This season, Solar Youth officially hired seven youth to become part of the new Trailblazers Program! Trailblazers is a new opportunity for 16-24 year olds from Westville Manor, Rockview, or Brookside who are “not afraid to get their hands dirty.” Since early October, they have done exactly that and have made monumental strides towards accomplishing Trailblazer goals.

Those goals?

Connecting both Westville Manor and Rockview to the West Rock Nature Center by rehabilitating trails, building bridges, mapping trails, and creating safety guides along the way. 

“We are making moves,” Trailblazer Program Coordinator Harry Jones said with candid enthusiasm. “Our teens so far have a phenomenal work ethic, no matter what weather conditions or challenges have come our way.”

These trails are important for Solar Youth because they will create direct access to the West Rock Nature Center, a facility offering plenty of open space for environmental exploration, located on the edge of the West Rock neighborhood. The trails are open to the public and offer additional opportunities for recreation that benefit the entire New Haven community. 

As you can see, the Trailblazers have already done amazing work.

“Trailblazers” is made possible by Youth@Work New Haven and the federal CARES Act. Youth@Work provides young people with workplace exposure, mentoring, and school and community-based enrichment activities. This service is especially vital during the COVID-19 health crisis.To witness more amazing work by our Trailblazers and to learn about other youth programs, follow Solar Youth’s social media pages on Facebook and Instagram!