pressive:
- From repairing and blazing hundreds of miles of hiking, biking and equestrian trails;
- To developing educational programs and leading tours;
- To preserving and enhancing remote wilderness areas;
- To repairing and painting buildings that hadn’t been maintained in years
The State Parks Youth Corps was an unquestionable success – both in terms of the work we accomplished at our parks and, more importantly, in the lives we changed.
The First Lady and I had the privilege of meeting many of these young people during our visits to parks throughout the summer. We saw them work. We saw them learn. And we saw them grow.
For many of these youth, this summer opened a whole new chapter in their lives – a first job, a first paycheck, a first boss. Roosevelt hit the nail on the head when he said the greatest benefit of the CCC would be the change in the workers – not in the parks.
The CCC came to an abrupt end in 1942. After Pearl Harbor, defending freedom and defeating tyranny became the nation’s first – and only – priority.
But the members of the CCC didn’t stop working. Many immediately enlisted in the armed forces. Others went to work in factories, or took their skills into other facets of the war effort.
Today, we call those Americans the greatest generation.
When their country asked them to serve, they did so willingly and without question. In the 1930’s, they rebuilt our parks and jumpstarted our economy. In the 1940’s, they defeated Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan.
That same strength – of values, of spirit, and of character – lives on today in the young men and women who served in the State Parks Youth Corps. When others spent their summer on the couch, on the computer, or on the streets, the “spicy kids” worked hard.
They got up before sunrise, and kept working after sunset.
They got sunburns on their arms, blisters on their feet, and a few cases of poison ivy.
Day in and day out, they learned a timeless lesson: Few things worth doing are ever easy.
Because of the leadership shown by the Division of State Parks;
the support offered by the Division of Workforce Development;
and the dedication and involvement of Missouri’s outstanding Workforce Investment Boards, these youth will enter our workforce with sharper skills, stronger habits, and clearer sense of purpose.
And when they’re called upon to lead and to serve, whether on the job or for our country, they will be ready.
And so, this evening, I thank the leaders of Missouri’s 14 local Workforce Investment Boards; the superintendents of our state parks and historic sites; and all the interpreters, naturalists, maintenance supervisors and other park employees who made the first year of the State Parks Youth Corps a resounding success.
And I ask you to stand with us again next year. We have formed an incredible partnership that is producing tangible results – for our economy, for our parks, and for the youth of Missouri.
This year, we began a transformation. But the goals we set for the State Parks Youth Corps weren’t something we could accomplish in just one summer. We need to continue our efforts next year, and in the years to come, to build a legacy of excellence and service.
In the coming weeks, Julie Gibson, Bill Bryan and their teams will begin reaching out to follow up on today’s working session and to start the recruiting process for 2011. I ask that you share your ideas, suggestions, comments and criticisms openly and honestly. We need input from everyone around the table.
More than 75 years ago, Franklin Roosevelt had a vision. To preserve America’s natural beauty. To enhance our parks. To boost an ailing economy, and build leaders for tomorrow.
We are the keepers of that vision today.
The State Parks Youth Corps builds on the legacy handed down by the CCC, to ensure the future of conservation and recreation in Missouri:
A future where Missouri families can enjoy a beautiful October day along the Katy Trail;
A future where young people can try to outsmart a trout in a crystal-clear stream at Bennett Spring, Montauk, or Roaring River;
A future where young