By: Emmy Benson
Since I was young, I’ve had a great passion for nature. I always knew if I wasn’t going to do something art related, I’d want to contribute to the greater good of our environment. At the time I didn’t exactly know how, but after discovering Outdoor Youth Corps (OYC), thanks to a friend from my Green Team recycling club at Pattonville High School, I decided that I wanted to apply for a spot on the OYC Summer Crew program. That was last summer, 2025. This summer, I’ve returned to OYC, not just a part of the crew but as the Intern! I have so many takeaways from my time with OYC. Making just one connection can make all the difference in a search for a green career. OYC has provided its participants with many wonderful experiences and opportunities, such as assisting community stewardship projects and discovering green pathways. Through OYC, I discovered how much work is put into creating a sustainable future and has only helped me support and appreciate that cause all that much more.
OYC explores our four pillars, horticulture, sustainability, community engagement and conservation. They are the basis of everything we do in this program.
Through horticulture, OYC has participated in the planting of trees, flowers, and crops and has also assisted in weed removal. We have worked with Forest ReLeaf on many tree planting and identifying events. We’ve helped the Sunflower+ project to remove invasives and continuously add to the beautification there.
Through sustainability we have visited and helped small businesses, visited recycling facilities, explored sustainability through the Garden, and participated in St. Louis Green Teen Alliance (GTA) events.
Through community engagement we have worked with our many partners, participated in trash cleanups around Forest Park, the Garden’s signature event: Green Living Festival, tabled about seed dispersal at the Garden’s STEM Night, and contributed helping hands to local organizations through our final week projects.
Through conservation we’ve participated in bee surveys, collaborated with Audubon at the Riverlands, removed invasive species with many organizations, built fish structures and actively practice leave no trace wherever we go.
OYC’s sense of community is unmatched, not only through our partners, but through the crew itself. I’ve met so many wonderful people during my time here, and I look forward to holding on to those connections as I continue my path into new career territory.
