Heart of Oregon Corps says local YCC crews employed 16 Prineville youth, put $55,342 into local wages

Maddie Cunningham of Heart of Oregon Corps briefed the Prineville City Council on the organization’s 2024 Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) work, saying the program employed three local crews and paid participants $15 an hour.

Cunningham said the program ran June 26 through Aug. 15 and “We were able to, hire 3 Heart of Oregon Prineville crews, totaling 16 Prineville youth.” She told the council the season included college and career days, a resume workshop and an awards day.

The report gave specifics about participation and local economic impact: there were 45 applicants from Prineville; Prineville youth worked a total of 3,689.5 hours; and youth wages paid directly into the local economy totaled $55,342 (crew leader wages were excluded from that figure). Cunningham said the wider program hired 72 youth regionwide.

Cunningham highlighted conservation and public-lands work done by the crews on the Ochoco National Forest and at local campgrounds, and described activities including fuels-reduction days, silviculture work, trail maintenance and aquatic and range projects. She also recounted a program highlight: Cynthia Ruiz, a four‑year YCC alum, returned to work with a crew after a family tragedy and described the program as feeling like home.

Cunningham told council the program is planning to hire three more local crews for 2025, increase crew-leader pay to $15.50 an hour and continue habitat and wildlife projects. “The $2,000 made a huge difference. It went directly to the wages of the youth,” she said, thanking the council for the city’s contribution.

The council did not take a formal vote related to the YCC presentation; staff offered to provide a financial report on request.