GreenLife: Learning about horticulture and so much more
On a sunny Saturday afternoon, nine teenagers, all dressed in bright neon green hoodies, were busy at work on the lawn of Theodore Roosevelt Park. We asked them to take a break from their morning’s work to talk about the work they do, the person who supervises them and what they’re learning by being a part of an internship program called GreenLife.
The GreenLife Internship (named by one of the project’s first participants) is a program established by the Friends of Theodore Roosevelt Park 15 years ago. It is open to students from a nearby high school, the Urban Assembly School for Green Careers (formerly Brandeis), who sign up for a nine-month stint in the garden that is supervised by the Park’s Horticulture Director, Ada Ubinas.
On the day we visited, the interns were aerating the soil, putting holes in the ground. Victor told us that “We are learning that grass needs oxygen in order to grow.”
There are nine interns in this year’s “class”, 8 boys and one girl. They range in age from 15-17 --sophomores and juniors and one freshman (who is also the only girl)-- and they work nine months of the year. During the school year they work on Saturdays; during the summer, they are in the Park every day. Hours are 9-4 and they are paid once a month. For some, this is their third year on the project, for others it’s their first.
The interns reflect the wonderful diversity of the city. Some were born here, some are from the Dominican Republic and two, a brother and sister named Makhanie and Muday, came to the US just four years ago from Eritrea.
Some have had previous gardening experience, others have had none. Makhanie says that he worked the soil in Eritrea, “helping to farm corn”, others, like Victor and Luis, have worked only in small outdoor gardens and Justin says that he “grows plants in his house.”
The interns, under Ada’s supervision, rake and weed and plant and mulch. As Muday told us, “it’s kind of hard physical work.” But, doing the actual work of gardening is only half the story.
Ada is their teacher as well as their supervisor and at times she takes on the role of a counselor as well. One intern told us that when he came to work that same morning, Ada noticed that “I seemed sad. She picked up on how I felt and she understood. That made me feel better."
Ada gave us a list of some of the things that the students learn during their internship: “the difference between woody and herbaceous plants, all about lawn maintenance, how to identify different plants and weeds, what plants need to grow and about different soil types. They learn about photosynthesis and what nutrients plants need to be healthy and how to choose the right plant for the right place.”
But there’s more to the program than just learning about plants and trees and grass. Ada explains that the interns are expected “to practice teamwork, take leadership roles, make on-the-spot decisions and work effectively.”
She tells us that she loves working with the interns, but we wanted to know what the interns themselves had to say about the program. Here’s what they had to say:
Makhanie: “It’s cool and interesting.”
Victor: “I like it, I’m active, it’s a new experience, I’m learning a lot”
Jeremy: “It’s a great introduction to this kind of career. I’ve gotten really good at shearing bushes. And since I’m rarely outside, this is a good chance for that."
Juan: "It looks good on a college application. I think I might like to combine gardening and technology as a career. I like to come to this park to relax even when I’m not working. I walk over here from school.”
Luis T.: “I’ve learned that you have to have patience. Everything you do affects the garden. It’s a really fun learning experience.”
Gabe: “I get tired but it’s worth it. In the Dominican Republic I had a garden at my house that I took care of. It’s a hugely different environment here.”
Muday: “I like taking care of the garden, cutting the grass, doing the trimming.”
Luis S.: "In the Dominican Republic you’re always outside and gardening. I miss that but I love the environment of this garden. I don’t get tired. Lots of tourists come over and ask questions and compliment us too. I like that.”
Justin: “Ada is my favorite boss so far and I’ve had 4 or 5 other jobs before.”
Ada thinks that it’s a wonderful coincidence that the kids she works with in the GreenLife program go to a school housed in the Brandeis building where she went to school. “Isn’t it funny how I came back,” she says. “The kids are a reflection of myself. Watching them grow in the horticultural field brings me both hope and joy for continued beautiful parks and communities.”