Groundwork Bridgeport Annual Review

ANNUAL REVIEW

GROUNDWORK BRIDGEPORT 2018

PLANT. GROW. LEARN. SUCCEED.

2018 GWB REIMAGINED

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APR SNAP SHOTS FROM 2018 Groundwork Brigeport (GWB) runs yearround programming involving youth each step of the way to ensure that people benefit from our mission to bring about the sustained regeneration, improvement, and management of the physical environment, by empowering people, businesses, and organizations to promote environmental, economic, and social well-being.

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“Tanner and Christina, thank you for always being the highlight of my week.

This program isn’t just informational but one that I prosper in and develop relationships. Without you these experiences would not be possible.”

- Kylie Fanning, GWB student participant

SUPPORT THE NEXT GENERATION.

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groundworkbridgeport.org/donate/

IMPACT

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STORIES GWB IMPACT STORIES of the YEAR

GWB WORD of the YEAR

Kaheim Robertson joined GWB in 2016 2016 – 2017 +3 participation in 3 GWB programs 2018 +1 trip to Yellowstone National Park +5 trips to Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge = Working toward returning to Yellowstone as a Youth Conservation Corps member for Summer 2019.

Ashley Torres joined GWB in 2015 2015 – 2017 +2 participation in 2 GWB programs +1 trip to Yellowstone National Park +1 trip Cape Code NSS +1 trip to Rocky Mountain NP 2018 +1 Summer Intern at GWB +1 Youth Leader for trip to Yellowstone NP = Junior at Suffolk University pursuing a dual degree in Psychology and Biology.

Ashley, Dukens and Rhea were apart of the first group overseen by Program Lead, Tanner Burgdorf, in Summer 2015.

Rhea Grant joined GWB in 2015 2015 – 2017 +2 participation in 2 GWB programs +1 trip to Yellowstone National Park +1 trip to Cape Code NSS +1 trip to Gateway National Recreation Area +1 trip to Rocky Mountain NP 2018 +1 Partnered with GWB to complete Girl Scout’s Gold Award = Started her freshman year at Yale University pursuing a degree in environmental science.

Dukens Charlet joined GWB in 2015 2015 – 2017 +3 participation in 3 GWB programs +7 trips to Weir Farm NHS +1 trip to Cape Cod NSS 2018 +1 reflection on GWB’s impact = Started his freshman year at Temple University pursuing a degree in environmental engineering.

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PLACEMAKING (n.) The process of people coming together to use public spaces in a variety of different ways.

GWB

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LEADERSHIP A message from the Executive Director

W

orking at Groundwork has been my

favorite job of all time. I've only been at the organization for three years but I love that we are able to continually expand and modify our programs to better achieve our mission and in order to meet the needs of our students and work towards getting them access to opportunities that they may not have otherwise.

This past year we forged a new partnership with The Nature Conservancy which I believe will be a game changer for our growth through 2020 allowing us to further develop our Landscape Design Studio service to help us better achieve our environmental stewardship goals. Additionally, we also formed a partnership with Harvard's Graduate School of Design which provided the opportunity to send two students to discover the wonders of design during the summer of 2018. With 2019 upon us, Tanner and I are excited for what the year holds!

17 GWB student participants visited a botanical garden in NYC

- Christina Smith

PLANT. GROW. LEARN. SUCCEED.

GWB

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LEADERSHIP A message from the Program Leader

T

his year has been all about reimagining

how we can better serve the youth in Bridgeport. I am so proud of what we have accomplished. Through volunteer and youth support we were able to establish a botanical learning garden, The garden is a gamer changer by supporting the youth’s belief that GWB is working to improve the physical environment.

12 Different High Schools represented

It’s made for many memorable moments of youth enjoying and benefitting from working outside and getting some dirt underneath their nails. I can’t wait to see the botanical garden regenerate this Spring!

- Tanner Burgdorf

5,533 Contact hours with youth

136 Unique youth served

42%

58%

Male

Female

PLANT. GROW. LEARN. SUCCEED.

LAND

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STEWARDSHIP Botanical Learning Garden More than 500 woody and herbaceous plants were installed at the newly established Botanical Learning Garden located on Seaview Avenue in Bridgeport. Funding from Paperseed Foundation supported our desire to have an outdoor space GWB can utilize for hands-on environmental education.

558 HRS. Spent on improving the physical environment in Bridgeport

15 Open and public spaces improved or looked after

875+

“I learned a good amount of what to do when planting and I felt as if I was Zen while just getting a little dirty while creating something beautiful.”

Francesca Ortiz, GWB student participant

Woody and herbaceous plants installed

100% of open and public space improvements involved youth

PLANT! GROW. LEARN. SUCCEED.

