In order for young people to become sustainability leaders and environmental champions, green education must extend beyond the four walls of the classroom, and into the natural world. At the Barack Obama Green Charter High School, ensuring our students leave with a strong academic understanding of the natural sciences and STEM is only the first step. Inspiring our students to become passionate stewards of the environment requires that they gain exposure to agriculture and green work environments. That’s why we partnered with Duke Farms’ Teen Action & Leadership Opportunities for Nature (TALON) program.

TALON is a yearlong program that engages high school students from under- represented racial and ethnic groups in conservation biology through hands-on fieldwork experiences. Their goal, similar to our school’s, is to inspire a new generation of conservationists. Once a month, our students spent a day on Duke Farms learning about topics ranging from organic farming and wildlife ecology to sustainable technology and designing landscapes. Students were able to apply their knowledge of natural sciences to Duke Farm’s experiential learning program.

Growing up in Plainfield’s urban environment, work on the farm was, at first, a shock to students. But by the end of the program students’ reactions of fear and discomfort developed into awe and newfound appreciation. They grew to love observing how Duke Farm’s animals lived, and enjoyed caring for the plants and livestock.
 

 

“We live in a city [where] all that’s around you is stores, [and] more stores” —Marbely Duran

“TALON is allowing us students to reconnect with nature—allowing us to see life outside of what we usually see in the city”—Vanessa Torres

 “I’m able to get out of my comfort zone, doing things I probably wouldn’t have imagined myself doing”—Luis Valentin

TALON’s program leaders also understood how important it was for our students to consider the jobs in green business, agriculture and other environmental fields for their future careers. Through TALON’s internship component, students learned firsthand how rigorous, and rewarding organic farming is for the farmers themselves as well as the environment and society. They learned what types of jobs they could fulfill working at a place like Duke Farms, or developing green technology for farmers.
 

“I would like to do organic farming and environmental education.”—Matthew Payne

“You see how everything coexists…here you see just how technology—even though most people think it doesn’t connect with nature—here you see it do just that” –Vanessa Torres

Equally as important were the bonds they created with Duke Farm’s TALON program leaders. Their program leaders served as shining examples of true environmental stewardship—serving as mentors and strong role models to our students.

“When I get to Duke Farms I feel free” —Luis Valentin

“The people in Duke Farms became a second family to me. I’ve learned a lot with them.”—Dayana Galiano

With a strong academic and hands-on understanding of natural sciences and conservation biology, our students left TALON with newfound zest to become environmental stewards and young sustainability leaders.

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