Funding Area: Poverty Alleviation
Lookout Mountain Conservancy (LMC) is a traditional land trust in the sense of acquiring and protecting land. LMC is non-traditional in our approach to community engagement. The Howard School is an inner city high school located 2 miles away from LMC’s Park. For the past 5 years, LMC has had a partnership with The Howard School through the development of the Leadership Program and the Environment Connections Program.
Our involvement: The Marty Tomberg Charitable Fund has financially supported this organization.
Projects We Support
The Howard School Leadership Program
Students are hired to work full-time in the summer and part-time during the school year. Our program pillars are 1. School First, 2. Give back through sports or clubs, 3. Be an Intern of LMC. Through conservation work on the land, we promote life skills and character development. Once these students are hired and given the title of Intern, it is our promise to help them push themselves to graduate. The Interns are given opportunities for job shadowing in the field of their choice. The other promise is that the Interns will have a job as long as they are in school. Since the program began 5 years ago, 100% of the Interns have graduated, many being the first in their family to do so or to go to college, Howard’s graduation rate is 63%. Others choose to go into the military, trade school, or the work force after graduating.
The Intern positions are open for any Howard student to apply. Many students learn about the program during Freshman year field trips with their Environmental Classes (Environmental Connections Program). Three classes rotate through field trips. Meaning that the freshman class will be able to participate in hands on learning experiences. Science teachers use the land for problem-based learning projects. The students get a chance to learn first-hand about invasive species, land and water management, and ways to promote environmental health.
Support Dates: April, 2018 – March, 2019
Organization and Project Photos
Interns after working on weed-eating part of the trail
Interns with youth volunteers
Interns and youth volunteers clear brush
Intern Statement
