Open to students in grades 8-12, S.T.A.T.E. provides an opportunity for volunteers to develop self-confidence while socializing with like-minded peers and supporting their community. The program aims to supplement young adults' education with hands-on outdoor practices, teaching teens how to grow their own produce, use simple tools for small construction projects, and responsibly interact with the environment. Some of the major projects that students participate in are: maintenance of our grow-to-give produce garden Arcadia, wildlife tagging and tracking projects, invasive species pulls, building of various nest boxes and houses for our local birds, and environmental restoration projects.

This program is exceptionally accessible to students, involving no costs, and offering various levels of commitment. Students are responsible to coordinate their own transportation to and from the volunteer event sites. With the understanding that many students have various commitments throughout the year, S. T. A. T. E. volunteers can adopt their own levels of participation, signing up for the events that interest them and work with their individual schedules.

Students can apply online at http://state.avalonparkandpreserve.org/ . For more information, please visit the website, or contact coordinator Kayla Kraker at kayla@avalonparkandpreserve.org or 631-786-2605.