Sierra Club’s Nearby Nature initiative connects people to nature close to home by engaging youth and communities to explore, enjoy, and protect public parks, waters, trails, gardens and other green spaces in and around urban areas. The initiative is empowering young people to explore the role school and community gardens play in improving access to healthy foods and nearby greenspace, supporting environmental education, strengthening communities, and protecting our environment. Follow our multi-part blog series as we explore gardens.
Introducing Sierra Club’s Los Angeles Garden Intern Jeremy Rogers, an interview
During the fall academic semester, Sierra Club’s Nearby Nature initiative will work with interns in Baltimore and Los Angeles to learn about and support community and school gardens. We’ll be introducing our Garden Interns over the next few weeks and after that, you’ll get to hear directly from them as they begin to do their own blogging, sharing highlights of their experiences getting their hands dirty, meeting new people, learning about the connections between food and the environment, and identifying some of the challenges and opportunities facing communities in Baltimore and Los Angeles. Hopefully, they’ll also get to try some delicious local veggies. Read on as we introduce Jeremy Rogers, our third Sierra Club Los Angeles Garden Intern, through a short interview. Welcome, Jeremy!
Q: Jeremy, we are so excited to be working with you this semester to explore community and school garden projects in Los Angeles. Tell our readers what inspired you to apply for the Sierra Club Los Angeles Garden Project Internship?
A: Beginning as a high school youth participant, I worked with Outward Bound Adventures for the past three years, ultimately completing its Diverse Outdoor Leaders Institute in order to teach families and students how to camp while connecting to the outdoors. Taking on each trip as an opportunity for personal improvement, I have developed life skills such as patience, public speaking, and determination which are only a few qualities that have improved the lives of others and me. I just completed an eight week Conservation Corps trail maintenance crew in the Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park. While in lodge pole for work in the Sequoia’s, I was informed about Sierra Club’s special opportunity to do what I enjoy in my community.
Q: Have you ever worked in a garden before?
A: I have worked for the Pasadena Unified School District for the past five years maintaining all the school district gardens starting in the 10th grade at John Muir high school. Over time I have acquired knowledge pertaining to the way in which gardens function, can be promoted, and expand their never ending- cycles of plant life. Gravitating to every school garden in the school district has allowed me to lead volunteer work days, supervise high school summer work crews, serve as big brother for Saturday school gardening for at-risk middle school students, and teach elementary students at Washington Elementary how to plant roses and harvest tomatoes.
Q: Tell us what that was like for you. What did you draw from your experience? What do you hope others will gain from working in the gardens?
A: Working in the garden I was known as the bulldozer. I took pride in digging holes. It was my way to zone out and relax while being one with nature. The harder I worked, the more my other challenges faded away. Trenching 100 feet to install a drainage system, preparing 26 15-gallon holes for trees, to simply weeding for eight hours straight is how I would spend a typical day after school. You name it I would do it, putting my mind to anything I did with a smile on my face. Now there are still days that may seem rough but whenever I look back on my past obstacles that have arisen I am reminded to see the beauty in the struggle and the ugliness in the success. It’s not always about me but helping others feel comfortable maintaining their own gardens to gain a sense of inner peace, and the work ethic that empowers them to complete any other jobs they may face.
Q: Tell us about your favorite place outdoors.
A: The trip that changed my life and influenced me to continue making connections to the world around me took place in the High Sierra near Golden Trout Camp we visited Windy Gap, a beautiful, breath taking view of Owens valley that is settled between two ridges and a half- mile wide meadow. A place I experienced on my first ever seven day Outward Bound Adventures trip.
Read Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 of our Nearby Nature gardener series.