“We got to build a path for people to walk on and every time we took a break the whole team would joke around how hot it is and how we should not take our indoor time for granted.”

Taysha Muriel, GWB student participant

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COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

$8,317

83

in adult volunteer labor cost that benefited GWB.

adults actively engaged in open space projects

46% of open and public space improvements involved adult volunteers

PLANT! GROW. LEARN. SUCCEED.

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CORPORATE PARTNERSHIPS

4 Sites beautified

Bridgeport Beautiful

2

$2,500

32

Raised from the beautification initiative.

Corporate volunteers actively engaged in open space projects in Bridgeport

Corporate partnerships that benefited open and public space improvements.

PLANT! GROW. LEARN. SUCCEED.

In recognition of 2018 National Volunteer Week we launched a new initiative called Bridgeport Beautiful.

The initiative aimed to beautify various spaces and places in Bridgeport by partnering with local organizations, corporate, volunteers, and of course youth! It took place from Monday, April 16th to Saturday, April 21st.

“I just think gardens are really pretty so knowing I took part in the creation of one was awesome” - J’Nai Richardson, GWB student participant

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COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP “I enjoyed having an opportunity to go to Beardsley Zoo and learn how a plants placement can affect it's habitat” - Stella Alexander, GWB student participant

Rain Gardens at Beardsley Zoo

52 HRS. 13

Service hours towards rain garden installation

175 Woody and herbaceous plants installed in rain gardens by GWB youth

GWB youth benefitted from learning about the engineering, science and design of rain gardens

PLANT! GROW. LEARN. SUCCEED.

GWB partnered with CT Fund for the Environment and Save the Sounds to help with the install of plants at rain garden sites adjacent to parking areas at Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo. Prior to installation staff ran a workshop on the engineering, science and design of rain gardens.

“It was cool to learn how the rain garden was going to work.

It was also fun to learn about new plants” - Willard Stevane, GWB student participant

RIVER

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RESTORATION “I really liked the Yellow Mill River service project because I liked how we went around the river picking up the trash and trying to make the river cleaner. I also enjoyed looking at the river while helping pick up the trash.”

River Clean-Ups

- Sharadia Petion, GWB student participant

1/4 88

Mile of river restoration work on by Groundwork Bridgeport.

371.5 lbs.

Debris removed from the Yellow Mill River and Pequonnock River

Service hours spent on river restoration and education on the benefits of river restoration.

PLANT! GROW. LEARN. SUCCEED.

GWB help to clean-up the Pequonnock River during the spring and Yellow Mill River during the summer with youth who participated in our afterschool and summer programs.

Youth who worked on the cleanup of the Yellow Mill River picked up 321.5 lbs. of trash and debris by working in pairs and competing to pick up the most amount of trash in 2 hours.

“I enjoyed the river clean because I felt that river clean ups are something that should happen often because there is so much harm that is caused by pollution near the water, which is why it should be cleaned up.”

- Paula Calisme, GWB student participant

NEW

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EXPERIENCES GWB youth re-establishing Terrapin Trail at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. The trail had not been worked on since it was closed in 2011 due to damage by Hurricane Irene.

920+ HRS. 2

improving trail and park infrastructure at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge by paid GWB youth corps.

17 Trips to regional NPS sites that included Gateway National Recreation Area and Weir Farm National Historic.

Partnership days with Weir Farm National Historic Site for CT Trails Day and National Public Lands Day.

GWB youth addressed trail infrastructure and encroaching invasive plants during key partnership days with Weir Farm National Historic Site.

$6,785 in volunteer labor cost that benefited Gateway National Recreation Area and Weir Farm National Historic.

PLANT. GROW! LEARN. SUCCEED.

Love Your Park Youth Corps at Gateway National Recreation Area in NY. Groundwork Bridgeport, along with two other Groundwork trusts, received funding to work and recreate at Gateway National Recreation Area. GWB worked on re-establishing Terrapin Trail and park infrastructure at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. The series of trips to Gateway National Recreation Area including two 5-night camping trips that exposed 16 youth (84% first time camping) to overnight camping and working on conservation projects at an NPS site. “I felt like building the trail helped visitors see new parts of the place and the view at the end of was beautiful.�

- Kimberly Aguilar, GWB student participant

NEW

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EXPERIENCES Anthony Zanfordino’s take on GWB Yellowstone

$3,770

Grand Canyon

in volunteer labor cost that improved trail and park infrastructure at Yellowstone National Park.

Kaheim Robertson started with GWB back in 2016. This year he went to Yellowstone NP and aspires to participate in the Youth Conservations Corps program next summer.

PLANT. GROW! LEARN. SUCCEED.

