We are thrilled to announce that this year’s Green Horizons on October 17 at the Queens Botanical Garden was a huge success! Green Horizons is New York City’s Free Conference on Careers in Natural Resources and the Environment for Middle Schools.
Green Horizons welcomes middle school students and school chaperones to an exciting day of activities geared for students that may seek a future working in the outdoors and introduce them to a variety of career opportunities in a lab, office, the field or a classroom here in New York City. This year, Trees New York collaborated with approximately 40 arboricultural, horticultural, technical, and environmental organizations to introduce students to career opportunities in a wide variety of natural resources and environmental fields.
The event focuses on hands-on learning led by environmental professionals and educators. Instead of sitting and listening to someone talk about jobs and careers, students participate in hands-on activities that will allow them to experience what it is like to be part of important environmental work. Activities include working in a greenhouse, planting trees, studying wildlife, and collecting samples for research.
Attendance at Green Horizons gives students a special entry into the world of environmental sciences, land-use planning, and care of natural resources. Each student is introduced to two different careers: one of their personal choices in the morning, and one of their school leaders in the afternoon. Both are led by experts that they will interact and engage with as they explore these potential careers.
Praise for Green Horizons 2024:
J.H.S. 185 Edward Bleeker located in Flushing, Queens was one of the seven schools that attended this year’s Green Horizons. They brought 30 students and 3 school representatives to the school, and in the afternoon, they participated in the Tree Health Assessment and Tree Care activity hosted by NYC Parks Forestry Department. Students from this school also participated in the self-selected stations of Apiculture; Introduction to being a Meteorology; Water Ecology with DEP; Marine Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release, and Engineering of NYC’s Water System.
The Science Teacher at this school, Andrea Bonosaro, filled out our feedback form for this event and mentioned that students claimed that this was the “best field trip ever” and were very interested in attending this event in a future academic year. Bonosaro stated that she “really enjoyed this event, and found it to be very organized.” With this school, Trees New York plans to reach out and offer educational programming to this school in the spring.
Thank you to Con Edison for generously sponsoring Green Horizons 2024 at the Queens Botanical Garden!
