Friends of the Parks

Earth Team Environmental Education Program

Earth Team

The Earth Team aims to empower teens through environmental education and action in their community. The program brings apprenticeship opportunities to teens that lack local environmental programming and involvement in their parks, preserves and high schools. The Earth Team is an innovative science program designed to serve teens with varying levels of scientific skills and environmental experiences.

In conjunction with After School Matters Science37 initiative, the Friends of the Parks hires teen apprentices to learn and participate in a hands-on environmental science, stewardship and conservation program at their community park, forest preserve or high school. The teens work alongside scientific professionals and learn marketable skills for future careers.  Teens in our program are motivated to become leaders in the community.  Teen apprentices help to build a safe community through community outreach in environmental education and participation in the parks and preserves.

2009-2010 programming

For 10 weeks in both fall and spring semesters, teen apprentices workwith FOTP’s environmental educators to improve their local communities and parks. FOTP offers Earth Team apprenticeships at Carver Academy, Humboldt Park, and Horner Park.

Carver Academy is focusing on forestry studies, and Humboldt Park’s Earth Team will be engaged in a new media project to make environmental issues accessible to teens. Horner Park’s Earth Team will focus on community outreach and park stewardship.

Teens worked on a variety of environmental science projects, ranging from water-quality and ethology surveys to community-parks promotion and environmentally-themed theater projects.

This vital partnership with After School Matters helps prepare teens for the future as environmentally conscious stewards of their communities.