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Holiday 2018
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Disponible en línea en español.
F
or almost twenty years, Groundwork Hudson Valley has
been a dynamic force for change in communities in the lower
Hudson Valley. Groundwork Hudson Valley creates sustainable
environmental change in urban neighborhoods through
community-based partnerships that promote equity, economic
opportunity, and youth leadership. Groundwork HV’s youth
employment program has been recognized by President Obama
and the United States Department of the Interior and has been the
standard-bearer for youth conservation
programs within the Groundwork USA
national network.
Over the past ten years, our Youth
Development and Leadership programs
have worked with Yonkers youth over
the course of their high school years
to provide a much needed continuum
of support throughout their critical
developmental years. Through intensive
mentorship by youth and educational
leaders, opportunities to gain work
experience in conservation, and one-
of-a-kind experiences in Westchester
County and throughout the nation, our
Youth Development and Leadership Program transforms young
people into urban conservation leaders. The youth involved in
these programs work to restore the environment in their own
neighborhoods through participating in ambitious projects
such as the identifying and removing invasive plants, becoming
a docent on the Science Barge, restoring native habitats, and
performing scientific research with the Billion Oyster Project.
As a result of working on these projects, many of the youth go on
to major in STEM fields in college. Youth also carry out service
projects in some of the most incredible public park areas,
including Yellowstone National Park, the Appalachian National
Scenic Trail, Gateway National Park,
and Wallkill River National Wildlife
Refuge.
There are two programs for youth to
get involved. They can volunteer to
work on weekends at the Science Barge
(a sustainable urban farm that operates
as an environmental education center
powered completely by wind and solar
power with a hydroponic greenhouse
that is irrigated solely by collected
rainwater and is effectively “off the
grid” ) from April through early
November. Alternatively, youth can
apply to be a part of a year round youth
program called Green Team.
The Green Team program hires local teenagers enrolled in the
Yonkers Public School system for summer environmental jobs
– for many, their first job. The program focuses on leadership,
group dynamics, and a variety of conservation and construction
skills. This hard work is tempered with amazing adventures, like
hiking, camping, and swimming.
by
Sara Brody and Felipe
Ramirez
GROUNDWORK
Hudson Va l l ey
Youth
Development
& Leadership
Programs