parks

Jelani White reflects on his time spent in Rock Creek Park growing up in Washington, DC. Photo credit: Rock Creek Conservancy | Katy Cain

“Sometimes, I say to myself that I must have been born in the wrong geographical setting. My circumstances would tell anyone that I’m a city boy, but my mental focus says that I am, in essence, a kid of the wilderness and high mountain tops. Growing up, Rock Creek provided the wilderness I needed.”

For the fifth summer in a row, Rock Creek Conservancy is cultivating the next generation of environmental stewards through Rock Creek Conservation Corps (RC3)! This program employs DC high school students from communities underrepresented in conservation to work. These students work with Rock Creek Conservancy to complete critical conservation projects in nearby nature throughout the Rock Creek watershed. This is RC3’s first summer in partnership with  DC’s Mayor Marion S. Berry Summer Youth Employment Program.

Over the past four summers, 120 crew members have graduated from RC3, leaving our favorite park better than they found it. From installing green infrastructure to removing invasive plants, these hard-working young people do it all, and they do it for Rock Creek.

For some RC3 crew members, the program provides a quick foray into conservation and a productive and fun way to spend the summer. For others, it sparks a passion for taking care of the environment. RC3 crew member Jelani White is an excellent example of the latter.

Jelani first attended RC3 in 2016 as a high school junior at E.L. Haynes Public Charter School and is now pursuing a four-year degree in Environmental Science from Tuskegee University. Even though he’s getting his education in Alabama, he keeps coming home to Rock Creek Park. This summer is his fourth year as an RC3 crew member.

We wanted to learn what encourages him to come back year after year, so we visited his RC3 crew in the field and asked him some questions! Read our interview below to learn more.  (more…)