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YEP is a new partnership between the Alaska Youth for Environmental Action (AYEA) program of the National Wildlife Federation and Anchorage Parks & Recreation. Through this project, twenty diverse teens are gaining valuable employment experience working in Anchorage parks while developing leadership and outdoor skills. This project is a way for Anchorage teens to learn about the environment, give back to our community, gain job skills, and develop mentoring relationships with leaders in our city.

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Weekly Themes

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  Mentorship Week
  August 6-August 10

  Education: Crew learned about the history and purpose of unions from the AMEA Union President and Secretary. They also learned the basics of professionalism in the workplace. Crew Members created their own page of a magazine capturing an issue important to them. These pages were compiled into a YEP reference guide including Community Resource contact information distributed to Crew Members upon completion of the program.
  
  Work: Learned job seeking and interview skills. They drafted resumes, cover letters and requests for recommendation letters. They worked along side professionals employed in an area of their interest. Finally they did a life mapping exercise in which they developed personal goals for the next 6 months, year and 5 years. The program concluded with a final dinner for YEP staff and their families to recognize and celebrate the Crew’s achievements.

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  Safety Week
  July 30-August 3

  Education: Crew Members gave short presentations on a cultural or environmental topic of their choice. They attended a unique Career Fair where they networked with representatives of organizations in the area about future employment opportunities. Following the Career Fair they reflected on their experience and chose a professional or organization of their interest to job shadow.
  
  Work:YEP Crew continued work along the Harvard Greenbelt, clearing brush to increase lines of sight on the bluff. For two days they worked along the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail from Lyn Ary Park to the bottom of Kincaid Park. On this 8 miles stretch they worked to improve sight lines, enhance visibility, reduce blind corner stress and increase trail safety.
  

• Tree Week
  July 23-27
  
  Education: The YEP Crew toured the offices of City Hall and received an overview of the recycling and sustainable building projects the Municipality is working on. They gained knowledge of how they can impact their city/state government. The YEP Crew also learned about the Assembly process and participated in a Mock Assembly meeting.

  Work: The YEP Crew practiced urban fire prevention with AFD at Forsythe Park, removing low tree branches and dead trees. They received an introduction to urban forestry from the DNR and worked at Turpin Street pruning, removing Invasive Species and spreading wood chips. On July 24th, they attended the Anchorage Assembly Meeting where they were introduced by the Mayor to Assembly Members. The YEP Crew introduced their program and themselves individually, stating their name, assembly district, favorite park project and how they feel about the YEP program.
  

• Invasive Species/Toxics Week
  July 16-20

  Education:  An overview of invasive species, the importance of controlling their spread, and specific examples of species which are becoming problematic in Anchorage and throughout Alaska.  YEP Crew Members also chose an environmental issue of their interest to research and present on. 

  Work:  YEP Crew pulled invasive species including Bird Vetch, Orange Hawkweed, Sweetclover and Oxeye Daisy at Russian Jack Springs Park, Eastchester Park, and at sections along Campbell Creek.  The YEP Crew also partnered with 20 Campfire youth pulling invasive species for several hours at Goose Lake.  In total the YEP Crew pulled 59 bags (750 lbs) worth of invasive species!  On July 19th the YEP Crew assisted with the Wild at Heart, Centennial of the Chugach National Forest event at Hilltop Recreation Center.  They helped youth create decorated T-shirts and flags at art booths as well as with the set up and take down for the event. 

• Global Warming and Renewable Energy
  July 9-13
  
  Education: An introduction to global warming, ways energy can be conserved, how climate change is affecting Alaska and how it is increasing the amount of invasive species here. 

  Work: YEP Crew toured the Anchorage Botanical Garden, learned about the mission of botanical gardens in relation to global warming and pulled invasive plants onsite.  At Harvard Park, with the support of Government Hill Community members, the YEP Crew cleared overgrown underbrush vegetation, minimizing the dangers posed by wildfires and increasing visibility/safety.  YEP Crew Members also did a 3-2-1 canvassing in the Government Hill area to educate the public about reducing carbon emissions.  As a result of this public outreach, 155,100 pounds of CO2 has been prevented from being released into the atmosphere.

