youth

HBGC Partner Testimonial

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This summer, we partnered with the Holyoke Boys & Girls Club (HBGC) for the third year to offer hands-on outdoor programs to their middle school club members. Groups visited our Berkshires site twice for Learn About Forests™ programming and participated in follow-up experiences in the city, including trail stewardship and urban birding. Justin Bresnahan, Program Coordinator, has been an integral part of making these experiences available to youth at HBGC. Read his reflection on the 2021 summer program below.

I’ve been connected with Eagle Eye since the summer of 2019. I initially knew nothing about the program, as it was my first time running a teen summer camp, and I quickly fell in love with how involved, caring, and passionate everyone was at every level of the organization. It is eye-opening to see the outcomes when youth who don’t think of the trees in their neighborhood park as nature begin getting immersed in the natural world that surrounds them. These youth, some of whom had never climbed a tree in their life, now at the end of the summer seriously consider a job in environmental protection.

It’s incredible to see the youth exit their comfort zone in an environment where they aren’t being judged and they are allowed to be kids again in this fast-paced world. I remember the faces the youth made when they took their shoes and socks off and walked around the forest for the first time barefoot. The laughing and bewilderment at how soft the forest floor was beneath their feet and their groans and eww’s as the mud crept between their toes are memories they and I will cherish forever.

Eagle Eye is without question one of the most important programs we have partnered with in many years, and will continue to be for many years to come.

Justin Bresnahan, Program Coordinator, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Holyoke

“It will always be a part of me”

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Sabiha Miahjee has been part of the Eagle Eye community since she was six years old and a participant in our Learn About and Eagle Club programs in Boston. This year, she graduated Somerville High School and started attending Boston University. She wrote us a reflection on how her relationship with Eagle Eye has influenced her life and outlook on herself and the world. Read her story below.

I was first introduced to Eagle Eye Institute at the Margaret Fuller House, my after-school program in Cambridge (I was 6), where a couple of charismatic Eagle Eye staff guided us on a field trip to Appleton Farm. 

I moved away from Cambridge after that and moved from place to place within the greater Boston area, eventually landing in Somerville, where I joined the Mystic Learning Center (MLC), aka the coolest daycare ever. It took a while for me to adjust to another city. I had to get used to a new neighborhood, enroll in a new school, and make new friends. After several months of trying to figure it all out, one day I look out the door at the Mystic, and lo and behold, a familiar Eagle Eye staff enters. I immediately beam at an old, familiar face. 

In the following years, I fell in love with being apart of ‘Eagle Club’ at the Mystic, as we ventured into the outdoors, namely hiking in the Middlesex Fells, canoeing on the Mystic River, and camping at Ponkapoag Pond, all of which were first-time experiences for many of us. I had never gone camping before Eagle Eye – roasting marshmallows and sitting by a campfire only happened in movies up until then. 

Eagle Eye programs are so valuable because they allow youth to tune out the addicting, yet boisterous, sounds of the city, and explore the uncharted territory of nature. They experience new activities like going on their first hiking trip, walking in snowshoes, camping for the first time, learning how to garden, and taking out their first kayak or canoe.

The incredible mentoring moments I received from Eagle Eye staff helped me to engage with my community, as well as open me up to even more adventurous activities. When I was 10 years old, an Eagle Eye staff helped my friend, Darien, and I apply for a grant from Katie’s Krops, so that we could grow fresh vegetables in the Mystic community garden plot, and give them out for free at the Somerville Mobile Farmers Market. This grant granted (pun intended) me the opportunity to fly down to South Carolina for a few days for a Katie’s Krops Camp. I received the opportunity to go on my first plane ride, make garden beds, and cook freshly harvested vegetables with other youth. This was one of the most memorable experiences I’ve ever had.

Eagle Eye brings cool experiences to youth, especially youth of color, allowing them to connect with nature, and learn about the natural environment. As a brown girl who grew up in low-income areas for all of her life, I realized very recently how limited my access and relationship with nature would have been, had it not been for Eagle Eye. The ability to enjoy outdoor activities without the constraints of income or transportation is an enormous privilege many families have. Enjoying nature and acquiring environmental literacy isn’t as accessible as we may think. That’s why these programs are so special to youth and youth development, and why they were so special to me. I was forced to step out of my comfort zone, pushed to explore, and became excited to learn. Many urban youth, especially low-income youth, miss out on opportunities like this, without the kind of outdoor programming that Eagle Eye provides.

