Rose Gonzalez, program manager at Groundwork Lawrence, says the teens are courageous: “Our Green Team members have an amazing ability to really take themselves outside of their comfort zone, try new things, and consistently express an openness to learning.”
In 2007, the group took a camping trip to Thompson Island, located in the Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area. “I thought I was going to die,” says Munoz, a Lawrence High School senior. “There was no electricity.”
Since she forgot her flatiron at home, Lopez was also complaining. But the whining ceased once the activities began. By late afternoon, they were pitching tents and playing chef. Since Lopez “only cooks cereal,” she decided to try her hand at macaroni and cheese. “People kept asking, ‘Is there more?’” the 16-year-old says.
A comforting bonfire and poetry reading were just what the group needed to end the day. By morning, they headed to the water for a slice of serenity. “It was just warm and beautiful,” says 17-year-old Wilnely Rivera. “You don’t see that [in Lawrence].” Primed for something more strenuous, the group ventured to New Hampshire’s Mount Cardigan for a hiking trip later that summer. Each teen experienced a mix of emotions on the trail. “At the halfway point, I wanted to cry,” Rivera says. “I [had] never done this before, so I told myself I need to do this for the experience.”
The group decided to place the slower hikers in front; that way, their more agile counterparts could give them a confidence boost if needed. “I got to the top,” Rivera says with a huge grin on her face. “I’m really proud of myself for doing that.”
This excitement for natural settings now extends off the trails. Last summer, the teens harvested more than 2,000 pounds of vegetables at Johnson Farm in Windham, N.H., and donated them to Neighbors in Need, a local hunger relief organization in Lawrence. Since the Green Team’s motto is “It’s not just a job; it’s a lifestyle,” the teens are also promoting greening efforts in their community.
“Our physics teacher gives out so much paper, so I urged him to get a recycling bin,” Lopez says. “He did.”
Due to their experiences, the teens have already begun thinking about life after high school. Munoz plans to study environmental law while Lopez is just excited to attend college. “I’ll be the first one in my family to go beyond high school,” she says.
Some youths have noticed changes in themselves. “When I started with the Green Team, I was quiet and shy and the type to not respond to any question thrown at me,” says 17-year-old Jennifer Pagan. “Even though I’m still quiet, when I have to talk in a huge crowd I do so with more confidence than before.”
Case in point: Pagan recently described her work with the Green Team to about 40 people at a Mass Audubon gathering. If there’s one personal quality that Munoz has perfected on the trails, it’s her ability to work collaboratively. “I used to come off real strong,” she says. “I would boss people around to get things done. I didn’t realize that [some] people take things harder than others. But everyone’s different. I’ve learned to keep thoughts to myself and give people a chance. It’s made me realize not everyone has the skills you have and they need some encouragement.”
Tidying up the trails. Photo by Tracy Powell.
