by Tito Caba, Green Space Director
After another great Youth Internship session this summer and recognizing the value of imparting continued learning opportunities for kids in the neighborhood, we made the decision to extend our program into the school year. This extension has provided our middle school interns with a deeper understanding of seasonal farming practices, particularly in the context of fall and winter.
During these Saturday sessions, interns actively engaged in fall garden activities, such as planting garlic and relocating third-year strawberries to new areas. Additionally, they prepared gardens for winter by meticulously removing and composting crops. Consequently, interns played a crucial role in enhancing the soil quality by incorporating leaf mold and seeding the soil with cover crops.
Beyond honing their skills in garden care, our interns participated in impactful events, including our MLK Day of Service. During this event, we joined together to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., contributing to community efforts to maintain a clean and communal environment in Fairhill. With the involvement of over 100 participants, our interns played a key role in collecting over 40 bags of trash by the end of the service day. They continue to lead their own monthly clean ups around the neighborhood.
In February, the interns embarked on a trip to the Wagner Fee Institute of Science. Here, they engaged in a scavenger hunt centered around endangered species, culminating in the hands-on experience of sifting through sand to discover shark teeth, which they took home as souvenirs. Subsequently, they attended a presentation by Allen Crawford on his illustrated book “A Wild Promise: An Illustrated Celebration of The Endangered Species Act,” highlighting the significance of ecosystem preservation in relation to endangered species.
The field trip ended with a visit to the gift shop, where each intern purchased a hematite (a magnetic stone), attaching it to every metal surface they encountered on their way to the library. The day concluded with a reading session accompanied by a Jazz Concert at Lilian Marrero Library.
Reflecting on the time spent with our interns, I witness the profound impact our program has on their perspectives and the empowerment they receive. Envisioning a brighter future for our neighborhood, Philadelphia, and the world at large, I am inspired by the positive transformation taking place through our initiatives and hope to continue to make a quantitative and qualitative change in our community.
