Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Coca-Cola Provides $25,000 Grant to Support Teen Trail Crew in Grand Teton

Jackson, WY, October 21, 2013 -- The Coca-Cola Foundation has awarded Grand Teton National Park Foundation $25,000 to support the Youth Conservation Program (YCP), a privately-funded teen trail crew that performs trail repair and historic site maintenance in Grand Teton National Park.  YCP is a work-and-learn program for 16 to 19-year-olds that operates for 10 weeks each summer and is one of several programs funded by Grand Teton National Park Foundation as part of an effort to engage the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts and wilderness stewards.  

This is the third year in which Coca-Cola has supported YCP through its competitive grant program that focuses on promoting active, healthy living and programs that connect youth to the outdoors. 

"Environmental stewardship, supporting healthy lifestyles, and education are three of our Foundation priorities," said Lori Billingsley, vice president of community relations at Coca-Cola North America Group.  "The Youth Conservation Program combines leadership experiences in conservation and active living and provides a unique opportunity for summer employment in our treasured Grand Teton National Park."

YCP has employed nearly 150 students as trail crew members in Grand Teton since the program's founding in 2006.  In completing restoration projects on heavily used park trails and historic sites, program participants learn valuable job skills while gaining unforgettable hands-on experiences in Grand Teton National Park and developing a long-term conservation ethic. 

"Coca-Cola has a great history of funding community outdoor programs and projects in national parks, and the company's continued support for YCP has helped solidify the program as a popular outdoor institution that attracts applicants from across the country each year," says Leslie Mattson, president of Grand Teton National Park Foundation.  

Summer 2013's YCP group consisted of 24 teen crew members led by park trail staff.  The group also interacted with a variety of park leaders from all major divisions.  The crew began work in Grand Teton in mid-June and wrapped up a variety of projects related to trail and historic site renewal at the end of August.  Watch a video profile of this year's program successes here:


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