This Spring season promises to be Solar Youth’s most impactful yet! With our 22 Program Interns and 12 Green Jobs Interns leading the way, we can’t wait to work with youth in 3 neighborhoods and 2 New Haven Public Schools!
Below are some thoughts on the upcoming season, and what our Interns have been doing in order to get there, from Educators Kate Biller and Chisom Amechi.
While most of the new and a few of the returning Program Interns hiked and skied in the White Mountains on their training retreat last week, a few Interns and adult Educators stayed back to explore the local ecosystem of New Haven. To close out the week of group challenge activities in New Haven and atop Sleeping Giant, we decided to spend Thursday exploring West Rock! Armed with packed lunches, full water bottles, and plenty of warm layers, seven Interns and four adult Educators started the day hike at McConaughy Terrace, where we left for the trail.
After a bit of bush-whacking, we made our way to the red trail. Stopping at Judge’s Cave for lunch and the summit for some photo opportunities, the group made their way through West Rock with smiles and sunshine on their faces! With a great team effort from the Interns, we found our way onto the Solar Youth trail, where we learned about its’ creation and purpose. By the end, everyone was thankful for the sunny day, and ready to rest their tired legs! - Kate
Above, left to right: Program Interns on the Tower Trail at Sleeping Giant State Park, and later that week hiking West Rock
And Program Interns weren’t the only ones having fun last week! Green Jobs is also gearing up for an exciting Spring season program! During the winter season, we hired 12 amazing Green Jobs Interns from around New Haven and went through joint trainings with Solar Youth Program interns, and the Spring program now has the ingredients for the making of an epic season! For the first time ever, Green Jobs Youth Development will be in multiple neighborhoods! In addition to Westville Manor, we will also be adding Green Jobs to the almost full menu of programs in the McConaughy Terrace neighborhood. We are also welcoming our new Program Assistant, Samuel Weiser, who was hired during the winter season. Although Green Jobs had a season off, we were by no means inactive! We’ve been incorporating a lot of changes into the program model and preparing for a dynamic season. Be sure to check the blog throughout the Spring to hear about all the great things Green Jobs will be doing! - Chisom
Above: Green Jobs Interns and Program Interns at Spring 2012 Staff Training