The young men and women of YAK! (Youth Adult Konnections), a youth development program at St. Luke's Wood River Medical Center that works to prevent teenage substance use, are tough cookies.
For the past two years, a number of YAK! members have ventured into the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness, north of Stanley. The idea behind the trip is to offer a stimulating community service-oriented alternative to alcohol and drug use. Recently, YAK! has begun to widen their approach by making stewardship of the land a form of community service.
With 2.3 million acres of land, Frank Church-River of No Return is the largest contiguous area of protected wilderness in the continental United States. Any and all electronic devices, from cell phones to electric saws to motorized vehicles are prohibited in the area.
For a solid week, members of YAK! work with members of the U.S. Forest Service doing heavy trail work. They also learn basic first aid, how the trail system works and what it is really like to be one with nature.
"It is one of the coolest trips," said Frances Nagashima, director of YAK! "It really brings out leadership skills and an entirely different understanding of our natural surroundings."
The experience of the participants is wide-ranging.
"We have kids who have always camped and others who have never even hiked," Nagashima said. "One trip, we had one girl show up in sandals for a ten mile hike."
Yet everyone seems to have a great time.
Tanya Greenwood, a senior at WRHS, has been on every Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness trip.
"It is just really fun to have no cars and to have to be really out in the woods," Greenwood said. "It is physically strenuous, building a latrine, lifting and cutting logs and of course there is a lot of hiking. But it is definitely do-able."
Greenwood does find re-entry into the "real" world a bit difficult.
"Coming back is really hard," said Greenwood. "I think it is hard to re-adjust and it is hard to go from no people to all of these people, even after just being a away for a week."
Mary Van Zeipel, another senior at WRHS and trip participant, missed the amenities.
"I really missed a shower," Van Zeipel said. "With no shower for five days you get really gross."
This year, YAK! will lead two trips to the Frank Church Wilderness. The first trip will leave for the wilderness on June 26. The second trip will take place in August.
St. Luke’s Youth Adult Konnections (YAK!) is celebrating an exceptional year of service. During the 2007-2008 school year, YAK! participants have clocked more than 4,000 hours of community service. Pictured are the members of the Blaine County Teen Advisory Council (BCTAC).
Photo by
