Written by Taylor Templer, West Central Coordinator
Are you dreaming of warmer weather? We are! 
On October 10th, coach Rachel Rigenhagen and students from the Lac qui Parle Valley YES! team went kayaking at Glacial Lakes State Park to learn about aquatic invasive species (AIS) and water quality with West Central Coordinator, Taylor Templer. The group kayaked Signalness (Mountain) Lake which has the aquatic invasive species, Zebra Mussels. Students learned what zebra mussels do to a lake’s ecosystem and that once an AIS is in 
a lake it’s almost impossible to completely remove; this is why it is so important to clean recreational equipment between uses especially between different bodies of water.
It was so fun to get out on the water with the students! Since so many schools are unable to have field trips, YES! is offering small group programs that follow CDC guidelines. We have learned that we are still able to deliver the goals of our mission while still being safe during a pandemic.
Major support for YES! comes from LYFT Career Pathways, the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF), and Waste Management. Thank you!
