Despite the remnants of summer weather that have stuck around, we are officially into the fall season here in the Boston area. For many of us, fall marks a period of transition and a change in routine. One of the ways this change is reflected at Boston Harbor Now is in the focus of staff that develop and coordinate youth engagement programming.
Youth Engagement Programming at the National Parks of Boston is coordinated in close partnership between the National Park Service and Boston Harbor Now. Together, this partnership hosts a suite of opportunities that engages close to 500 Boston youth in summer and school year experiences. Launched in 2014, this collective of programming has grown from a single pilot to a robust, year-round portfolio of youth-centered experiences. And playing a key role in this programming is our Youth Engagement Coordinator, Nick Pioppi, whose role is embedded within the Education and Youth Engagement Team at NPB.
During the school year, Nick supports the delivery of place-based interdisciplinary experiences to over 200 students (grades 4-6) from different Boston Public Schools. Trips are connected by the guiding question “How does Boston speak up for change?” and the curriculum is aligned with standards to support the classroom learning already in place.
At the conclusion of the school year, Nick’s role will switch to a leadership one for our summer recreation programming. Partnering with youth-serving organizations such as the YMCA of Greater Boston, the Boston Harbor Islands Discovery Camps will welcome over 250 youth (ages 8-12) to multiple park locations over a 5-week period. Visits to the Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park are typically the most popular, and activities emphasize an exploration of Park sites to better understand how we can all use these spaces.
As a whole, the goal of our youth programming is to help young people access, learn about, and feel welcome at Boston’s parks and other public open spaces. Through these experiences, our hope is that we are building connections with youth that encourage leadership within their own communities. Thanks to our partnership with the National Park Service, we are looking forward to another successful year of engaging youth in our parks!
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