• Recycling Week
  July 2-6
  
  Education: YEP Crew heard from ALPAR and learned the importance of recycling, what goods can be made from recycled materials, and what can and cannot be recycled in Alaska and why.

  Work: YEP Crew painted recycling bins and helped distribute these to Anchorage recreation facilities where they explained to facility managers and staff the importance of recycling.   They assisted Kids Kitchen with food preparation and distribution and did indoor facility clean-up at Fairview Recreation Center.  The YEP Crew also did a post July 4th clean-up at Delany Park Strip and removed weeds from the Martin Luther King Memorial.  Finally they toured the following facilities in Anchorage learning about traditional and innovative waste management:
  Anchorage Regional Landfill,
  Anchorage Regional Composting Facility,
  Total Reclaim Inc. (specializing in the recycling of computer equipment and electronics, batteries, fluorescent light bulbs, and recovering refrigerant),
  Smurfit-Stone Recycling Center (the largest full service recycling center in Alaska and provides 24-hour drop bins for a wide variety of recyclables)

   

• Waterways Week
  June 25-29
  
  Education: YEP crew members learned how pollutants affect bodies of water, and how they can take tangible action steps to preserve, protect, and restore Anchorage waterways. They understand the value of salmon in our city, and that water quality is imperative for the health of our citizens, communities, and creeks.
  

  Park Work: YEP Crew worked with USFWS, NRCS and the Venture Development group at the Muldoon Town Center where they planted approximately 625 willows, did a willow count, weeded one side of the creek, did a creek clean-up, and sampled invertebrate populations in the creek. The crew stenciled storm drains and public outreach near Taku Lake, Fairview, Delaney Park Strip, and at 68th St. and Lake Otis.  The Crew cleaned up Lyn Ary Park and returned to University Lake Park trails to water recently replanted vegetation and spread mulch.

   

• Horticulture Week
  June 18-22
  
  Education:
  An introduction to horticulture, sustainable agriculture, organic foods, and the true cost of food (including pesticides and water usage)
  
  Park Work:
  Crew weeded and deadheaded municipal flowerbeds at the following locations: International Airport Road and Jewel Lake intersection, 9th and L St. intersection, and at the municipal greenhouse. Crew assisted the Anchorage Rose Society with edging rose bush hedges at Delaney Park Strip. Crew spread mulch in McPhee Community Gardens. Crew Planted trees at Fairview Park, and spread woodchips at Fairview Lions Park. Crew mentored Campfire youth and prepared a Kids Kitchen meal.

   

• Unpaved Trails Week
  June 11-15
  
  Education:
  To understand how unpaved trails contribute to our quality of life, families, and surrounding environment, and how community members can maintain and advocate for Anchorage trails.
  
  Park Work:
  YEP crew improved the sustainability and safety of the trails at University Lake by revegetating redundant social trails, repairing uneven trail treads and restoring steep slopes.

• Orientation and Civic Engagement
  June 4-8
  
  Education:
  An overview of the Parks & Recreation Department’s history and impact on community members, an introduction to community council involvement, CPR & First Aid and an orientation to Anchorage Parks.

  Park Work:
  YEP crew raked, picked up trash and debris, and pulled weeds at Centennial Campground.  They also painted bollards at Brown’s Point & Suzan Nightingale McKay Memorial Parks. Conducted public park user surveys to assess park use for future improvements. Taku Lake Park, Delaney Park, Goose Lake Park, Margaret Eagan Sullivan Park.

• Youth Employment in Parks on YouTube

  High school student Chris Frenier created this video to help promote Youth Employment in Parks for his Eagle Scout project.

  View You Tube video here

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