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Teen Hard Work Unveiled At Bladensburg Waterfront Park

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On Wednesday, August 28, at the Bladensburg Waterfront Park, a crowd gathered for the exciting ribbon cutting of the new, universally-accessible dock, built almost completely by our Xtreme Teens! Youth in the Conservation Job Corps spent many long days this summer putting in hard work and dedication to building the kayak and canoe dock, which is accessible for everyone – including those with disabilities and the elderly. Anthony Nolan, Division Chief of Natural Historical Resources introduced all that were involved. He explained how teens ages 15 and 16 learned how to use power and hand tools, removed the original dock and learned all about various disabilities and accessibility. Bob Campbell, director of the Chesapeake Bay Office of the National Parks Service commended the teens on their hard work: “We look forward to lots of happy use!” The dock features a safe entrance ramp, easy moveable seat to help one sit in their canoe or kayak and a landing zone which allowed for a person to easily slide off and on to the dock once they were in the boat! Joseph Alexander, a teen involved with the Conservation Job Corps, described how the Corps affected his life. “We did things we never would’ve dreamed of doing,” Alexander said. “We learned everyday, we worked very, very hard.” The dock was a wonderful project which will make life easier for all canoers and kayakers enjoying the beautiful Bladensburg Waterfront Park. But overall, it was the impact of that project on the teens that really shined through. “We all became better people,” Alexander said. Photo: Cassi Hayden