College students spruce up historic site

University of Kansas student Jacki Allen restores the natural wood color of the doors on a structure at the Fort Scott National Historic Site. This is the second summer Allen has worked at the fort under the Student Temporary Employment Program. Tribune photo/Rayma Silvers

The Fort Scott National Historic Site is stepping up this summer to complete much-needed maintenance projects.

Nineteen college students representing about six different colleges in the United States have been employed by the fort this summer to help with the upkeep of the grounds as well as yearly maintenance projects, FSNHS Facility Manager Jackie Messer said.

Employment of the students is made possible through a national program. Each historic park must apply for funds to hire the students. Along with an application asking for funds, the site must explain why the funds are needed. FSNHS officials applied for and received funds to operate a Student Temporary Employment Program (STEP).

Messer said he is extremely proud of the students under his charge. He said the students have been an enormous help in getting the necessary maintenance completed in record time.

"It is impossible to look out here and not see something that hasn't benefited from the students," Messer said.

The STEP program usually begins shortly after Memorial Day and continues until early August. When the students first arrive after Memorial Day, they are taken through an extensive safety training course. Messer believes that this has helped to lessen the number of injuries suffered while the students have been working at the fort.

Messer said he usually tries to paint the exterior of two structures on the fort grounds each year. This helps keep the buildings in good condition. They are only painting the exterior of one building this year because the stable that they are painting is as big as two buildings combined, Messer said.

In addition to painting the exterior of the stables, the college students have also worked on many other projects. These projects include painting the interiors of several buildings as well as other pertinent jobs.

The STEP team will be tackling several more projects before the summer is completed. Some of these projects may include the replacement of lightning suppression cables and the replacement of decks on certain buildings on the fort grounds.

The students have worked very hard this year, Messer said. In fact, they have gotten enough accomplished that FSNHS has been sharing about eight of its students with the George Washington Carver National Historic Park each day for the last two weeks.

National Park Service officials in Fort Scott say they are so pleased with the STEP program that last year they even employed some of these students to work during Christmas break and through the summer, as well.

Messer said that the fort has expanded the program into something bigger than it was originally intended.

"We've expanded it way beyond what it was used for," said Messer.

FSNHS Superintendent Betty Boyko said STEP is a good source for the fort as well as the summer employees.

"It is an excellent hiring tool for the National Park Service as well as for students," Boyko said.

For more information about STEP, contact Messer or Boyko at (620) 223-0310.