Sixty one students, sponsored by 24 Posts, 2 Districts, 2 PCC’s and 1 SAL Squadron took part in the 2005 Youth Environmental Conference (referred to by the U.S. Forest Service as the Youth Environmental LEADERSHIP Conference (YELC).
The weekend was kicked off with a great breakfast served at Rio Linda Post 521; Frank Mosbacher, U.S. Forest Service Public Affairs Officer, was introduced and gave the students a glimpse of what they were going to be focusing on over the weekend. He introduced his staff – Kristi Schroeder, Assistant Public Affairs Officer, Amy Reed, OHV Route Inventory Coordinator, Deidre Cherry, Fuels Technician and Barbara Rebiskie, Fire Prevention Officer. Barbara recently received the Forest Service “Silver Smokey” award earlier this month for her 20 years of outstanding service in wildland fire prevention and education. There are 5 presented annually, and we were fortunate to have her with us.
Frank has been with the program for 25 years. It’s the only one of its kind with Legion / U.S.F.S. providing an environmental education and leadership program to high school students. Kristi has been organizing the USFS staff and planning the agenda for the past 6 years; Amy and Deidre participated for the first time last year; Barbara is attending her first conference.
On the Legion side we had counselors Julie Potter, Post and Unit 790; Gene Fanucci, Post 318, Rick Bernard, Biology Teacher at West Covina High School and Barbara Ross, Coordinator, Unit 84, District 31.
After breakfast the students were assigned to their color groups (identified by 4 different color baseball caps). Most of their activities throughout the weekend will be done in these groups. There will be a Forest Service staff member and a counselor with each group. Each student and chaperone were given a binder with the weekend’s agenda – jam packed with activities.
Arriving at Sly Park, the first assignment is the “name game” where the first student gives their name and then a fruit beginning with the same letter. The challenge is to repeat what you’ve heard, then add your name and identifying fruit. This helps the students remember each other’s names, and new friendships are born!! Then the first of many hikes – about 2 hours hours long where the students begin to learn about the different types of trees, shrubs, wildlife and concerns that are present in the area covered.
Later the students are provided with a large sheet of paper on which they write their name, city, school, anticipated college, favorite movie, etc. and circulate among the other students, where they find out there are a lot of common interests. The students are then introduced to a set of values from which they select those that are most important, and least important to them. Working in teams they develop “coats of arms” that depict their feelings about the value that’s most important to them.
This year we have a reporter and photographer from the Sacramento Bee with us from Noon until 6:30 P.M.
Friday evening is taken up with rock wall climbing and a planetarium show. Then, off to bed. Many of the students have been up since Thursday morning, and the dorms quiet down quickly.
Saturday morning – 6:00 wake up call. Breakfast at 7:15 then a movie about Lake Tahoe. Board the buses, pick up Lake Tahoe Base Management staff and travel to a pristine area of the lake where the students spend 20 minutes “reflecting” on what they see and think. Students are spread out over a large section of beach. It’s hard to imagine 61 students and the only sound you hear are the birds and the lapping of the waves on the beach. The students come together and share their reflections. They have an opportunity to turn in what they wrote and all reflections will be typed up, copied and distributed to be added to the binders.
Then a hike to the Lake of the Sky Trail where the students go through the Stream Profile Chamber – an aquarium built into the rocks. Murals are painted on walls above the tanks depicting the four seasons.
Still lots of snow along the highway so the students are given some time to throw snowballs, sled down the hill and just generally enjoy the white stuff, which many of them have never seen.
Next stop is the base of Granite Valley which was carved by glaciers and subalpine environment. The students climb over a mile up the mountain side with an approximate 600 foot vertical elevation, arriving at Pyramid Creek which has an elevation of nearly 6,000 feet. The view is breathtaking. Some of the students are amazed at their accomplishment!!
Back to Sly Park for dinner and the Saturday evening activity. Students are given information about careers which are available with the Forest Service. They then view a movie “The Greatest Good” a Centennial film highlighting the history of the Forest Service. Lemonade and popcorn are provided halfway through the film. Next there is an opportunity to stargaze through the professional telescopes. Some free time and lights out!!
Sunday morning is another 6:00 wakeup call with a 7:15 breakfast followed by more “reflection” time and the “Web of Life” exercise which relates to the students the intertwining of all elements of the ecosystem. Another hike – the theme is “Humans in the National Forest”. This is followed by discussion and movies covering wildfire, forest conditions and how homeowners on forest property can best safeguard their homes. A family from the local community provide information on their local Firesafe Council.
After lunch the students learn how to bore a tree to determine its age, and how to identify which trees should be cut in a thinning project. After more discussion the students board the buses to view a local community and have an opportunity to observe the properties that have, and have not, met the required 100 foot clearance around their structures.
A trip to the Hazel Creek Forest Health Project introduces the students to the requirements for prescribed burns and how many agencies are involved after areas are cleared and debris piles for disposal.
Sunday evening is set aside for the Talent Show. All students are required to comment on how they feel about the program. Most thank The American Legion, the Forest Service and the other adults who work to make this program possible. This year we saw some real talent!! Drums made from an upside down large plastic garbage cans and empty plastic detergent buckets; the camp meal bell was used as a cymbal; empty water bottles had their own unique sound and a metal garbage can lid was the “closing note”. A bonfire and roasting marshmallows brings the day to a close.
Monday morning – 6:00 “Here Comes the Sun” greets us over the intercom. Time to pack and get to breakfast. The students apply what they have learned as they play the role of “community” and “Forest Service”. Everyone graduates and receives their diploma.
Time to load the buses and return home to put into practices in their community what they learned this weekend.
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