Green Team 2012

We are still hiring a few positions for Green Team members!  If you or someone you know is still looking for a summer job, please take a look at our job description below.  Please note that we are hiring youth between the ages of 16 and 18.  If you have any questions or to request an application, please email Brittany Dunn, Youth Programs Coordinator at bdunn@emeraldnecklace.org.

Green Team, 2012

Green Team Job Description: MLK Summer Scholars

The Emerald Necklace Conservancy Green Team is a unique and exciting program that employs  young adults to engage in conservation, gardening, landscaping, park maintenance and community outreach.  Youth members engage in a variety of experiences that provide you with opportunities to serve our community, develop career skills, and broaden your understanding of the Conservancy’s mission. Throughout the summer, Green Team will participate in a range of environmental education workshops, gain valuable job skills, and take part in outdoor activities, such as hiking and canoeing.  We are hiring 5 crew members through the MLK Summer Scholars Program, ages 16+; we are searching for youth who are leaders and who are interested in the environment and social justice.   Emerald Necklace Conservancy Green Team members work 25 hours per week for six weeks.

Green Team, 2012

As a part of Green Team you will:

• Develop job skills through on the job training and workshops
• Receive training in park stewardship within the Emerald Necklace parks
• Participate in environmental education fieldtrips
• Work in a crew of 10  young adults with crew leaders
• Participate in out door activities
• Attend weekly presentations on social justice and community engagement at Boston University through the MLK Scholars

Qualifications:

• You are a resident of Boston or Brookline
• You are between the ages of 16 and 18
• You are able to travel independently to the worksite
• You have experience and an interest working outdoors
• You are interested in the environment and sustainability

Schedule:

Monday through Wednesday from 9:00 to 3:30; Thursday from 9:00 to 1:45 and Fridays from 9:30 to 11:30.  Also, one or two Sunday workdays will be required.

As an MLK Summer Scholar, you will attend weekly presentations at BostonUniversity on Friday mornings from 9:30 to 11:30 with your whole crew.

• First day of work: Monday, July 8.
• Last day of work: Friday, August 23.

To apply:

To request an application, please contact Brittany Dunn at Emerald Necklace Conservancy, bdunn@emeraldnecklace.org, or call 617.522.2700.  Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, but please submit yours as soon as possible.

]]> http://encgreenteam.wordpress.com/2013/06/11/green-team-2013-positions-available/feed/ 0 encgreenteam Green Team 2012 Green Team, 2012 Green Team, 2012 http://encgreenteam.wordpress.com/2013/05/31/another-great-year-at-ylp/ http://encgreenteam.wordpress.com/2013/05/31/another-great-year-at-ylp/#comments Fri, 31 May 2013 19:19:19 +0000 encgreenteam http://encgreenteam.wordpress.com/?p=1869 ]]> It is that time of year again: gardens are planted, graduates are getting ready for all their ceremonies, and people are getting excited for the hot days of summer.  And here at the Conservancy, the end of the school year also signifies the end of the year for the Youth Leadership Program.  After about 8 months of working together 4 days a week after school, we have all spent a lot of time together.  In this program, working in the parks and learning about the many facets of urban conservation allows us the opportunity to grow as individuals and as a group.  I can confidently say that this year’s members of YLP have succeeded at doing that very well.

We’ve spent a whole year looking at our city from different perspectives regarding parks — from working in the parks to learning from urban planners.  For our last day of our program, we decided to take a look at our city in a very different way: by boat!  At the end of May, during the first heat wave of summer, we went kayaking on the Charles.  Enjoy the pictures below.

YLP Kayaking on the Charles 

YLP Kayaking on the Charles 

By Bryan

Last week the crew and I went to Simmons College to attend the panel discussion “Climate Change: What Would Olmsted Do?”. The discussion focused on the importance of the cause and effect of climate change. On this topic I learned that one degree Celsius or one degree Fahrenheit change in temperature would make a big difference to the world.

