The San Juan Islands License Plate Project Awards Grants to Benefit Islanders
by Kelsey Kittleman
“There is an indescribable feeling that I get knowing I am making a difference,
and I just feel absolutely connected
with the world around me."
- Luke Fincher, youth crew member 2016-2022
When you purchase a San Juan Islands Special License plate, 35% of the annual revenue goes directly to the San Juan Islands Youth Conservation Corps (YCC). This program began like many programs in the San Juan Islands, as a small grassroots effort to get our youth outdoors and working actively within the community.
Now in its 15th year in existence and its 6th year as a county wide program, the YCC continues to provide the community and to our outdoor public spaces, engaging middle school-aged students in gratifying hands-on environmental stewardship projects embedded with outdoor education and professional development skill-building activities. YCC serves 30-40 youth participants each summer, working on diverse projects in partnership with many other agencies, totaling 3,000-6,000 stewardship hours each season.
Young people are the future of the world, and they are the ones to inherit and take care of this precious planet and sense of community, both of which are becoming increasingly vulnerable and damaged. Therefore, YCC plays an incredibly important part in the lives of all living things in the San Juan Islands. The support and cooperation from agency partners and community members are invaluable to the ongoing success of this program.
Alchemy Art Center for their Young Environmentalists Art Intensive & Exhibit Program
2022 Activities of the Youth Conservation Corps
In 2022, the YCC crew was put to work helping over twelve local partner organizations address needs related to trail maintenance/construction, noxious weed removal, marine and nearshore conservation, endangered species recovery, public outreach, education, and more. To see a full list of 2022 projects, see our 2022 End of Season Report at (insert link). This last August, the 2022 crews wrapped up their season, contributing over 3,300 hours of conservation work.
Youth services throughout the islands have acknowledged that island youth are recognized as an “at-risk” group (particularly in the summer months when school is out) if they are not engaged in positive activities. Middle school-aged students are a unique age group with limited resources, often being too old for camps and after-school programs, but too young to start minimum wage jobs. In addition, many parents work during the busy months of the tourism-driven economy and youth in this age range are often left on their own. Compass Health child and outpatient services and other youth crisis services in the county confirmed our assessment for the need for a program like ours to provide positive summer experience for this transition-age group.
Purchasing a San Juan Islands Special License plate makes equitable, hands-on, stewardship activities accessible for students across San Juan, Orcas, and Lopez Islands. Your purchase directly funds technical field equipment, mental & physical first aid safety training, environmental education materials, and much more.
To support this program and empower young individuals to take action through conservation in their local community, please visit www.madrona.org to learn how to purchase your beautiful San Juan Islands Special License Plate today.
The San Juan Islands Youth Conservation Corps relies on generous funding from the Madrona Institute and greater San Juan Islands community to make the San Juan Islands Youth Conservation Corps possible.
Do you have stories of your favorite jaunts
in the islands with your
San Juan Islands Special License Plate?
At the 2022 San Juan County Fair, the crew of the Madrona Institute offered the opportunity to fair attendees to share their favorite island drives, with the goal of informing people about the San Juan Island Special License Plate.
Share your stories and images of your car with your San Juan Islands License Plate with us in a few different ways:
Post a picture of you and your license plate (you can block out the license plate number if you wish!) on our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/MadronaInstitute
Email us your favorite driving stories and images at: hello@shannonborg.com
More about the San Juan Islands
Special License Plate
You can sign up online to get registered for this beautiful license plate featuring San Juan Island Artist Nancy Spaulding’s painting, Evening Passage.
Save money when renewing your tabs early and getting new specialty plates
Find out more at: https://www.dol.wa.gov/vehicleregistration/spsanjuan.html
If your tabs expire in 6 months or less, you can save money by getting your new plates and tabs at the same time. By renewing early, you won't have to pay the following plate renewal fees the first year, and $28 goes to support Madrona Institute grants:
● $30 for specialty plates
● $42 for personalized plates
Share your Favorite Island Drives
and tag us on Facebook!
#MadronaInstitute
@madronainstitute
#sjilicenseplate
Awards are made on an annual basis for local projects and programs that support the conservation and stewardship of agricultural, cultural, historic, and natural resources in the islands, with emphasis on youth engagement. It is expected that grantmaking will increase each year as plate sales increase across the county, region, and state.
Purchasing a San Juan Islands Special License Plate is a great way to support stewardship in the San Juan Islands.
