A summer Sierra Club Missouri Valley Group project has been initiated, prompted by inquiries from a parent who wanted something to occupy his daughter over the summer, and Conservation Organizer Cammy Watkins hopes that more parents will have enough interest in the project to help out.

A recent meeting to figure out what such a project would look like came up with ideas such as doing landscaping around the homes of senior citizens, planting trees in public areas, having fun, educational outings for youth who haven't been able to walk in the woods, and getting youths involved as activists to support environmental issues and spread the word on those issues.

The Sierra Teens Summer Program will run during June, July and early August for teens 14-18. An orientation meeting is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Monday, June 6 at the Sierra Club office, 5170 Leavenworth St.

Transportation for Sierra Teens activities will be provided by request. However, participants will need to provide their own transportation to the orientation meeting.

Watkins wants to present teens in the program with a variety of activities, she said, to “show them the wide spectrum of all the things you can do.” Teaming up with other organizations might help spread or minimize the costs, so possibilities are activities such as planting trees with the Arbor Society, or gardening with City Sprouts, which grows produce on vacant lots for food banks. Watkins plans to present information about the program at local high schools and churches to recruit students to participate.

At the end of the summer, “I’d like to see them put together an environmental conference,” Watkins said, and the students could make a presentation and “talk about the great things they've done.”

If you have any question, would like to participate or volunteer, please contact Cammy Watkins at (402)551- 9480 or by email camellia.watkins@sierraclub. org.

This article originally appeared in the May 2005 issue of the Missouri Valley Sierran