2 trips to National Parks (Yellowstone NP and Grand Canyon NP)

“If you join Groundwork they send you places…cool places…that you thought you would never go to. I never thought I would go to Yellowstone in my life. I knew it was a thing but I never thought I would go.

The 8 days we were there was really amazing…the work they had us do and the background was so beautiful…people had horses and we saw pronghorns….and your on a volcano too!”

NEW

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EXPERIENCES Youth Reflections

Landscape and Garden Design takes center stage

10 After-school and summer sessions offered to youth

60% occurred after-school during the fall, winter and spring.

100% Would participate in another program offered by GWB

81% Will miss participating in our program. 19% were Not Sure.

83% Felt like they made an impact

1 to 8 Average ratio of GWB Program Lead to GWB youth

PLANT. GROW. LEARN! SUCCEED.

+ $27,000 Youth stipends paid

We revamped our year round program to reflect our belief that youth should be participating in the design and the design-making of outdoor spaces. Under the instruction and guidance of Program Lead, Tanner Burgdorf who studied Landscape Architecture at UConn Storrs, youth are learning both the science and design involved in creating design solutions for outdoor spaces. “I was actually really surprised by how much I enjoyed it. And then we started learning about different plants, ways to arrange the plants, and types of plants. I found it really fun to draw the set up of a blank space and how you would design it. Also having to think of the different aspects that would effect plants in the shad and plants in the sun.

- Kirsten Chery, GWB student participant

NEW

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EXPERIENCES

Landscape Design Program at GWB We revamped our year round program to reflect a stronger commitment to educating youth about landscape and garden design. It’s included involving local residents, businesses and organizations to submit landscape design service requests so that students can design projects based here in Bridgeport.

7 Requests from residents, businesses and organizations for assistance with landscape design services

5 Design plans developed by youth.

1 Design installed by youth.

PLANT. GROW. LEARN! SUCCEED.

“I always liked drawing since middle school and when I was able to put my abilities in and learn how certain flowers grew together at the same time and to involve both science and art work is what is so intriguing.”

- Kylie Fanning, GWB student participant

BUILT

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ENVIRONMENT

Construction Basics We took on construction projects that provided the opportunity to introduce youth to skills related to the built environment. A major accomplishment was building a 8 x 16 ft. bird blind at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. Youth involved in construction projects enjoyed learning the skills and using the tools needed to complete the job.

27 Youth introduced to a restoration project that incorporated construction.

"Tanner, its so much fun working with you and everyone. I am happy we got to help out. We enjoyed it.“ - Damaris Garcia, GWB student participant

300+ Hours spent by youth on construction projects.

"Please let me know whenever you do another work project like this because I really enjoyed this type of work. I like learning and the hands-on experience was great.�

- Lorenzo Leon, GWB student participant

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CONNECTING TO NEW OPPORTUNITIES Tali-Anna Sutherland attend the summer program. She LOVED the experience!

1 New partnership with Harvard’s Graduate School of Design (GSD)

2 GWB youth participated in the Harvard GSD 4-week Design Discovery for Young Adults summer program.

Rhea Grant attend the summer program. She was challenged by some assignments but ultimately enjoyed the experience.

PLANT. GROW. LEARN. SUCCEED!

YOUTH

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FINDING SUCCESS

99% of GWB youth (past and current) who graduated from high school in 2018 went on to college/university.

“Take it back four years… coming into high school…I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life…like…at all…and went through freshman year…didn’t real do much…at the end of the year I asked a guidance counselor about summer jobs and he gave me an application to Groundwork Bridgeport…they are a nonprofit organization that teaches about landscaping, horticulture, trees, plants, gardening…all that! I worked with them for one summer and it was a life changing experience…cause before that I wasn’t really outdoorsy…and I am still not now…but working for them that one summer gave me an appreciation for nature that I did not have before…and I think it started me on my career path…cause I thought-out to understand more about nature itself…I took classes like AP biology…eventually I decided I want to go into environmental engineering…and I want to go to school for it and hopefully do well…I feel grateful for having the chance to work with Groundwork Bridgeport.”

–Dukens Charlet, GWB student participant

39% 94% Going on to college/university

State college/University (UConn, Southern Connecticut State College)

22% 16%

Community College (Housatonic Community College) In-State Private University (Fairfield University, UB) Out-of-State College

10% (Temple University, St John’s College) 6%

Ivy Ivy League League College College (Yale (Yale University) University)

not pursue 6% Decided college/university

PLANT. GROW. LEARN. SUCCEED!

100% of 2018 participants graduated from high school.

56% Male

Dukens Charlet who started with GWB during the summer of 2015 graduated from Central high school and attends Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. He is pursuing a degree in Environmental Engineering.

