'I didn't want a burger job, I wanted to make a difference,' says Katharne Fitzsimnons, 16, from Silverton, who is now employed by the Northwest Youth Corps.

Fitzsimnons was one of a 10-person group working to clear slash from drainages near Wonder this month. The group was working hard despite the surrounding poison oak and the heat.

Members of the corps spend five weeks roughing it in the woods doing jobs such as trail building and maintenance, pruning, habitat restoration and clearing slash or underbrush from drainages.

The corps begins taking applications in January for the spring, summer and fall sessions. Applications for first-time applicants consist of writing essays such as 'Why do you want to join the Youth Corps, and what can you bring to the program?'

Program Coordinator Joe Waksmundski says that the corps looks for 'students who are ambitious, willing to work hard, have a sense of humor, are flexible, and between the ages of 16 to 19.'

There is a $185 tuition to join the Northwest Youth Corps, which covers recreational expenses and project overhead, says Waksmundski. Students then work five days a week and between seven and eight-hour days earning minimum wage. Before the first week is over, the money spent on tuition has been re-earned.

On top of seven to eight hours of work a day, students have an hour of education about the environment and conservation. Students receive high school credit for their work with the corps as either science credit or elective credit depending on which high school they attend.

'It's more than a job,' says Waksmundski, 'It's an environmental life skills education.'

Sam Lorence, 17, from Corvallis, says 'It's not a job for everyone. For the past four weeks I've been covered in poison oak,' while Fitzsimnons adds that students are showers once a week.

Students camp near the work site, in four crews of 10 students, in tents and have to cook their own meals, according to Waksmundski.

On the weekends, students from camps in both Southwest Oregon and Northern California travel to the base camp in Cave Junction where they may take trips to places such as Stout Grove, Babyfoot Lake and Mount Elijah.

'That's our break,' says Sorin Carpaci Hanson, 18, from Seattle, Wash. 'Living for so long with the same people, your patience can be tested.'

Students generally agree that the abundant poison oak and the mosquitoes are the major drawbacks to the job, but Lorence adds, 'Pruning is horrible.' Despite these problems, the students still admitted that they would recommend the job to others with Fitzsimnons saying 'It's a chance to learn about yourself and others.'

Anyone wishing to learn more about the Northwest Youth Corps, or get an application can go to www.nwyouthcorps.org or call the Eugene office at (541) 349-5055.