I have been collecting National Park Junior Ranger badges since I was five. The outdoors has always been fun and exciting because of the endless possibilities it provides, and I jump at any opportunity to explore it. I learned about the Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) in 2016 on a family trip to Yellowstone and six other national parks.
When we got home, I learned that the Virginia State Parks also has a YCC, which is described as “a structured program of important conservation and park projects on public lands while providing learning that fosters teamwork, self-esteem, social responsibility and respect for the environment.” I decided to apply so I could learn about park maintenance, our state parks, and the environment and also to improve my leadership and teamwork skills.
There are only about 120 spots available for crewmembers in Virginia, so I was ecstatic to learn that I was accepted to the program. I spent three weeks in late July at Mason Neck State Park in Fairfax County. The house where I lived was huge, and apparently much better than the lodging at many of the other parks. There were four bedrooms for everyone to share, and a grandiose living room that was great for card games and other activities.
For the first couple of days I was a little jittery and nervous because the people I was working with were complete strangers, coming from all around the state to be a part of the program. The nerves were gone by the end of the first week when we all became comfortable with each other and we were all able to mess around and hang out.
Even though we didn’t spend a whole lot of time in it, we enjoyed the old, early 20th century house that we were lodging in. While some of the work sites had to rely on campfires for dinner, we lucked out with a full kitchen. One of the leaders used to work in a restaurant and was a great cook. Under his tutelage we were able to make enchiladas, burgers, gumbo, jambalaya, tortellini, lasagna, fried chicken, and more.
The house overlooked the waters of the Occoqaun and Potomac Rivers. We often saw bald eagles, osprey, and other birds flying over the water, as well as raccoons, opossums, and even a red fox hunting for food.
Over the course of three weeks, we were able to finish many challenging but rewarding projects. The first week we spent clearing a trail to make it suitable for wheelchairs. We had to clear all the roots from the trail and flatten it out; then we put gravel over it and flattened it again. We finished the trail, which was about 700 feet long, in about a week.
The second week we replaced a split rail fence along the back of the park near the river. We took out the old fence and then completely started over from scratch. We dug two feet down for each post, then we would put in the rails and move to the next one. During that project, we could always look out over the water and see bald eagles and ospreys.
For the third week we cleared brush away from the roads and vistas throughout the park.
When we weren’t working we had a lot of fun with planned and spontaneous activities. Our YCC team leaders planned a day trip to Washington DC, we got to try archery, and we even had a drum circle. We went kayaking and swimming multiple times and the water was really nice and warm. Park rangers and volunteers took us on a night hike and we were able to hear all of the owls, from little screech owls to the larger barn owls, which was super cool.
After working during the day, sometimes we would have free time to play board games and hang out as a group. Even though we didn’t have our phones, we rarely ran out of things to do. When we got really bored we would do one of two things, either we would play Uno or we would watch a movie. There were only three movies in the house: Shrek, Princess Bride, and Star Wars Episode 3, so we watched Shrek three times, the Princess Bride twice, and Star Wars once.
YCC was a great experience for me because I was able to meet and connect with so many different types of people. This program helped me extend my leadership skills and improve my ability to work with others. I learned so much about teamwork, how to use tools for heavy labor, and how to work outdoors.
This program has given me such an appreciation for state and national parks, and the people who spend their whole lives working to preserve these places.
Want to Know More About Youth Conservation Corps:
The YCC is a three week residential program for Virginia teens hosted at parks throughout the state.
Participants must leave cell phones and other electronic devices at home during the program; the only communication with families is through postal mail and packages and once-weekly phone calls. Crewmembers who complete the program receive a $500 stipend as well as a significant number of volunteer hours.
Applications typically open early in the calendar year. Follow the Virginia State Parks YCC on Facebook or watch the YCC website for further details and applications information.
Have a Kidspective to Share?
Brady G. enjoys all aspects of soccer: coaching, playing, refereeing, and watching the premier league. He loves being outside and relishes the challenge and hard work of building trails. Brady values travel because the opportunity it provides to discover new places and learn about other cultures; by the time he graduates high school, he will have visited over 25 countries. Brady is a member of the class of ’22 at a local Charlottesville high school and he plans to attend college to double major in science and business.