environmental justice

2021 Intern Reflections: Gab

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Gab is a junior studying Natural Resource Conservation with a focus on Wildlife Conservation at UMass Amherst. They first heard about Eagle Eye from a peer advisor at UMass, Gabby Gracia, who interned with Eagle Eye in 2019. Gab is part of the STEM Ambassadors Program at UMass, a mentorship program for historically underrepresented students in the STEM fields.

I discovered Eagle Eye fairly coincidentally, by looking through the personal statements of the peer advisors, one of whom had been an intern with Eagle Eye in 2019. Through browsing the Eagle Eye website, I learned about the mission to connect all youth with nature and conserve MountainStar Forest, a mission that deeply resonated with me and aligns with my career goals of working in wildlife conservation. When I learned of the summer internship program, I was eager to be a part of Eagle Eye’s mission, and I am immensely grateful to have been given that opportunity. 

Eagle Eye’s site is on an incredibly beautiful natural landscape, whose isolation encourages a depth of self-reflection that is seldom possible elsewhere. Being immersed in the outdoors everyday, sleeping in tents, stewarding the trails, and eating vegetables from the garden fosters a necessary and mutually beneficial connection with the land that I will take with me always. Through working on building projects with [Eagle Eye Site Manager] Scott, I learned how to use new tools and drive a tractor. On our group walks along the trails, the Eagle Eye interns and staff shared plant and mushroom ID knowledge that we were then able to pass on to the youth with whom we worked on the Learn About Forests programs.

I think the opportunity to intern at Eagle Eye would benefit anyone looking to gain confidence in the outdoors, great personal and professional connections, and experience in carpentry, youth work, and communal living. It is an experience I won’t forget.

Bringing a virtual program to life

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This winter, we led a four-week virtual enrichment program for 3rd grade students at the Kelly School in Holyoke with the Boys & Girls Club. We engaged 40 youth over Zoom and collaborated with four returning guest instructors from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, UMass, and the Mass Young Birders Club. The program was focused on local wildlife, animal traits and adaptations, and urban birding.

Ellie Viggiani, 2020-21 TerraCorps Youth Education Coordinator, reflects on developing and facilitating the program:

This was the first time Eagle Eye had ever run a virtual program, so all our lesson plans had to be made from scratch. A lot of time went into researching virtual enrichment and creating content for the sessions. There were many more students than we originally thought, and although this changed some of the ways that we ran the program, it was wonderful to be able to reach such a wide array of students.

The students responded really well to the subject material, wildlife in Holyoke. Animals are a topic usually well received by students, especially in elementary school. The subject matter allowed us for a lot of flexibility with our programming. The games and icebreakers for the program were also a hit among the students. The group had a lot of energy and having high motion games worked well for the age group. We learned that having two people managing the zoom call and co-hosting was necessary! One of the staff members was able to monitor the chat, call on students, and monitor the energy of the group while the other could focus on teaching.

The biggest challenge was figuring out how to translate Eagle Eye programs to a virtual format. This came with quite a bit of trial and error. We had more students join than we had expected, which made us adapt our programming to be suitable for a large audience. Students joined the Zoom call from many different locations and environments, which meant that our lessons had to be adaptable to fit different needs. For example, not every student had space to stand up during our activities, so we gave students modified versions. Technology always poses challenges, but we stayed adaptable and responded to the conditions.

Our first virtual program was a success and exciting to create and lead. It provided Eagle Eye with the opportunity to branch out from our in-person programming yet still meet our program goals of connecting youth with themselves, others, and nature with relevant, place-based content. Despite the virtual setting, students had the opportunity to engage with the environment and wildlife right outside their windows and meet and learn from professionals in the natural resources. It was wonderful to work with this group of students. Their energy and enthusiasm brought this program to life.

A renewal of our commitment

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From the Eagle Eye Institute Board and Staff

June 5th, 2020

Eagle Eye Institute was founded in 1991 by Hampshire College alum Anthony Sanchez to connect youth from underserved urban communities to the beauty of nature.

Thirty years on, people of color still experience deep-seated and systemic barriers in the outdoor and environmental sphere. There is a huge disparity in who participates in outdoor recreation and holds environmental leadership positions; frontline communities bear the burden of environmental hazards and the effects of climate change; and as we have seen time and again, it is not universally safe for Black and Brown people to access outdoor spaces as it is for most White people.

Eagle Eye has been doing its part to address these disparities and inequities with a diverse group of committed partners, many of whom understand their privilege and use it to help open doors of opportunity through a deeper connection with nature. We renew our commitment to this work now.

We will center and learn from the voices of BIPOC-led organizations and environmental leaders. We will work to dismantle racism and White supremacy in ourselves, our organization, our partnerships, and our community. We will hold nature up as a solution, a basic human right, a great connector, and our common home.

We believe everyone has a right to a healthy environment and a positive relationship with nature. That’s not possible in a system where Black and Brown people aren’t safe or respected. The movements for social justice and the protection of the environment are inextricably linked. We need nature, nature needs us, and we need each other.

In this moment, people of all backgrounds are coming together to demand change. Young people are speaking up in large numbers. This widespread mobilization and engagement is a source of inspiration and energy during this time. The momentum can go forward to create the profound and lasting change we need. We are committed to this work. We are in it with you.