With time almost out to apply for the State Parks Youth Corps, Gov. Jay Nixon is urging young people from northeast Missouri to apply for paid summer jobs before the April 16 deadline.
The State Parks Youth Corps will employ about 1,000 Missouri youth, ages 17 to 24, in paid positions at one of 85 state parks and historic sites from May 1 to Sept. 30. Youth will undertake critical park projects, such as trail-building; plant and animal surveying; landscaping and maintenance. Other youth will help lead tours and educational programs, design marketing campaigns, and assist in park offices.
“The response to our State Parks Youth Corps has been overwhelming, and I know young people will have a once-in-a-lifetime experience as they help improve our parks and historic sites this summer,” Gov. Nixon said. “Although the deadline is quickly approaching, we do have a few slots still available, so I’m encouraging youth to sign up today. Don’t miss out on this opportunity. Visit MO.gov today to become a part of this corps that will preserve, protect and promote Missouri’s natural beauty and vibrant history.”
Among other locations, youth in northeast Missouri will have the opportunity to work at two unique state historic sites, including the Battle of Athens State Historic Site, in Revere. Located in a region rich with history and recreational opportunities, the Battle of Athens State Historic Site is the perfect location for young people who want to spend the summer learning and experiencing the outdoors, while they earn cash. The site showcases historical buildings from the northernmost Civil War battle fought west of the Mississippi River, along with hiking trails, a lake for fishing, and more than a mile of frontage on the Des Moines River.
Just a few miles to the southeast, near Wayland, is Iliniwek Village State Historic Site, a fascinating and important archaeological location, since it is the largest and best preserved settlement of Illinois Indians, some of the first Native Americans encountered in present-day Missouri.
Young people who want to be part of the State Parks Youth Corps must apply online at MO.gov by Friday, April 16. Participants will make $7.25 an hour and be eligible to work for 240 hours. Parks staff and counselors from the state's 14 local Workforce Investment Boards will recruit and select applicants for the positions.
“Spending time in our state's outdoors has been a formative experience for several generations of Missourians, and that includes my own experiences with my father and my two sons,” Gov. Nixon said. “In addition to the job experience and the benefits for our parks, the State Parks Youth Corps also will help many of the participants experience and appreciate Missouri's natural beauty in a way they have not been able to.”
The Missouri State Parks Youth Corps is a partnership between the Missouri Division of Workforce Development and the Missouri Division of State Parks. Funding for the program is made possible by the federal Workforce Investment Act and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
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