COLORADO—January 27, 1973—that’s when Recreation Director Clarence Ferguson began his career at Trapper Creek Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center. He has a career he loves, doesn’t want to leave and which, 50 years later, still brings him joy.

Ferguson first set foot on Trapper Creek as a student in 1967. A native of Edison, Georgia, he had heard about Job Corps through newspaper articles. Montana was somewhat of a culture shock after Georgia, but Ferguson says the community was mostly welcoming and he soon adapted to the winter weather.

A new program then, Job Corps was less structured. Staff on-center, impressed with Ferguson’s maturity, gave him work responsibilities not typically entrusted to students, including driving his fellow students back and forth from appointments.

Ferguson graduated in 1968. Encouraged by Trapper Creek staff, he enrolled at Western Montana College. He worked summers at the Powell Ranger Station on the Clearwater National Forest and graduated in 1973 with a degree in history and physical education. Eager to continue his education, Ferguson went on to enroll in the University of Montana to earn his master’s degree in education in 1974. He worked weekends at Trapper Creek until in he graduated in 1978 and joined the staff full-time as a recreation assistant.

Ferguson is one of Trapper’s most beloved staff. He says that having four kids of his own—one girl and three boys—has helped him understand the complex challenges youth today encounter. “I try to design Trapper Creek’s recreation program around activities that empower my students,” he says. In addition to the types of extracurricular activities typically enjoyed by youth, such as tennis, volleyball and laser tag, Ferguson organizes activities that are educational and allow Trapper Creek students to give back to the community.

One of the most meaningful of these activities is the annual Trapper Creek Job Corps Christmas choir, which tours across portions of Montana. Ferguson began this tradition 30 years ago, and last year, the choir performed at 23 different businesses and community organizations.

Ferguson also spearheaded the Trapper Creek Job Corps Variety Show. Trapper Creek students perform at assisted living centers, bringing live entertainment, including poetry readings, song and dance routines, and theatre skits to sometimes isolated elderly residents. “The students just want to bring them a little joy,” says Ferguson.

Ferguson enjoys the challenge of working with students and he's immersed in their day-to-day lives. “The students are what make me come to work every day,” he says. “I enjoy the challenge of doing something that makes a difference.” Numerous students have reached out to Ferguson over the years to share how he made a difference in their lives. Ferguson is happy that, over the past 10 years, the civilian conservation centers are returning to the model of the late 1970s when centers worked closely with national forests and grasslands.

“I hope Job Corps will continue to exist,” says Ferguson. “There is a need, and these teenagers need a structured environment to grow and improve their lives.” Ferguson seems disinclined to leave his dream job, so both Trapper Creek students and the surrounding community are likely to benefit from his dedication and service for years to come.