Educations boost to logging

On May 22, Orofino Junior Senior High School hosted an event to highlight its new forestry programs, including a sawmill, which students helped assemble. The Idaho Department of Education aims to prepare students for local industries from seventh grade, with a $65 million grant program supporting this initiative. Orofino was awarded $528,100 to expand its natural resource curriculum and purchase equipment. Several northern Idaho schools received grants to improve their natural resources education, totaling around $11 million for the region. The logging industry, a $2.

5 billion sector in Idaho, currently faces a workforce shortage, with an average logger age of 50. By integrating hands-on experiences, students are exploring career paths in forestry and related fields. Field trips and partnerships, like those with the Nez Perce Tribal Hatchery, enhance students' understanding of local ecosystems. This approach not only builds skills but also encourages students to engage with the industry.