Portland Youth Corps Celebrates Five Years of Service and Community Impact

On Monday, November 17th, Portland Youth Corps (PYC) alumni, PYC partners, Portland Parks Conservancy staff, and City of Portland team members gathered at the Woodfords Club to celebrate five years of the Portland Youth Corps (PYC). The evening marked a moment to reflect on the meaningful contributions of the program and the teens who have been part of it over the years.

The Portland Youth Corps empowers teens through community service, environmental stewardship, and hands-on professional development. Since its inception, participants have completed miles of trails, enhanced public green spaces, and developed valuable skills while connecting with the natural world.

Attendees were treated to remarks from Ethan Hipple, City Director of Parks, Recreation & Facilities, whose own career was shaped at an early age by conservation corps programs; the Conservancy’s Jack Phillips; Noah Querido, former PYC Program Coordinator; and Angela Howard, the current PYC Program Coordinator. Each spoke to the importance of PYC, the lasting impact of the teens’ work, and the program’s role in building connections between young people and the community. Gratitude was also expressed to the organizations that have partnered with PYC over the years, supporting its mission and helping make its projects possible.

The celebration included pizza, a raffle with prizes for alumni, and concluded with a fun bowling session where alumni and attendees joined together. It was a joyful evening, honoring the hard work, dedication, and lasting impact of Portland Youth Corps over the past five years.

Check out photos from the celebration below!