Students Help To Ready Historic Parks for Spring Opening
By Karen Gould

At left: Students from the Michigan Career and Technical Institute in Plainwell assisted staff at Mackinac State Historic Parks during the last week of April to paint the flag poles at the entrance to Colonial Michilimackinac in Mackinaw City. From left are Paul Keller, Jim Pease, instructor Bob Vaccaro, Tjasse VanderPloeg, and Wynton Harris.

Cleaning gardens, removing branches, raking, sweeping, and splitting firewood that will be used at exhibits this summer were tasks volunteer students took on as they helped Mackinac State Historic Parks prepare trails and open buildings for its 111th year in operation. The forts opened May 3 in Mackinaw City and May 5 on Mackinac Island.

The 12 students who participated in the program are members of Bob Vaccaro's class in Grounds Maintenance and Landscaping at the Michigan students were divided into two groups and assigned either to Mackinac Island State Park or to

Colonial Michilimackinac in

Mackinaw City. Career and Technical Institute in Plainwell. They spent one week assisting park staff clearing winter debris and readying buildings for the tourist season. The

This is the second year for the project and it is a welcome relief from state financial woes that have reduced the agency's budget.

"Without their help, there's just no way we could do it," said Mike Sutton, Mackinaw City park manager for Mackinac State Historic Parks. "I know what the park should look like and we just don't have the people anymore to make it happen."

One of nine such schools in the country, Michigan Career and Technical Institute is the second largest to provide training for adults with disabilities. The school was founded in 1944.

In return for their help at Mackinac State Historic Parks, students received work experience to add to their resumes, which will help them as they enter the job market, explained Mr. Sutton. Students even bring their own tools with them, including leaf blowers and power washers, he explained. Mackinac State Historic Parks provides housing and a certificate and the students also are paid an hourly rate by the school.

From the time the snow melts until an estimated 50,000 school

students scramble out of school buses to visit Mackinac State Historic Parks, there is little time to get the grounds and buildings ready for the early May openings, said Mr. Sutton. In Mackinaw City, a park crew of 16 was aided by six students, and on Mackinac Island a staff of 24, under the direction of Park Manager Dan Cook, was assisted by six people from the school.

Mr. Vaccaro said in addition to the daytime work experience, he spends evenings teaching the students about time management. The students work from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through the week.

"The program gives the students a chance to learn about working hard in the day and about getting ready for the next work day," he said.

Outdoor work provides a challenge for students, who must learn to adjust to the changing weather. While in Mackinaw City, the students started the day in coats but by afternoon they were in shirt sleeves, he said.

"This gives them a chance to see what it's like in the everyday work environment," he added.

Mr. Vaccaro said that Mackinac State Historic Parks gives the students the opportunity to work with "quality journeymen" who have worked to maintain some of the state's oldest buildings.

Students participating in the program included Jonathan Graves of Edwardsburg, Kyle Martindale of Hastings, Paul Keller of Galesburg, Jim Pease of Grayling, William Spencer of Hart, Tjasse VanderPloeg of Ada, David Poss of Ypsilanti, Wynton Harris of Lansing, Matt Molnar of Woodland, Kory Lindsley of Lake Odessa, Andrew Ruiz of Fairgrove, and James Mannor of Mears. Dave Porter and Lee Caleo supervised Island students and Bob Vaccaro supervised Mackinaw City students.