 
Next, we learned about how the Muddy River flood damaged the ecosystem. Basically, the majority of the damage that the Muddy River caused was to the local Universities, MBTA, and aquatic habitat. Due to the damages that the Muddy River flood caused motivated the community to set up the plan to improve and protect  against future floods. In conclusion, the panel discussion was very informative.

Spring cleaning

In the past few weeks, the crew started off the spring with our first spring outdoor project. For our project we were asked to finish mulching the Mother’s Rest that volunteers had started the previous weekend. During this project I was assigned to be the group leader for the day and my knowledge and skills were tested. Being a leader of a group for the first time is very difficult. Because I had worked at the Emerald Necklace for 2 years, I had an idea on how I was going to start the project. When Brittany (the YLP leader) gave me full control of the group I quickly knew where to start. When we started working, I monitored and assigned different crew members to different places and watched how they would perform in that area. When I was done assessing their skills and comfort levels in different positions, I decided to give people permanent spots where they did the best in.

About an hour and a half later, Mothers Rest was about 3/4^th completed thanks to my leadership over the group and we began to pack up to conclude the day. When Brittany decided to let the crew comment on my leadership for the day, I was surprised because everyone said I did a great job leading the group. I was happy to hear what an awesome job I did, and now I am very comfortable to lead more groups in the future. This project was the first project with an YLP member leading the group for the day. For the next couple of weeks, we will be assigning more YLP members as leaders to refine their leadership skills. By the end of the program, we will surely become skilled in leading groups in the future.

On April 4, 2013, YLP got the chance to go to Dorchester and visit a group of people working at The Food Project. They gave us a tour of the area they work in and what they do. The youth working for The Food Project work to produce and distribute locally grown food to the community. They also learn about the food system and the issues of food justice. On that day, YLP got to learn about those topics as well.

YLP learned about the situation in Florida and how a large group of immigrants are being forced to work in the tomato fields in Immokalee, Florida. These people work long hours outside and receive extremely low pay. The Coalition of Immokalee Workers  has launched their campaign for fair food and has reached an agreement with many supermarkets and fast food restaurants such as Subway, McDonalds, Burger King, and Whole Foods Market.

Interns from the Food Project talked to us about the food system and what exactly is in the food and drinks that we consume. For example, YLP got the challenge of trying to figure out which drinks have the highest amount of sugar. We found out that Snapple had the lowest amount of sugar and Monster had the highest amount of sugar when compared to other drinks such as Gatorade, Vitamin Water, and Sprite. In addition, we found the difference between food sold at a farmer’s market and food sold at a supermarket, such as Stop & Shop. Locally grown organic foods have few to no chemicals being used on it and they take less time to be transported, making it more fresh for consumers.

We would like to thank The Food Project for taking us on a tour of their workplace and giving us a great and informative presentation on food and food justice.

Inside the green house of The Food Project in Roxbury

In the beginning of April, we cleaned up the Kelleher Rose Garden. We were asked to clear the beds of the yew hedges to prevent the infestation of rabbits that inhabit the garden. Tuesday we were aided in our efforts by volunteers from Boston Latin School. In their school, they take Environmental Science as an elective and are required to do four hours of volunteer service. The student I worked with told me that he has a job working with the swan boats. He said he had thought his job was bad until he finished working with us for day; we both looked at the scratches on our arms and laughed. It’s funny though, many of the other members reported that they saw rabbits, while we had not seen even one rabbit.

Before

After

By Eric C.

A few weeks ago, Youth Leadership Program went on an outstanding tour the MFA. We went mainly to look at the White Mountain exhibit, where we had gone camping. At this part of our tour we noted a lot of the art was landscapes; we also noticed at what perspective the artist was painting from. For example, if it was a painting of a mountain we could tell whether he was looking down at or if he was at the bottom and painting what he was looking up to.

YLP at the MFA

We also went into other exhibits and learned about the artist Thomas Cole; who was known for including two meanings in his paintings. For example, he painted the Garden of Eden from 1828, showing both the dark side and a bright side. This painting shows the difference in how things are changed and how every living thing has a mood and how that mood could change throughout time. It is important for people to examine artwork in order to make connections to the environment we live and work in. By looking at this type of artwork, you kind of get the feel of where some artists get their inspiration from.

