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project leader
Emmanuela M
location
32 Prince St.
New Jersey (Central)
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Summer photos and reflections

the project

Greater Newark Conservancy’s Newark Youth Leadership Project (NYLP) 2013 summer program will run from July 8 to August 16 with 50 high school interns, 10 college mentors, and 1 coordinator. Our theme for this summer is "Farm to Table and Then Some.” We want to give the students a holistic scope of our current food system: from the farm to their plates and beyond! On Mondays and Fridays, we will explore urban/rural farming, food justice & security, food cultures and even food waste. Interns work alongside college mentors in 7 job skills training sites: Youth Farm Stand, Community Greening, Nutrition and Environmental Education, Horticulture, Junior Rangers, Tree Farm, and Office/Media. We will take interns to places they may have never experienced while they create a greener Newark community and inspire others to lead healthy, happy lives. We want to take an educational trip to Bobolink Dairy, a sustainable dairy farm in New Jersey. We also want to provide interns with a delicious lunch of hormone-free burgers from Shake Shack (as an alternative to their usual fast food meal) before we visit the American Museum of Natural History’s Global Kitchen exhibit. As part of our college readiness and professional development, students and mentors will take educational enrichment excursions to colleges and universities, edit resumes and craft scholarship essays alongside their peers. The students will be encouraged to hone their interests and inspirations from these experiences into a special project, which they will present during the closing celebration on August 16.

the steps

This month we will plan the trips, approve the budget, and communicate with partners. In June, college mentors arrive on the scene to help plan workshops, and help the coordinator (me!) prepare in detail for the summer NYLP program. We will reserve buses and tickets, outline schedules, and hold orientations. Interns arrive on July 8 for a professional development Kickoff Event held in partnership with urban youth development organizations. The first week, the students work at our urban farms and in their respective job skills training program. We will take the students to Bobolink Dairy Farm on the first Friday of the program, and several weeks later will take the train to the Manhattan to visit the American Museum of Natural History Global Kitchen Exhibit. Interns present their special projects at our closing celebration on August 16, where we will recognize student achievements over the summer.

why we're doing it

Newark Youth Leadership Project (NYLP) is a year round leadership program which provides Newark high school youth with job training experience, college readiness, leadership development, and exposure to different career options. The Conservancy seeks to improve conditions in the urban community by increasing employability and earning potential within the green job market as well as support Newark youth in career planning.

Only 5.8% of Newarkers have a bachelor’s degree and many interns have little to no familiarity with college education or environmental issues. This lack of familiarity creates difficulty in introducing college readiness and professional development under the umbrella of environmental education. Because these are not skills and values reinforced at home and in their neighborhoods, it is challenging to inspire the students to become engaged in environmental and horticultural fields. Giving the students experiences outside of their neighborhood may broaden their perspectives.

The NYLP program creates a greener Newark community and inspires others to lead healthy, happy lives. Our hope is that students will be inspired to pursue environmental fields of study and careers they may not have considered before entering the program. We have seen dramatic improvements in self-confidence, college readiness, and employability over the lifespan of the program. Many high school interns return as college mentors because the Conservancy’s Newark Youth Leadership Project has become a meaningful part of their story.

 

budget

1. Admission to Bobolink Dairy Farm



a. Website: www.cowsoutside.org

b. Location: 369 Stamets Rd, Milford, NJ 08848

c. Contact person: Nina White; 201-787-7366

d. Cost: $4.00/person x 65 (students/chaperones) = $260


2. Admission to American Museum of Natural History

a. Website: www.amnh.org/museum/tourplan/

b. Location: 79th St. Central Park West New York, NY 10024

c. Contact person: Clara DeMedinaceli, Coordinator, cdemedinaceli@amnh.org

d. Cost: School group rate=$14/person x 65 = $910


3. Public transportation from Newark Penn Station to NYC

a. Website: http://www.pathsmartlinkcard.com/fares.html

b. *Cost:* $6.75 x 65 = $438.75



SUBTOTAL = $1,608.75
   
Total Raised = $1,680
   
ioby Platform Fee  $35
3rd Party Credit Card Processing Fee (3%) $47.91
Total disbursed = $1,597.09

 

updates

Summer photos and reflections

Posted 09/23/2013 - 10:28am

"I learned this technique of using two words that makes a difference: 'I understand'. When I used that phrase and used 'I' statements I realized that people wanted to talk to me and help me more in life. I will strive to know more about healthier living and also spread my knowledge to others so they can get involved.”
 
"Being able to do something as positive as the work I did over the summer made me feel better about myself and about my future. I know I have room for improvement and NYLP has helped me realize that." 
 
"I have learned some life changing things from this summer working as an intern for NYLP at the Greater Newark Conservancy.  I will take everything I have learned and use it because I know it can take me far."
 
"Over the past summer I have learned about different types of farms, the correct way animals, such as cows, are supposed to be treated, different type of plants, and much more. Being a part of the Newark Youth Leadership Project is exactly what I need. It’s a program that is helping me see the positive things that are in my city. It’s a program that is helping me experience things that I probably would have never experienced. The Newark Youth Leadership Project is allowing me to be a part of something great and is keeping me away from negative things." A. Maney
 
"I feel as though NYLP is a great place for me to continue growing and help me remain focused.  NYLP has done a marvelous job in helping me improve my leadership skills and I will like that to continue.  NYLP continues to fill me with knowledge and social skills."
 
“During this past summer, I’ve grown up quite a bit. I learned the real responsibility of an honest worker and I learned a lot about plants and how it takes time and energy for them to grow." J. Armour
 
"This summer we were teaching kids how to live healthy.  We believe that teaching kids how to eat healthy is a great way to keep them from eating fast food.  As Junior Rangers, we went to several places in Newark to help kids know and understand the significance of healthy eating." K. Kofa
 
"I always had an interest in nature and this internship really helped me figure out how I want to work in a job revolving about nature.  This internship has helped me in many different ways; I learned also how to become independent and responsible."
 
"During this summer program, I can definitely say that I have learned a lot; not only about my work and community life but also about myself.  I’ve been able to do things that I never imagined myself being able to do before I entered the NYLP program."
 
"As a part of the Horticulture Department, we were in the garden learning the names of plants, what they are used for, and what they provide for us.  What a better way is there to promote the environment than to make our hometown beautiful and healthy.  I learned all the type of butterflies that come to our garden, the flowers that attract them, and the cycle of a butterfly and how they contribute to our environment.  I learned how we depend on Mother Nature but she is being mistreated and abused.  Our world will fall apart piece by piece if we don’t decrease the amount of pollution, litter, and everything else that’s harmful for our world.  Our future depends on our world.  We have to maintain its health and conserve all the living creatures that are a part of it.  NYLP gave me a chance to do that." R. Lasso

photos

This is where photos will go once we build flickr integration

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