Monica LaSalle, Nederland.  As the teenagers gather on bleachers under a smoky, hazy skyline, there is an energy of excitement, accomplishment and all around good fellowship. Supervisors kick a ball back and forth and rest on the sidelines after a celebratory picnic lunch. Slowly, everyone settles down together to begin the closing ceremony of another successful work season.

The ceremony is to honor Teamworks, a conservation based youth employment program comprised of youth ages 16-20 from both rural and urban communities. The program is a collaboration of Teens, Inc. and Lincoln Hills Cares. The crew works together on conservation projects such as trail building, noxious weed removal, flood relief, Habitat for Humanity, urban farming, riparian restoration and fire mitigation throughout the Front Range (Nederland, Idaho Springs, Conifer and Denver) area.

In addition to conservation, participants learn about collaboration, leadership, and professionalism. Crew members receive fair hourly wages and returning crew members are eligible to become crew supervisors. High school graduates are eligible for a 4-year renewable scholarship of $1,000.

Graduating crew members are also encouraged to apply for the Osprey scholarship, a $2500 award. Applicants are required to write an essay outlining how they have embodied any of the Teamworks Core Tenets of Leadership, Environmental Stewardship, Professionalism, Healthy Risk Taking, Collaboration and Inclusion. The essay and a crew evaluation are submitted to a board for review, and recipients receive the award through the post high school institution of their choice.

Kham Shem Toure is the Osprey Scholarship winner this year. Kham Shem is from East High School in Denver, and has participated in the Teamworks program for 4 years. This year, Kham Shem has shown exceptional initiative in taking on more of a leadership role and has been exemplary in passing on his leadership skills. He will be applying his scholarship award to Cogswell College of Gaming Design in San Jose, CA this fall. The 1,000.00 scholarship winners this year are Francis Churches, Ian Dunham, Calvin Eckert, Rachel Elander, Annaliese Gould, Brenden Harris, Simone Huntet, Bailey James Kummet, Kathleen McMurtrey, Brigid Miller, Tayla Parlee, Jean-Luc Pineau, Caleb Pugmire, Paul Redmond, Karen Shungu, Anastasia Snelling, Josh Trujillo, Shemsu Turner, and Devin Valen.

As supervisors Mario Davidson and Ariel Gustafson as well as Stephen LeFaiver (TEENS, Inc. ED), Bill Pollock, and J.R. Lapierre (Lincoln Hills Cares) took turns addressing the assembled crew, I could feel the sense of pride emanating from the group. Heads were nodding in agreement to the multiple compliments and recognitions; smiles of affection and friendship were passing like waves throughout. One can tell that the Teamworks program is not only educational, but a true inspiration for everyone involved.

“Each friend represents a world in us, a world not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born” ~-Anais Nin