By Jamica

Heading down hill.

My name is Jamica; I am 17 years old and currently a junior at Boston Latin Academy. I joined the YLP youth on an exciting camping trip to the White Mountains in New Hampshire. It is great to be back here at the Emerald Necklace Conservancy, where my job training experience began. I worked at the ENC for a little short of a year, where I learned new things about the environment and made many lasting personal connections. One very important skill I have taken away from my experience at the ENC is listening to and cooperating with my co-workers, whether I want to or not.  Meeting new and different people can be challenging at first, but I have found that listening and cooperating can be very useful in any job setting, because it’s a skill that makes you look very professional, mature, and open-minded. It is very important to keep an open mind and try new things in the working world. This is true for my current job at the Laboure Center in South Boston where I work with children from ages 7-11, which is definitely out of my comfort zone.

I feel that working at the Emerald Necklace Conservancy has prepared me for the “real world” in more ways than one. Another essential skill I learned is the importance of being respectful to my employer. At some point in your career, you are going to disagree with what your boss says or does, but it is important to listen and take their ideas into perspective. They most likely know what they are doing and tell you to do a certain thing to help you, not to hurt you. It took me a long time to completely grasp that concept, but it truly pays off once you learn to keep your composure and do as you’re told. I also learned how to write a resume and cover letter, which is something I had never done before. I was given a lot of guidance and tips during this process that made the whole thing a breeze. I still use the same resume and cover letter today, but I update it as I go. My current boss was very impressed that I composed such a well written resume at such a young age. I am very glad that this year’s YLP crew has the chance to have the same amazing experience that I did, and will continue to develop in the working world.

YLP starts up the trail to Cascade Falls.

During our trip to the White Mountains over the weekend of March 15, 16, and 17, we got the opportunity to hike to the Cascade Falls and the Square Ledge trail. Cascade Falls was our first destination and it was a fairly short hike, only about half-a-mile there and back. To get to Cascade Falls, we had to cross a bridge over a stream and then we continued to hike up a hill until we heard the sound of the falls. The Cascade Falls were full of glaciers that had water flowing between it. It was a great sight.

Cascade Falls in winter.

The following day, we went on a two hour, one mile hike to Square Ledge on the Appalachian Trail. We hiked up many steep hills that left everyone out of breath. One of the most challenging parts of the hike was climbing up the rocking hill at the end; it required us to climb straight up hill using our hands and legs. After going through that, we managed to make it to the top and found a breathtaking view of the lodge and the mountains behind it. One of my favorite parts of the hike was climbing back down the rocky hill. It was difficult, but also exciting and fun. I have always wanted to go rock climbing and going down that hill felt like I was rock climbing. Once we made it to the bottom of the hill, everyone got to slide down which brought humor back into the group.

Made it to the top!

Thanks to YMAP for funding our trip, Nate for teaching and leading our hikes, and the microspikes for helping us get through the hikes and prevent us from falling.

Written  Bryan

Trying out the down hill on cross country skis.

Last weekend, we went on our rescheduled trip to the White Mountains in New Hampshire along with Jamica, a crew member from the summer program. We left on Friday and came back on Sunday. On Saturday we spent the day cross country skiing, but before we could go, our group leaders showed us more moves to help us get the hang of it. At first we were struggling to stay upright, especially Alex and me. Chris, Jamica, Hong, and Ian were doing pretty well. Alex and I were still struggling which looked pretty funny because we kept falling a lot. Eventually, though, we got the hang of it. Soon we went skiing up and down small hills, continuing to fall but not as much as we did when we started practicing.

YLP after a day of skiing!

When it was time to eat, we made sandwiches. After eating we voted to go tubing, but we had to ski there first. Tubing was really fun because we slid down a hill and some of the crew members got creative by making us slide together without letting go of the tubes. Finally, after a long day out in the snow we went back to the lodge. My favorite event of the weekend was skiing because it was a great experience to ski for the first time ever and I hope in the future to come back again.

About to head down the hill on tubs.