Green Teens: 2023 In Review
In 2023, our Green Teens challenge grew from a semester-long pilot to a full year-long event. We also added a workforce development program for students and every-other-week tours of our Green Learning Station!
The Green Teens Challenge
The Green Teens Challenge gives high school students and teachers a foundation from which to explore creative solutions to today’s climate crisis. It’s a multidisciplinary competition designed to engage students of every ability, skill and interest level in aspects of urban agriculture and environmental sustainability. As students investigate complex local and global environmental issues, they’re empowered to become change makers in their communities.
In 2023, we conducted 98 school visits working with ten school organizations and one homeschool group: Aiken High School, Clark Montessori, Clermont County, Dater High School, Gamble High School, Hughes High School, Riverview East, Spencer Center, St. Xavier, Walnut Hills High School and the Zoo Academy. As of this report, these schools have submitted over 200 entries to be judged by our volunteers! The winner of this friendly competition will be announced in May of 2024.
Green Teens Workforce Development
Our Green Teens workforce development program engages high school juniors and seniors in hands-on urban agriculture, conservation and environmental education tasks that are essential to ecological sustainability in the Cincinnati region. Students spend time working in gardens, maintaining green infrastructure and teaching basic gardening skills to community members who are eager to strengthen their local food system. Students also have opportunities to grow their knowledge of botany, horticulture, educational pedagogy and methods for building and maintaining meaningful partnerships. The goal of our workforce development program is to build the next generation of environmental advocates and green industry leaders who will tackle the challenges of today’s climate crisis using their infinite creativity and unique intelligence.
In 2023, we worked with seven student interns from the Zoo Academy and Gamble Montessori, each of whom spent a quarter with us.
Green Learning Station Tours & Field Studies
We held seven tours and 18 field studies based around our Green Learning Station in 2023, reaching 373 students and teachers. Students attending field studies engaged in our EcosySTEM program, From Dead Ends to Donuts, which guides students to explore the need in our society for sustainable cycles. We are so grateful to the volunteers on our Education Team who donated their time to help teach the students.
Looking Ahead
In 2024, we’re planning to incorporate more local organizations and partners into the program. Project partners have the chance to come work with Green Teens participants at their schools, provide challenge materials or resources, help with judging entries and/or provide prizes for their sponsored challenge.
We’re also looking forward to getting the Green Teens participants together for a Fall Kick-Off event so that they can build community with each other. The Green Teens Team hopes to find more ways for students from different schools to collaborate with each other on projects throughout the year!