Congratulations to our Green Team teens for completing the latest Fellowship program! The teens met each Saturday from late October through January for environmental projects along the S-Line, as well as history, culture and leadership development opportunities.
This year’s Fellowship revolved around outdoor leadership. Our Fellows prepared themselves to lead interactive tours of the Emerald Trail S-Line and other outdoor events for the community. Our goal is for the Green Team to lead more events like this in the future, particularly for other youth in the urban core, as part of Groundwork’s mission to expand access in our community to the Emerald Trail and local nature.
Many of the teens will continue to work with Groundwork and will be invited to apply to the Summer Apprenticeship Program which runs June – August.
The group included six teens from the summer Apprenticeship program as well as four first-time Green Team members.
Returning Apprentices were:
Ada Madison, 16, Sophomore at Douglas Anderson
Rhiyona Davis, 16, Sophomore at KIPP Bold City
Diego Rodriguez, 14, Sophomore at KIPP Bold City
Micah Merriweather, 15, Freshman at Frank H Peterson High School
John Henry, 16, Junior at Englewood High School
Jamie Spiller, 14, 8th grade at Darnell Cookman
New Fellows included:
Markie Madison, 14, Freshman at Duval Virtual Instruction Academy
Kieon Gillyard, 14, 8th Grader at Springfield Middle School
Kamiyah Griffin, 13, 8th grader at Florida Connections Academy
Kamdyn Griffin, 13, 8th grader at Florida Connections Academy
Here are a few highlights from the Green Teams busy Fall/Winter:
Center for Children’s Rights State of the Young People program joined our 11 Green Team Fellows at Boneyard Beach and American Beach
Teens Learn about American Beach
The first Green Team Fellowship session was a special one. Teens from the Center for Children’s Rights State of the Young People program joined our 11 Green Team Fellows to learn about the legacy of American Beach and MaVynee Betsch, known as “The Beach Lady.
The youth were encouraged to express their own unique values and connection to nature as they explored American Beach and Boneyard Beach in Big Talbot Island. They also visited the newly re-opened AL Lewis Museum and heard from Carol Alexander of the A.L. Lewis Historical Society.
Fellow Micah Merriweather prepares oyster shells for POSH units.
Living Shoreline Project at Kingsley Plantation with NPS Rangers
Fellows continued the Living Shorelines Project that our Apprentices started during the summer in partnership with University of North Florida (UNF) and National Park Service (NPS).
They learned skills in mixing and pouring concrete as they constructed 27 Pervious Oyster Shell Habitat (POSH) units. Once deployed the POSH will attract oysters to settle in and create oyster beds that will protect Kingsley Plantation’s shoreline (and history) from being washed away by rising tides and boat wake.
Teens also met with NPS rangers Cicely Pontiflet and Theodore Johnson for a workshop on interpretation at Kingsley, building ideas for how they will interpret the S-Line for public tours.
Kamiyah Griffin is all smiles on her way to Porchfest in Springfield
Bike Training, Gardening and Porch Fest
Green Team Fellows got introduced to safe biking with transportation planner Thalia Fuste from the City of Jacksonville. They then biked to the S-Line to see some of the gardens and other amenities the Green Team has built over the years. The teens picked fresh herbs and spices from community garden and compared them to store-bought dry herbs and spices in a discussion about locally grown food and home cooking.
Finally, the group headed to the Annual Springfield Porchfest to celebrate historic Springfield and enjoy the vendors, food, live music and community spirit.
Green Team helps plant a wildflower meadow at Regeneration Park
S-Line Training, Public Speaking and Wildflower Meadow Planting
The youth focused on the S-Line Field Guide and activities they could lead for local youth and community members in January. They also participated in a wildflower meadow planting event led by Duval Soil and Water Conservation District at Regeneration Park as an example of a community education event.
In the afternoon, Fellows learned about the principles of public speaking in a workshop with Groundwork’s Director of Community Engagement and Equity Gloria McNair. They wrote short speeches and rehearsed them in front of their peers.
Green Team Fellows led the December Hogans Creek Cleanup
Green Team Led the December Hogans Creek Cleanup
Fellows welcomed and prepared volunteers with information on registration, event goals and safety. They also assisted with gear, photos, and picked up trash alongside volunteers.
The teens explored resources at the downtown library and had some fun at James Weldon Johnson Park
Sanctuary on 8th Street youth learn the history of the Sugar Hill neighborhood and pose in front of the mosaic
Green Team led Youth from the Sanctuary on 8th Street on a tour to explore the S-Line Biodiversity Corridor
Green Team Celebration and S-Line Tour was a huge success
The Green Team wrapped up another successful Fellowship by leading an interactive and educational tour featuring the many projects along the S-Line Rail Trail Biodiversity Corridor that the Green Team has built since it began in 2015.
Markie Madison shares local wildlife that can be identified along the S-Line
The teens took family, friends and community members on a tour to showcase Green Team’s year-round work along the S-Line, including building and maintaining the herb and spice garden and pollinator garden, the bioswale and the Living shoreline.
They led explorers, young and young at heart, through activities from the S-Line Biodiversity Corridor Guide like the air potato roundup, how to identify local wildlife, how Bees See, and chalk art to commemorate the history of the Sugar Hill neighborhood. Children who completed all activities in the activity book earned a special Emerald Trail Explorer pin and prize!
Junior Explorers earn their Emerald Trail Explorer pin and prize
Kids enjoy a chalk art project along the S-Line