MAYOR'S MESSAGECraig A. Stough 6/23/05 "2005 The Sylvania Youth Conservation Corps is in operation around the community for 2005. You may have noticed these 30 junior high school students around town in their green shirts working to improve our public parks and lands. These young people were chosen from the many who applied this year to spruce up our city and township, planting over 5,000 flowering plants around town, most of which are donated. They also plant some evergreens and shade trees to help landscape high profile areas. This Learn and Earn program is in its 12th year, and provides the crew members with an opportunity to earn a small stipend while improving our environment for all our citizens to enjoy. Learning experiences include the hands-on use of tools, and provides the opportunity to be a part of significant capital improvements in our parks and on other public lands. Building self esteem, teamwork, the development of the work ethic, appreciation of a job well done, leaving proud footprints of lasting endurance, and becoming an important part of our communities history all enter into the mix. In only five weeks each summer the Sylvania Conservation Crews make their mark on our public lands. They are also introduced to environmentally sensitive job opportunities by experts through out the work sessions. Birding, carpentry, painting, pruning, organizing, weeding and parks maintenance are all experiences they are introduced to. The conservation corps participants are paid the small stipend, one half of which is reflected in their weekly pay check. The other half is put into a savings account in their name and presented to them at the conclusion of the program during a family picnic. That family picnic is the same day as the River Ball Race,
an annual This very successful and unique youth conservation corps
program is operated by the City of
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