No, we’re not quoting Rocky Balboa, we’re giving a shout out to Youth Opportunities (YO) High School and Adrian Garcia. Working with the US Forest Service and the Los Angeles Conservation Corps, Adrian has worked hard to develop a unique program, which offers inner-city high school students the opportunity to connect with nature, through community outreach, conservation education, and Leave No Trace. Youth Opportunities High School is one of the 24 charter schools in Los Angeles taking part in the experiential environmental studies program, which recently received one of our Connect Grants.
We were excited to meet up with Adrian and YO High School at the LA County Fair this week as they worked at the USFS “Caring for the Land” exhibit. Students were involved in every aspect of the exhibit, from guiding fair-goers down an interpretive nature trail, to answering phone calls in the Ranger Station. After hanging out with this amazing group of youths, we are confident that they will be successful in sharing Leave No Trace and promoting stewardship on all our public lands!
Emily/JD,
ReplyDeleteIt was truly a pleasure meeting you last week. I am writing to share some fun facts about the USDA Forest Service - Southern California Consortium (SCC) and take a few moments again to tell our like-minded bloggers whom we are and what we are doing.
The USDA Forest Service has recognized that California's cultural diversity is the best and is continually changing. The challenge to this federal agency is how to best ensure that the Forest Service continues to fill its mission of achieving quality land management while being inclusive and meeting the needs of the diverse public.
As a result, the agency created SCC to address this issue and the agency's relevance in the 21st Century. The new SCC office is located at the Angeles National Forest Supervisors office in Arcadia, California.
That is why, the Southern California Consortium supports youth conservation corps in their efforts to keep our forests healthy while including minority youth.
Inner city teens who grow up without a connection to nature often lack the opportinities to seek careers in natural resource management and an understanding of the natural world that surrounds them.
Only by drawing this connection can we make diversity everybody's business!
Yo Adrian,
ReplyDeleteIt was a pleasure working with all the staff. I really enjoyed the experience. Yo high hopes to see you next year and the years to come so the program can allow new people to show the potential they have even though we live in the worst communities.I hope to seeing you... I learned many things...All the things you taught us will help us in the future.....We are going to miss you and the rest of the people that helped us through the journey!!!Huggs and Kisses!!!
Mayra Arroyo
PS...See You Later
yo! high we are also glad to know we got a chance to know new fun people like jd,emily,victor,franchesca and fabian and for giving us the chance to participate in the forest service in we also hope to have this wonderful experience again like communicating with new people in the forest service and thanks for giving us this big
ReplyDeleteyo adrian, we were more than happy to be in your program thank you and the rest of the leave no trace and forest service for giving us the oppertunity to work with you,hopefully we would be able to participate next year and this expirience will be helpfull in life and i also want to thank star,favian,you,victor,franchesca,
ReplyDeleteemely,and jd.
adriana barajas
yo adrian, we were more than happy to be in your program thank you and the rest of the leave no trace and forest service for giving us the oppertunity to work with you,hopefully we would be able to participate next year and this expirience will be helpfull in life and i also want to thank star,favian,you,victor,franchesca,
ReplyDeleteemely,and jd.
adriana barajas
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete