Tatiana, one of our interns, taught her first environmental education lesson solo last week. Here are her thoughts:

Hello, my name is Tatiana and I am an intern at Solar Youth. My job is to help lead hands-on environmental education activities for younger children. Last week, on Wednesday, I led my first session with the help of my team educator Brandon. It was easier than I expected. My lesson was on whales, specifically beluga and blue whales and the differences they have from each other, such as the way they breathe and how and what they eat. The kids seemed to enjoy it and they respected the fact that it was my first time teaching, so they didn’t give me any trouble. Overall it was a jaw dropping experience in a good way!

Nicole Dunnaville's take on the building of Trudy and Friend:

Hey, everyone, this is Nicole Dunnaville reporting. I am an intern here at Solar Youth and I came to tell everybody about the recent Intern-Planned C-SAP (Community Service Action Project). Tragedy came upon the Solar Youth Family when we found out that our dearly beloved turtle, Trudy, that was constructed out of recycled goods by the SYI participants at the 2006 Youth Summit, had been found vandalized.

This shocking event spun our intern’s minds into thinking on how to repair our truly-loved turtle to be what we call “vandal-proof”. This means that we wanted to be able to build a strong and also move-able Trudy. After the tears, came the planning of the new and improved Trudy, but this plan was looking a little dry. We decided to make a friend so Trudy wouldn’t be alone. We made a fish to keep this turtle company.

Since this was an intern-based C-SAP, the interns were in charge of the whole process. Yeah, that means that we where the people doing everything. First we planed out the main things. We all decided to rebuild the recycled art at the original place, Edgewood Park in New Haven. The interns also thought that they should also set aside some goal that we would later use to measure our progress of our C-SAP. Next, we planned out the whole schedule and made sure that we had something to do with the kids at all times of the day so they wouldn’t be just sitting around doing nothing. Once we got the times and events we were going to do, one of the other interns (Tatiana) made plans with the bus company for the different pick ups to get all of our young artists to that day’s canvas. The Game Master was Jody-Ann and her job included leading the games.

For the most part we were working, but once in a while I would sneak away with some kids and go to the basketball court. Yes I confess, but they thought that they could school me in basketball. So we played a game, the interns and staff against all the youth that wanted to play. Of course, we (the interns) won. That was a fun game, except the part when I broke a nail (LOL).

But other than that we go a lot done that day and we came out with Trudy the Turtle and Rudy the Fish. It was an amazing day where everybody had fun!

Excerpts from Youth Feedback Forms

Some things youth learned and liked about the trip:
Art is important.
Use the bathroom before you go to the trip or you'll have to walk a long way.
A fish has a hole in the back to poop and pee.
[I learned] how to work as a team.
Do not paint your hands
Art is a good way to show you care about something.
Recycle!
I can make things out of trash.
My favorite part was making the eyes [of the fish because] it was fun and...it was cool getting to see how it came out.

April 24th was a happy day at Wintergreen Interdistrict Magnet School (WIMS)--Solar Youth has begun a new Steward Team program there! With the school's proximity to Lake Wintergreen, it's established gardens and ample greenspace, the new partnership between Solar Youth and WIMS is ideal. The school is excited to offer this new program for it's fourth and fifth graders and Solar Youth is excited to work with a new partner school. Kim, SCA intern, and Jody, a seasoned high school intern (this will be Jody's 4th new team in two semesters!) are facilitating the group. They have plans to work on the school gardens, build the group's sense of teamwork, play some fun games and teach the youth about their environment. The youth will be attending their first Solar Youth field trip on May 6th, to the Yale Garden, so they will also have a chance to meet all the other Stewards from all over New Haven. It's bound to be a great semester!

After an intense April vacation during the Youth Summit, we thought it'd be nice to give our interns and YAG members a treat--dinner together, followed by taking in some theater. Although it was a little adventurous for some youth's taste buds, we chose to eat Thai food, at Bangkok Gardens on York Street. The ordering of food was spearheaded by Brandon and Miss Joanne, choosing a wide variety of dishes for everyone to pick and choose. The coconut soup wasn't very popular, but the chicken skewers and shrimp were.

After dinner, we walked across the street to the Yale Repertory Theater to see Shakespeare's All's Well That Ends Well. The youth decided that the second act, with the loud boom of the cannon and more interesting plot points, was better. Overall, it was a night of trying new things and late bedtimes.

During April vacation from public school, Solar Youth held it's annual Youth Summit, focusing on The Wisdom of Native Americans. It was three days of fantastic weather, fun, games, learning and adventure!

Day One
On our Kids Explore Day, the youth, from Neighborhood Steward Teams based around the city, participated in an interactive tour of Edgewood Park in Westville, New Haven, CT. The youth were divided into four groups and were led by an intern-adult pair. During their hike, youth were given a scavenger hunt of specific species of trees and plants in the park, which they photographed. They cleaned up several bags of trash on their travels and stopped at four workshop stations along the trails.

There was a Nature Sit, where youth first heard poems about nature by famous poets, then other youth. Then they tried their hand at writing nature poetry, several to much success. At another station, youth learned about Native American foods and had a snack of cornbread and flatbread. Youth played a Native American game called Throwing Stick at another station. Papermaking was set up along the trail as well. At the end of the day, members of the Mohegan Tribe performed for our group at the sundial in the park.

Day Two
During the Kids Do Day, we separated into two groups, rotating between building Trudy the Trash Turtle from all the trash and recyclables collected and putting together an album of photographs from the previous day, information about each plant or tree, and copies of everyone's nature poems. The youth had a great time making art from trash to show others how much trash is littered in the park.



Day Three
For the Kids Teach Day, youth practiced speeches about different species of plants and trees they had photographed in the park, some rehearsed their poems, some memorized bits about Trudy the Trash Turtle. Then, around 3pm, the youth presented what they had learned during the summit at the gazebo in the park, then leading their audience of friends and families into the clearing where Trudy resides. Several of the youth acted out Hanifa's, the Director of Education, narration of a turtle myth and then explained the purpose of Trudy. After a little BBQ, we sent the Summit participants on their way, after a long and successful three days.


Jalana Kelley discusses the creation of Trudy the Trash Turtle


Photo in the New Haven Advocate of Trudy the Trash Turtle

by Gamaliel Moses, Public Ally Intern

During the spring season of Solar Youth’s Steward Team after school program, the students decided to plant flowers and clean up an area behind their school as a Community Service Action Project (CSAP). They were indeed excited to see that the tulip bulbs that they planted during the fall were now growing into plants. They wanted to beautify the area even more through their spring project. As a team we developed an action plan through which we delegated tasks and organized the flow of the day. We then sang the C-SAP song to the sound of drums and percussion. Yes, it was C-SAP time again, a time to have fun and to also do something helpful for the environment and community.

On C-SAP day it was a bit rainy, but we were fully prepared with our ponchos. First we did a clean up of the area by picking up litter and leaves. We dug up the soil and added compost, organic manure and more soil. We then added a little water for moisture. After an explanation and demonstration on how to plant the flowers, the students jumped right in and began planting. Team work was in full effect, it was happening, students working “side by side” singing repeat-after-me songs and working towards a common goal.

The flowers were all transplanted into a full bed and it was now time to water the plants. We did not have a watering hose but had a bucket and a watering can. The team turned this task into team effort by creating a water line, where the bucket was passed from one person to the next until it reached the bed of flowers. The project was now done and the students were very proud of what they had accomplished. They had now cleaned up the area, maintained flowers they planted last year and planted a new bed of flowers. It was indeed a beautiful site.

The students can now look down from their classes and see the difference that they made through doing their Community Service Action Project.

Photo Courtesy of Daily Astronomy Picture featured on February 10, 2006

For more information about the Astronomical Society of New Haven, click here.

Cheryl King Fischer (Executive Director of NEGEF), Shakila, Mary Ann, Javaughn, Joanne with award

Road Trip! YAG members Shakila McKnight, Mary Ann Calo and Javaughn "JJ" Harris, packed up their things into Miss Joanne's car and the four of them set out for Boston on March 17, 2006. They were hosted by a personal friend of Joanne's when they arrived after dark outside of Boston.

Bright and early the next morning, the group of four headed out to the New England Grassroots Environment Fund conference, together with the Toxics Action Center, Environmental Action 2006. JJ and Shakila went to a workshop entitled, "Live Consciously, Buy Wisely and Join with Others to Make a Difference," while Joanne and Mary Ann attended another workshop about environmental action.

At 11:45am, the group convened to present for a workshop about "Up and Coming Activists: Young People Making a Difference." The YAG members discussed the CSAP (Community Service Action Project) process and some CSAP's that have been conducted by Solar Youth participants in the past. Did you know that Solar Youth participants have completed 105 CSAPs since 1999?

After another workshop session, the group joined the rest of the attendees for the day's wrap up. At the reception, NEGEF and the TAC presented awards to various groups for their work in the field of environmental activism. Joanne, JJ, Mary Ann and Shakila were surprised when Cheryl King Fischer (Executive Director of NEGEF) was talking about an organization that sounded an awful lot like Solar Youth. Yes, it's true! Solar Youth received an Outstanding Activism Award "for engaging youth as leaders and environmental stewards in their community."

"We won a Grammy," JJ joked. Everyone was very proud of the recognition Solar Youth received for all the hard work the staff, interns and youth do, all year round.

And the road trip? Ended with the four tired travelers winding their way down the I-84, then I-91, to arrive in New Haven, safe and sound.

On March 11, 2006, a bright and slightly breezy spring day, Solar Youth Steward Team participants and alumni, plus Solar Youth alumni from the 2005 Citywide Steward Summer Program and 2005 Hands-on Outdoor Learning Adventure (HOLA), came together for a trip to Sleeping Giant State Park in Hamden, CT.

After lunch, the group started out, led by Joanne, the Executive Director and one of the founders of the organization. The easily sloping trail gave way to a steep rocky climb that some youth were sure they couldn't complete--but they were wrong! Every youth made it to the very top, where the castle stood. Feelings of pride and enthusiasm flowed through the group.


Rushing to the top floor of the castle, youth looked out at a spectacular view of New Haven County and the Long Island Sound. After some rest, the youth split into two groups--the Rigorous Hike and the Take It Slow Hike. The two groups departed and wandered down. The Rigorous Hike group took a trail covered in rocks, requiring dexterity and preserverance. The Take It Slow Hike stayed on a winding wide road to the bottom of the mountain.

Once at the bottom, the youth loaded up on the bus, heading home. Many of the youth said they had fun and were proud of themselves for making it to the top. Way to go!