HONDA USA FOUNDATION

NYTEF IS A 10-MONTH, PAID FELLOWSHIP DESIGNED TO EMPOWER YOUNG BIPOC LEADERS NATIONWIDE THROUGH IMMERSIVE EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOCUSED ON TRANSPORTATION EQUITY. FELLOWS EXPLORE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY CHALLENGES IN BIPOC COMMUNITIES AND ENGAGE IN DIGITAL STORYTELLING, ADVOCACY, AND ACTION ALIGNED WITH THE SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH-PROMOTING SAFER ROADS, VEHICLES, SPEEDS, AND POST-CRASH CARE. PARTICIPANTS COMMIT AT LEAST 15 HOURS PER MONTH TO VIRTUAL COHORT SESSIONS, ONE-ON-ONE DEVELOPMENT MEETINGS, AND MENTORSHIP. THE PROGRAM CULMINATES IN KEY INTERVENTIONS INFORMED BY COMMUNITY INPUT AND DATA, INCLUDING A COMPREHENSIVE ROADMAP FEATURING STEP-BY-STEP RESOURCES, CASE STUDIES, AND METHODOLOGIES FOR ENGAGING YOUTH IN TRANSPORTATION EQUITY AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY.

YOUTH LIVING NEAR THE PORT OF LOS ANGELES FACE ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES LIKE NOISE, TRAFFIC, AND POOR AIR AND WATER QUALITY, YET RARELY HAVE ACCESS TO CAREERS THAT ADDRESS THESE ISSUES. THE YOUNG SCIENTISTS PROGRAM CREATES A PATHWAY TO WELL-PAYING CAREERS IN SCIENCE, RESEARCH, AND OCEAN CONSERVATION. JUNIOR HIGH AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS BEGIN BY DEVELOPING RESEARCH PROJECTS FROM HYPOTHESIS TO EXPERIMENTATION USING ADVANCED LAB EQUIPMENT. THEY PRESENT THEIR FINDINGS THROUGH SCIENTIFIC POSTERS AND TALKS AT AN AQUARIUM-HOSTED SYMPOSIUM AND HELP INTERPRET THEIR WORK TO VISITORS. AT THE NEXT LEVEL, COLLEGE STUDENTS SERVE AS PAID INTERNS ON CONSERVATION RESEARCH PROJECTS, INCLUDING THE WHITE ABALONE CAPTIVE BREEDING PROGRAM LED BY BODEGA MARINE LABS AT UC DAVIS AND FUNDED BY NOAA.

GSSGC'S 191-ACRE SKYLAND RANCH CAMP IN THE SAN JACINTO MOUNTAINS IS USED AS A BACKDROP FOR INSPIRING K-12TH GRADE STUDENTS TO DISCOVER, CONNECT, AND TAKE ACTION TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT. THE SKYLAND RANCH ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAM IS YEAR-ROUND AND AVAILABLE TO LOCAL SCHOOL CHILDREN AS WELL AS TRADITIONAL GIRL SCOUTS. PROGRAM FACILITATORS WORK ALONGSIDE EDUCATORS TO ENSURE PROGRAM ACTIVITIES ARE ALIGNED WITH THE NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS AND COLLABORATE TO CREATE CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECTS THAT TEACHERS CAN EXPAND UPON BACK IN THE CLASSROOM. SOME ACTIVITIES INCLUDE BUILDING SOLAR BATTERIES, STUDYING WEATHER STATIONS AND HYDROLOGY, UTILIZING EQUIPMENT TO FIND AND UNDERSTAND GROUNDWATER, AND EVEN A GAME FOCUSED ON THE IMPORTANCE OF PRESERVING ANIMAL ECOSYSTEMS.

THE WAY KIDS ROLL: SAFETY @ THE UNDERLINE IS A SERIES OF FREE, FAMILY-FRIENDLY, WALK AND BIKE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO CULTIVATE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES TO BE ACTIVE AND HEALTHY. EVENTS INCLUDE BICYCLE HANDLING AND SAFETY SKILL TRAINING THROUGH BIKE RODEOS; BIKE REPAIRS PROVIDED BY A LOCAL NONPROFIT PARTNER; AND HELMET, SAFETY LIGHT, AND BIKE GIVEAWAYS. BIKE RODEOS PRESENT BICYCLE DRIVING COURSES, IN A SAFE AND PROTECTED ENVIRONMENT, SIMULATING ACTUAL ROADWAY SITUATIONS COMMONLY ENCOUNTERED BY BICYCLISTS. SKILLS EMPHASIZED AND PRACTICED INCLUDE STARTING AND STOPPING, USING HAND SIGNALS, SCANNING FOR TRAFFIC WITHOUT WEAVING, MAKING TURNS, SAFE MANEUVERING, ENTERING A ROADWAY SAFELY, AVOIDING HAZARDS, AND BALANCING. PROGRAMMING IS OFFERED BOTH IN ENGLISH AND IN SPANISH TO SERVE MIAMI'S DIVERSE COMMUNITIES, TARGETING LOCAL SCHOOLS ALONG THE TRAIL AS WELL AS DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES IN LITTLE HAVANA, OVERTOWN, AND WEST GROVE/CULVER.

THE YOUTH ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT SERVES APPROXIMATELY 400 LATINO/HISPANIC YOUTH, GRADES 1-8 THROUGH HANDS-ON ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABILITY ACTIVITIES THAT FOSTER TECHNICAL SKILLS, TEAMWORK, AND CULTURAL CONNECTION. PARTICIPANTS EXPLORE TOPICS THROUGH WEEKLY LESSONS AND EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING, INCLUDING PLANTING FLOWERS AND HERBS COMMONLY USED IN LATINO HOUSEHOLDS; COMPOSTING TO ENRICH GARDEN SOIL; SOLAR CAR BUILDING AND SUSTAINABILITY-THEMED TEAM CHALLENGES; CAREER EXPLORATION AND TECHNICAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT; AND FIELD TRIPS TO WATER TREATMENT PLANTS, RECYCLING CENTERS AND LANDFILLS TO UNDERSTAND RESOURCE LIFE CYCLES. EACH SESSION INTEGRATES GOAL-SETTING, PROBLEM-SOLVING, AND COLLABORATION - EMPOWERING STUDENTS TO BECOME ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS LEADERS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.