Teen employment available this summer

SPOKANE – The Department of Ecology’s (Ecology) Eastern Regional Office plans to hire about 115 teens throughout eastern Washington this summer to help clean up area roadsides, parks and recreation areas.

Youths, ages 14 to 17, who live in eastern Washington counties can apply through April 1 to work with one of Ecology’s EYC crews. Crews will work from 7 a.m.- 2:30 p.m, Monday through Friday, in one of two four-week sessions.

Crew locations include Chewelah, Clarkston, Colville, Ephrata, Moses Lake, Othello, Pasco, Pullman, Republic, Ritzville, Spokane, Walla Walla and Wilbur.

Sessions this year run from June 24-July 19 and again from July 22-Aug. 16. Participants will be paid $9.19 an hour.

Funding for the Ecology Youth Corps program comes from a dedicated account called the Waste Reduction, Recycling and Model Litter Control Account. The account is funded by a voter-approved tax on items related to the litter problem.

Applications are available through area school counselors and online. More information is available on the Ecology website, or by calling Lynette Kuehl, in Ecology’s Spokane office, at 509 329-3434.