April is Earth Month and, at CASW, this is a special time of year. As a non-profit that works with NYC youth, we know that we have a personal responsibility to safeguard our planet for future generations. We also know that great change starts with incremental steps, and that loving our planet begins within our very own communities:
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FAMILY ENRICHMENT CENTER WASHINGTON HEIGHTS & INWOOD
All in all, the “Love Nature, Love Your Block” campaign would not be possible without the efforts of our partners. This month, we were proud to work alongside the FEC to host various events, and would like to extend our special thanks to Ninoska Aristy, FEC director; Luis Cruz, community liaison; and Monica Harris, family advocate. Similarly, we would also like to express our thanks for Timothy Brown, chief operating officer at Connectemonos. Timothy has played a key role in many of CASW's environmental endeavors; he not only helped to execute this month's campaign, but also oversees worksites for both SYEP and Work, Learn, and Grow. More recently, he has worked toward initiating the gardening club at PS 115.
Throughout the school year, we've been reporting on the progress of our COMPASS participants at PS 115 as they work on a community garden. On April 17th, however, it was Public School Climate Action Day, and students certainly found ways to honor the occasion.
Our participants harvested daffodils and planted green beans, and though the day brought some rain showers, they weren't deterred. The work was moved inside - where students tended to the hydroponic garden!
In other news, PS 115's garden wasn't the only environmental event in Washington Heights this month. On April 20th, CASW attended the Audubon Corridor Car Free Earth Day, an event hosted by Connectemonos, FEC, and NYC's Department of Transportation. This was an open-street affair, where youth and their families could enjoy the attractions of various stands while educating themselves on environmental stewardship.
CASW had its very own stand, where we distributed plants and Earth-Day themed coloring pages. (These same pages are a part of our CASW Earth Day Coloring Book, which discusses different environmental careers - if you're interested in doing some coloring yourself, the pages can be downloaded at the blink below.)
Our Bronx River Cornerstone participants and their families made their second annual visit to the Haverstraw Brickyard Museum in Rockland County. This site is the historic birthplace of New York City's bricks and also a participant in the Billion Oyster Project; an initiative that seeks to restore oyster populations in the Hudson River by 2035. Families had the chance to learn about the area's history and the Hudson Valley ecosystem.
We also held a Planting & Pizza Party at Jardin De La Familia; a community garden at Morris Houses in the Bronx. This space is also managed by our partners at Connectemonos, and provides a range of different crops to local residents (who also assist in the maintenance of the garden).
On April 25th, both CASW staff and participants gathered at the community spot, and tried their own hand at gardening. The activity also served as a team building exercise, as different members of the community got to meet one another and also learn about the process of growing their own food!
To finish off this month, we returned to the simplest premise of “Love Nature, Love Your Block;” dedicating ourselves to the beautification and stewardship of our local greenspaces. Staff at our Boone Ave office teamed up with Timothy to plant daffodils and other plants along the sidewalk strips lining the block. This effort was a long-awaited development, as our colleagues at Boone have been wanting to undertake a beautification project as a show of solidarity with the local community.
At CASW, we hope that the takeaway of this month is that we are capable - through our own individual actions - of contributing to our communities and, by extension, the world. To love nature and love your block means to make an active commitment toward being present in our local ecosystems, and fostering a connection to the land and its specific qualities or needs.
We hope that, as an organization, we can continue to educate and serve NYC's diverse and vibrant ecosystems, year-round.
CAREER TALK WITH THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Earlier this month, we also had the incredible opportunity to host a Career Information Session with the U.S. Department of State. The event, which was attended by our Workforceparticipants and Beacon participants from Metropolitan Soundview, gave a basic overview of what it means to go into foreign service, and the myriad of careers available to individuals of various backgrounds.
One important issue discussed at this event was that young people often do not seek certain paths due to a lack of information on available options - during the session, participants were briefed on the educational/ experience requirements necessary for a diplomatic career, as well as the existence of the Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT).
As always, we are beyond proud to provide our participants with unique opportunities!!!
THIS MONTH's news - pop culture
In this feature of CASW News, we'd like to share some fun content that's been on our minds lately! Whether it's a new song or YouTube video, our pop culture recommendations will reflect ideas and values that might be useful for our colleagues, participants, partners, or the community as a whole!
If you have any recommendations for us, please feel free to email them to rrss@caswkids.org
CASW's impact goes beyond arts and science. We spark creativity, ignite potential, and nurture the self-belief of at-risk youth. Together, we unlock their dreams.
Every child deserves a chance to shine. Your support fuels CASW's mission, empowering at-risk youth to become confident, contributing members of society. Join us in building a brighter tomorrow!
Check out our Instagram @casw.inc for more updates and fun stuff! 😊📸