The summer before I entered eighth grade, MaJa and Anthony invited me to stay with them at MountainStar Forest for a week. I slept in a tent in the camping area with MaJa the whole week, and basically bathed in the pools in the stream. I was getting the ultimate experience. I remember not being too excited about eating solely plant-based foods when I was used to eating meat practically everyday, but I was pleasantly surprised about how delicious vegan food can be. I always had fun making vegan pizza, and my favorite desserts were MaJa’s chocolate mousse and zucchini muffins. 

Every morning, we meditated in the tipi, and although I wasn’t the best at clearing every racing thought in my head, it was a nice way to start my mornings. It’s a practice that I still keep with me whenever I feel stressed out, helping me focus on what I need to in the moment, instead of pondering about what I need to do a month from now. I regain control of my thoughts, allowing me to bring awareness to the present.

I also loved that I was fully offline, because there was literally no service to tempt me to check my phone, and I noticed a shift in my anxiety levels. I didn’t know it was happening at the time, but I was deepening my connection to nature, and consequently, I felt stronger connections between my mind, body, and soul. 

Spending all of this time with MaJa and Anthony, I realized just how special Eagle Eye is. To be part of an extended family, run by the most thoughtful people who work diligently to make sure they offer quality outdoor programming for pre-teens, teens, and college students, is an enormous privilege. 

As I am now graduating Somerville High School this spring, I am considering what to study in college. Although I am entering as undecided, I’ve been gravitating toward studying environmental systems, sociology, and design. Eagle Eye has been a huge factor in shaping my academic interests, as I am interested in food and climate systems, communities, and studying abroad to explore different environments. I admire Eagle Eye’s vision to bring environmental awareness to youth, and I’d like to leave high school setting out to improve access for others, as well. 

Eagle Eye has witnessed my growth from adolescent to teen to young adult, and in time, it will witness the rest of the unfolding of my life. It will always be a part of me.

Sabiha Miahjee, March 2021

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.

Learning to trust myself

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Alexander Voisine is a rising sophomore at Holyoke Community College studying Environmental Science. Growing up in Belchertown, he was connected to nature from a young age, exploring the forests and natural areas around his home. Later, he passed on his love for nature to younger students in the Ecomentors program at Belchertown High School. Alec plans to continue his education at UMass Amherst, exploring his interests in the natural sciences and education.

While at Eagle Eye, Alec developed a lesson on aquatic ecology with his fellow intern Jenna Shea and took the lead on designing and constructing interpretive signs for a collaborative intern project.

Below is Alexander’s reflection on the 2020 internship program.

This opportunity taught me a lot about myself and nature, as well as how to bring the experience of nature to others. I plan to bring a lot home with me when I leave. For starters, I plan to bring home the dairy-free part of the diet. I was surprised how well my body felt after a transition to this new way of eating! While we’ve been here, we’ve acquired many new skills, as well as developed existing ones. Working on the deck for the cabin, for instance, allowed me to gain hands-on skills with tools I don’t use very often. 

There is one last thing I’ll take home with me that I’ve discovered while I’ve been here. I stepped out of my car a different person than I am today. I had an idea for my life, but no real sense of direction. As I spent time here, I began to see myself differently, thanks to Cass and my fellow interns. With the feedback they gave me, as well as taking time to reflect, I was able to discover new skills I never knew I had, and I learned to trust myself and my goals. I now plan to explore school and careers with this new confidence and these uncovered skills. 

Being out in nature for three weeks has allowed me to reflect on myself and learn to trust my skills and knowledge. I also found that teaching and the environment are both things I enjoy and plan to investigate education and careers in that direction. This internship is very valuable for college students. It can teach you new skills, hone existing ones, give you a new perspective on yourself, and provide a feeling of community.

Tribute to Dave Kittredge

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Dave Kelly
Dave, right, instructs on an Eagle Eye Learn About Forests program in the early 90’s.

By Bill Labich, Eagle Eye Foundation Team

On March 13th, David Brayton Kittredge, Jr., a wonderful friend of Eagle Eye Institute and the youth he championed, passed away. We, and so many others who had the distinct pleasure to be and learn with him—countless students, faculty, and staff at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Harvard Forest, Coverts and Keystone Cooperators, landowners, foresters, and other citizens passionate about forests and conservation—will miss him dearly.   

