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Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon recently announced a new initiative designed to help preserve 85 “jewels” throughout the state.

The Missouri State Parks Youth Corps is a summer-long work program that will hire 1,000 Missourians ages 17 to 24 to lend a hand at the state’s 85 state parks and historic sites.

The work will allow for a younger generation to connect with the rich history of the state parks system while fulfilling needed services and repairs in a down economy at the parks that may have otherwise gone unaddressed, Nixon said Feb. 26 at a press conference following a tour of Watkins Woolen Mill State Park and State Historic Site, east of Kearney.

“We need to get more kids off the couch away from video games and back outside,” Nixon said. “Because some lessons only nature can teach.”

Nixon toured the site with Watkins Mill facility manager Mike Beckett, who pointed out some of the work those hired through the program will accomplish at Clay County’s lone state park and historic site.

That work will include washing grave markers at the site’s cemetery; repairing trails; maintaining gardens; and painting and repairing the fencing around the Watkins home, Beckett said. He said there would also be opportunities for youth corps workers to give guided tours of the woolen mill and the Watkins home.

“This will be a tremendous benefit for us to support a series of projects that otherwise would not get done,” said Beckett, who oversees a staff of 10 at the park. “It all ties back to our mission of education.”

The $2 million program is funded through the federal Workforce Investment Act and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Youth corps workers will earn $7.25 an hour and can work 240 hours. The program runs from May 1 to Sept. 30 of this year. Nixon encouraged those interested to apply online at mo.gov soon because he expected more to apply than positions available. It was unknown how many youth corps workers would be assigned to Watkins Mill.

In addition to being an educational experience for program participants, Nixon said the youth corps would help grow tourism in the state. His goal is to reach 20 million visitors to the attractions annually.

To do that, the parks and historic sites would have to buck a 10-year trend of declining attendance. In 1999, parks visitors totaled about 18.4 million, but that figure has since declined to 14.2 million in 2008. Attendance numbers have not been released for 2009 yet, but Nixon said he expected that attendance “started back up” last year.

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