The YESS program was developed out of a need to engage rural youth in local land management issues while providing opportunities for professional development through employment and hands-on training in the field of environmental science. YESS provides an opportunity for youth (ages 16-18) from rural with diverse backgrounds to come together as stewards of the Klamath River watershed. YESS provides opportunities to practice methods in watershed management through water quality and fish monitoring, restoration activities, exploring cultural significance, and progressive agricultural practices.

Working closely with the YESS team, we first honed in on some of the main species that the youth interact with in the field, including the Coho salmon and willows. Though after some discussion about the local audience, we decided to showcase more of the entire watershed in the design. The design uses earth tone colors and pictorial images of young adults working alongside a river by Mt. Etna.