This summer, young people designed their own pollinator hedgerows, learned about native edible plants and explored the wonders of Oregon forests - many of them for the first time.
Their journey was celebrated in the Metro Council chambers last week as Self Enhancement, Inc. and Metro staff shared the story of teaming up to connect nearly 300 young people with nature.
In a collaborative effort, the partners developed the Youth Engaging in Natural Sciences project (YENS), an initiative to create a positive nature experience and to ignite environmental leadership among middle school, high school and college students. Participants were involved in SEI, a community-based and culturally specific organization based in North Portland that supports at-risk urban youth in realizing their potential.
“Lack of people of color employed in environmental jobs may be a result of limited experiences in nature and with natural resources,” said Jackie Murphy, SEI career development and internship manager. “Starting with children this young ensures that it may become a career path.”
Metro staff and SEI science teachers worked together to create a culturally responsive curriculum with on-the-ground experience to supplement what students were already learning in the classroom.
“Members of the team at Metro listened to what our students liked or not, for example, their fear of bees,” Murphy said.
For high school and college students, the program also provided job training for future career opportunities in environmental fields and summer internships at Metro.
“We want to expose young people to possibilities,” said Gerald Deloney, SEI’s director of program advancement. “How can you dream if you have nothing to dream about?”
In only five weeks, there was significant improvement in the participants’ appreciation for nature, as well as in the number of students interested in pursuing a career in natural resources.
“Although the program was intimidating at first, I walked away with a new sense of leadership,” said Savannah Carter, a senior at Jefferson High School.
Students were not the only ones transformed by the experience. Metro and SEI staff developed a close relationship based on a mutual understanding of each organization’s mission and how these fit together to serve diverse and underserved communities.
“People came with open hands and open hearts, and that’s why it worked,” Deloney said.
The collaboration with SEI is one of several new Partners in Nature projects that Metro has developed to engage underserved communities. The initiative was made possible by a 2013 levy that the region’s voters approved to care for protected land and connect people with nature.
“Passing the levy was very hard work, but people like you remind us why we did it,” Metro Councilor Carlotta Collette said. “We can use the resources that voters of the region willingly gave us to expand the youths’ perspective and give them opportunities to connect with nature.”
Metro and SEI are already looking for ways to expand on this summer’s success story, beginning with integrating nature into after-school programming.
“This partnership has been extraordinary,” said Jim Desmond, director of Metro’s Sustainability Center, “and we hope to continue it in the future.”