olympic National Park’s Matt Albright Native Plant Center and the state Department of Fish & Wildlife.
In addition to the program’s curriculum, students can pursue independent projects with professional mentors for an additional 0.5 credit, which can help fulfill elective, occupational credit, and-or senior project requirements.
These projects include serving as interpretive docents at salmon-bearing streams, marine aquarists, and outdoor educators.
In all, a student must complete a minimum of 90 hours of work on the project to receive the credit.
Students will be recognized for their participation in the YES! program during high school graduations.
The class is available free of charge by the support of area businesses and donors, according to the release.
A similar class at the North Cascades Institute costs $1,765, the release said.
This year’s class size is up — from last year’s 14 — to 20 by way of a small school bus Port Townsend High School is sponsoring, Rubin said.
Ongoing donations for the class are accepted.
For more information, contact Rubin at jude@nwwatershed.org or 360-774-1457.