A recent tribute to Dave from the Director of Harvard Forest, David R. Foster, recounts Dave’s impressive and seemingly endless professional contributions to the field of forestry through academic research, mentorship, authorship of state manuals on best practices, and his longstanding leadership of the forestry program at UMass where he taught classes in silviculture, human dimensions, timber harvesting, natural resource inventory, and land protection. 

Dave was pivotal to the growth and development of Eagle Eye Institute programs and the mission-driven work of several board members, which ripples out with myriad impacts. Dave was there at the very beginning of what would become Eagle Eye’s signature Learn About Forests™ program. Here’s how Eagle Eye co-founder MaJa Kietzke recounts it: 

Anthony and I took the Coverts Land Management course with Dave back in 1991, and one of their requests was to spread the message of land management and conservation, so we said we wanted to bring youth out to the forest. We asked David to be an instructor, and he said yes. A year later, we took him up on his commitment, and it was his idea to bring in a second instructor, so we could divide the group in two and have more one-on-one interaction. The second person he brought in was Anne Marie Loud, who later would become his wife. During David’s second year of working with us, he suggested we add in a stewardship component which was cutting small saplings and brush to release old apple trees for wildlife. The young people loved working together and learning how to use forestry tools – the stewardship component is now an essential part of our LAF (Learn About Forests) program. 

I’ve known Dave for over thirty years. Dave was an upbeat, down-to-earth, thoughtful, generous, and enthusiastic mentor, supporter, and colleague to whom I owe much in my professional life. I first met Dave at a Coverts Cooperator Training in Connecticut in 1989. I was 26, two years back from being an agroforestry extension agent in Haiti for the Peace Corps and working as a forester for CT Audubon and doubting my place in the field. He assured me that forestry was a broad enough field that could contain my particular interests. Later, I met Dave at the Eagle Eye Institute Learn About Forests™ Instructor Training in 1993. I remember being pleasantly surprised that he knew Anthony and MaJa and that he was equally excited about helping underserved urban youth of color discover their relationship to nature. Later, I got to work closely with Dave over the years helping his town planning board complete its master plan, as a fellow member of the Wildlands and Woodlands Initiative, and as a vocal supporter of the Regional Conservation Partnership Network, which I coordinate.

Dave was so supportive of Eagle Eye and collaborative conservation that I know in my heart he would be very pleased with our collaborative community conservation efforts with Kestrel Land Trust, Holyoke High School, and the Holyoke Boys and Girls Club.  

Please join me in extending Dave’s legacy, his passionate championship of young people’s connection to nature and conservation, by being even more involved in the Eagle Eye community, as we need it now more than ever. 

 

Spring Plans with Rainbow Growers

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This spring EAGLE Club youth from Mystic Learning Center in Somerville will be growing vegetables for the second year in the Mystic Community Garden with funds received from Katie’s Krops. With assistance from Eagle Eye and Mystic Learning Center staff, youth between the ages of 7 and 13 will prepare, seed, nurture and harvest vegetables, and donate the food to people in need.

Last winter Eagle Eye approached EAGLE Club youth with an opportunity to receive funding from Katie’s Krops – an organization that assists others to start and maintain vegetable gardens and donate the harvest to help feed people in need. Two youth from the Mystic Learning Center EAGLE Club, Darien Rodriguez and Sabiha Miahjee stepped forward and worked together to plan their project and fill out the grant application. They chose to call themselves the “Rainbow Growers” and started their own blog to record their efforts.

Darien and Sabiha enlisted fellow EAGLE Club members, Mystic Learning Center youth and adults from the Mystic Housing Projects to refurbish two abandoned garden plots. Sabiha says “I taught the kids what plants were weeds and could be pulled. And that tomato plants don’t grow well when you put water directly on the leaves.” With hard work, dedication and love, youth harvested a total of 52 pounds of produce. Youth gave out each pound of food at the Mystic Mobile Farmer’s Market and kept track of the donations. More than 50 families from the community received vegetables! Sabiha and Darien received a Commendation from Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone for improving community food access in Somerville. 

This spring youth plan to make updates to the Mystic Community Garden greenhouse, use newly purchased tools to build additional raised beds and grow a larger variety of vegetables including collard greens, dinosaur kale, basil, eggplant, tomatoes and peppers. Darien and Sabiha look forward to involving more community members in the garden, donating more vegetables and keeping everyone updated on the Rainbow Growers blog. Darien exclaims, “Come check it out and help out!”

Click here to visit the Rainbow Growers blog

Click here to learn more about Katie’s Krops