July 9-12, 2019, Olympic National Park
— from Sandy Strehlou, Town of Friday Harbor —
Olympic National Park (ONP) as the location for YHP 2019 will provide the opportunity for students to explore the balance between managing cultural and natural resources within National Parks, and more specifically, designated Wilderness Areas. YHP is all about place-based learning and hands-on activities. Discover Washington through the Youth Heritage Project!
During this four-day field school program, students will participate in activities designed to educate youth about the pre-history of the Park; early development of tourist- and recreation-related enterprises intended to increase visitation to this remote region; the construction projects and legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the Park; the establishment of Olympic National Park; and the ongoing protection and maintenance of Park resources and wilderness lands. Students will also have the opportunity to hear from local tribes about the connection to the Olympic Peninsula, the history of land use, and conservation practices from a tribal perspective.
Several resources and locations on the Olympic Peninsula will provide excellent case studies for the students to explore the concepts of cultural and natural resources and the overlap between them. Planned sites include the Elwha River and the former sites of historic dams; various trail shelters and seasonal ranger station structures; public buildings such as visitor centers and Park headquarters buildings; and resources along the Olympic Discovery Trail such as private structures and former rail infrastructure.
Application is now open!
This program is offered FREE OF COST for those accepted through generous funding from our partners and sponsors. Participating students will earn 10 service hours toward high school graduation requirements.
Any high school-age youth may apply; this includes seniors who will graduate in the spring of 2019 and 8th graders who will enter high school in fall of 2019. We are also seeking teachers to attend as group leaders. All applications are individual—students apply independently of their teachers and vice versa.
Rolling application reviews will occur bi-weekly with deadlines of: April 19, May 3, & May 17
Final application deadline: May 31
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