This summer, 112 students participated in eight Youth Engaged in Sustainable Systems (YESS) programs across Washington State. Each program was a partnership between PEI, school districts, and at least 87 local community partners. This year, participation increased 86% from 2024, when PEI served 60 students across six programs.
Student participants received $152,897 in stipend funding from a variety of grants and partners.
So, what did the students think? Ninety percent said YESS helped them feel more prepared to pursue their career goals, 80% reported increased self-confidence, 97% would recommend the program to another student, and 97% were ‘Very Satisfied’ or ‘Satisfied’ with their experience. The top three reasons students registered for YESS: 1) add to resume 2) learn about career options and 3) be outside.
PEI extends a special thanks to Washington’s Department of Natural Resources (WA DNR) for helping support each YESS program in the state.
Here’s an overview of each site’s incredible work:
Lake Quinault School District – Forest Management, Year 2
“This was an amazing opportunity for me to be able to participate [and that] I am deeply grateful for,” said one Lake Quinault YESS student. Each LQSD participant practiced plant identification, geocaching, clinometer use and invasive species removal; and learned about wildlife habitat, old growth forests, wetlands, special use permits, salmon habitat restoration, culvert cases and Riparian Management Zones (RMZs). The group explored natural resources and conservation careers in their local community with the support of multiple partners. For example, they learned about tribal forest management practices with the Quinault Indian Nation Natural Resources Division and represented student perspectives at a ‘Grays Harbor County Natural Resource Career Pathways’ meeting hosted by PEI and Grays Harbor College.
Funders: National Forest Foundation’s Matching Awards Program
Community partners: Olympic National Forest, U.S. Forest Services, Quinault Tribe Natural Resources Division, Twin Harbors Waterkeepers, Quinault Tribal Employment Rights Ordinance, Sierra Pacific Industries, Rayonier, Grays Harbor College, Pacific Veneer, WA DNR.
Onalaska School District – Restoration Ecology, Year 2:
Onalaska students benefited from their teacher’s extensive employer connections and school-run fish hatchery. Students even completed their Boater Safety Certificate with local experts. Other
program activities included amphibian surveys, removing trees and fences, visiting Mt. St. Helens, camping at Coldwater Lake, and assisting in shoreline restoration projects. One participant said, “I learned a lot of hands-on skills and how to safely work with others.” The students have been invited to present at the American Fisheries Society’s 2025 Northwest Fish Culture Concepts Workshop.
Funders: Recreation and Conservation Office’s (RCO) No Child Left Inside Grant, the Dawkins Family Foundation, the Russell Family Foundation, and Chehalis Outfitters.
Community partners: Tacoma Power Utilities, City of Centralia, Ike Kinswa and Seaquest State Parks, Nisqually River Foundation, WA Department of Fish and Wildlife, Chehalis Basin Land Trust, Burnt Ridge Nursery, NW Trek, Lewis County Conservation, Lewis County Sheriff’s Department, Hampton Lumber, Olympia Mountaineers, Tacoma Maritime Institute, WA DNR.
Spokane Conservation District (SCD) – Urban and Community Forestry, Year 1:
SCD and PEI are seeking a school district that would like to adopt this YESS program for high school credit starting in summer 2026! The program is shovel-ready, has funding secured for the next two years, and is already connected with SCD’s Natural Resource Apprenticeship Program (N-RAP) and Spokane Community College (SCC). Spokane’s YESS students were able to spend time working with the N-RAP apprentices, visit Dishman Hills Natural Area, learn about GIS, remove trees, and even complete a grocery store botany lesson with Amy Dawley, PEI’s Eastern Washington FieldSTEM Coordinator. One student said, “It helped me feel confidence and independence, not just in a job but in real life. It helped me feel responsible. This also opened many [job] opportunities, because it’s opened my eyes to how great conservation work really is.”
Funders: The US Forest Service’s Inflation Reduction Act Urban and Community Forestry Grant.
Community partners: Spokane Conservation District, City of Spokane, The Lands Council, Washington State Department of Natural Resources, Inland Northwest Land Conservancy, Dishman Hills Conservancy, Gonzaga Climate Institute, WSU Spokane, Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge, Spokane Edible Tree Project, Mount Spokane State Park, Whitworth University, Spokane County, Found Barn Farm-Pioneer Farm Chic Boutique and Orchard, Spokane Public Library, WA DNR.
Yakima Valley TECH Skills Center (YV-TECH) – 2 Restoration Ecology Cohorts
Yakima Cohort, Year 4; Toppenish Cohort, Year 1
The Yakima YESS program started at Eisenhower High School and is now supported through YV-TECH. For the first time, YV-TECH expanded this program to a new Toppenish cohort. One student reflected, “Before this program, I was really reserved and kept to myself, but I got out of my shell and made new friends and collaborated with others in the program. I also learned restoration techniques that are important for salmon habitat and how one small change could have a huge impact on salmon.”
Funders: Recreation and Conservation Office’s Outdoor Learning Grant and WA DNR’s Forest Resilience Program.
Community partners: Mid-Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group, Yakama Nation Fisheries, WA Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Forest Service, Yakima Arboretum, Yakama Nation, Yakama Cultural Center, Yakama Nation Prosser Hatchery, Teanaway Community Forest, LT Murray Wildlife Area, WA DNR.
Tumwater School District, through New Market Skills Center (2 programs) – Forest and Stream Ecology, Year 3
Tumwater has demonstrated innovation by connecting YESS programs to align with the district’s school career pathways. They’ve also expanded to build a second cohort this year, adding to the successes in the original program. With these two programs, the two YESS teachers can share ideas, combine field trips, and leverage partnerships to provide high-quality learning experiences for their students. One student said, “[This program] prepared me for environmental or civil engineering, which I am interested in pursuing at South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC), and a 4-year college after that”.
Funders: The Russell Family Foundation, the Dawkins Foundation.
Community partners: Pacific Shellfish Institute, City of Tumwater, LOTT Clean Water Alliance, Weyerhaeuser, Grays Harbor College, Port Blakely, Capitol Land Trust, McIntosh Forest, Port of Olympia, SR3 Sealife Rescue, Rehabilitation and Research, Sierra Pacific Industries, Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, Deschutes Basin, Petit Farm, Heritage Park, Capital, Pioneer, Sapp Road, and Palermo Parks, Tolmie State Park, SPSCC, Squaxin Island Museum, WA DNR.
WANIC Skills Center: Restoration Ecology, Year 4
Building on the program developed at the Riverview School District, the WANIC Skills Center and Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust celebrated another successful summer! Students presented restoration proposals that featured site maps, GIS survey data, budgets, maintenance plans, and learning highlights. The
audience had many questions while cheering on each small group. Riverview School District teacher Jeffry Rhodes announced that the students achieved a 99.3% attendance rate. A whopping 80 students applied for the 18 available program spaces, and the application had to be closed early due to such strong interest.
Check out their program video to see the program in action!
WANIC Skills Center YESS Video 2025
Funders: The United States Environmental Protection Agency, King County Flood Control District, the Snoqualmie Watershed Forum, Rotary Club of Duvall, and generous private donations.
Community partners: Restoration and Recreation teams at Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust, Snoqualmie Tribe Environmental and Natural Resources, King County, King Conservation District, Trout Unlimited – Urban Wildlife Refuge Partnership, Beavers Northwest, United States Forest Services (USFS) Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie, and Stewardship Partners at Carnation Farm, WA DNR.
