New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn LaTourette recently visited The College of New Jersey to meet students participating in his department’s Youth Inclusion Initiative.
The program connects young adults from inner cities throughout the state to work in the TCNJ Campus Garden, receive educational training from the DEP, and assist TCNJ’s Bonner scholars with maintaining the garden.
“We are extremely thankful to have the support of TCNJ and to engage with its Bonner scholars who, for the second year, have volunteered their time to teach about community gardening, sustainability, and serve as enthusiastic mentors to DEP’s Youth Inclusion Initiative participants,” LaTourette said. “With the help of our partners, we are committed to building a more inclusive and diverse green workforce and empowering young people, especially those from overburdened communities, to be the change agents we need for a more equitable and sustainable future.”
The Youth Inclusion Initiative was launched in 2021 as part of the New Jersey State Park Service’s workforce development program. It provides participating youth with opportunities to develop some of the technical skills necessary to pursue a career in environmental protection in New Jersey.
“The students from the Youth Inclusion Initiative learn the power of volunteering and gain valuable skills that they can take back to their neighborhoods and use to create their own community gardens,” said Rayjohn Felicia, who oversees the program for TCNJ’s Center for Engaged Learning. “This partnership also allows them to see that college is more than sitting in a classroom, and what opportunities may be there for them should they choose to go to college.”
Cameryn Edwards ’26, a finance major and Bonner scholar at TCNJ, works with the students from the Youth Inclusion Initiative and sees how much they take away from their time in the garden.
“These students are learning a lot, not just about planting and weeding and water, but about the importance of sustainability,” she said. “We teach them about composting and the importance of healthy and organic produce. If you grow it yourself, you know it’s healthy.”
The TCNJ Campus Garden was constructed in 2010 by Bonner scholars and relocated to its current site on the south end of campus in 2013. Each year, a group of Bonner students maintains the garden by weeding, watering, and planting fresh fruits and vegetables on a regular basis.
This garden provides food for the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen as well as a space to build community and educate urban youth.
— Luke Sacks