44% Female

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QUOTABLES

BY GWB YOUTH

“I would come back because I love have something to do and meeting new people.”

- Kenneisha Norford “To keep me occupied after school and learn new things.”

- Kayla Martinez

PLANT. GROW. LEARN. SUCCEED!

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QUOTABLES

BY GWB YOUTH

“Very fun to meet new people and go to different places to plant different plants. Overall, it was an awesome experience.”

- Keyllie Medina

PLANT. GROW. LEARN. SUCCEED!

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KYLIE & MIA Growth and Connections of Groundwork By: Kylie Fanning and Mia Grace “Imagine a place so idyllic where you aren’t just working with peers towards a grand goal or a shared optimal destination but rather building a connection with those people while in the process of connecting with the environment you’re working in. That place is Groundwork Bridgeport. The motto of this program is “Changing Places, Changing Lives” which although is sweet and simple it is such an impactful and crucial basis to follow as we do. On a literal scale, we do change places and revitalize places on a community scale, locally, regionally and even nationally when we get the chance to. However, in the process of physically changing those places we also change and transform lives into one that enhances the positive attributes while never forgetting our roots.

No pun intended.

Groundwork offers the fundamentals and gets you involved in scenarios where you are working with clients to incorporate their needs but also apply the aesthetics of flowers and plants in relation to science.

Kylie was in the Urban Fellows program that focused on landscape design.

She learned a variety of plants including perennials, annuals, bulbs, and some evergreen and deciduous trees. Because she was involved in the winter program she was indeed limited with how she could apply her knowledge that was gained throughout the six weeks she was in Groundwork. With the information she gained she created her own landscape design for a local police station. Another aspect that Groundwork focuses on is placemaking which is where students get to develop and revitalize locations that are assigned to them or holds a special meaning to them. These places are then observed by the students and further involvement is done where a student like Mia can make a mark by incorporating a unique component while she creates an event or new place for her community to enjoy. Despite the differences, both programs contribute an immense impact on the girls and overall changes their lives just as the motto promises.”

DESCRIBE GWB Kylie’s View “I’ll be honest, I came into groundwork because I simply needed hours for an on-going project I have in school. I’m currently a sophomore attending Trumbull High School for the Agriscience program. My friend Kirsten was originally in Groundwork and she told me about it. Before I got involved and applied for the Urban Fellows program I was able to engage in service projects that were conducted on Saturdays. This allowed me to see what Groundwork Bridgeport was all about and I was immediately intrigued, especially when I got the chance to travel to New York and help out at Jamaica Bay Refuge. For me this program became more than just an activity I went to afterschool or just “work”.”

“It became a location that sits close to my heart. I’ve met many new people in a short amount of time, I’ve built on skills that were once weak, and I learned many lessons both on an informational scale and even on a personal level.”

“Coming into groundwork, I always envisioned me going into the medical field. However, after the course of six weeks I realized that the medical field isn’t the only place where I can help people, but you can do so in Groundwork. I always enjoyed art and landscape design heightened those abilities and the creative aspect of my life that was missing and had discredited in myself because it had not been reinforced.”

PLANT. GROW. LEARN. SUCCEED!

Mia’s View “It all started in the cafeteria for me. My friend Jamaile dragged me over to a table. The table read Groundwork Bridgeport. Behind the table was a man named Tanner he was very nice. When he began to talk he sounded like any other person trying to pitch an idea to me, but he sounded passionate about what he was pitching.”

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DYLAN, HUY & JADEN DESCRIBE GWB Real Education at Groundwork

By Dylan Bottillo-Hesselton and Huy Vo “The knowledge in Groundwork can really show how great education can be, and not just inside of a regular school classroom. Any traditional school process you sit and learn about topics that may not be very useful. Groundwork was a time of real education, learning about plants and trees important to our world and how they affect our environment. It provided us with knowledge we can take to better our environment and keep with us for our whole lives instead of a history lesson in 6th grade that teaching us about some historic person that doesn’t relate to our life.

“Tanner and Christina are not your traditional teacher types, they are so funny and they are more friends than just teachers. You can tell how much they care about what they do, they are doing something that will help the future of our society. They are teaching the next generations the importance of the environment and how we can help and plant where we need. What they are doing with Groundwork Bridgeport is amazing they are making a new hands-on process of learning that is a necessity to create a better future.”

Dylan’s View “I love the opportunity Tanner and Christina has given me to learn about all the different annuals, perennials, bulbs, and so much more. I love the environment and want to do everything I can to protect it and Groundwork has given me more reason to do so, just to see how much other people care about the same thing. The hands on activates with plants and drawing landscape designs really showed me the artistry of the environment and how beautiful it really is. I thank Tanner and Christina for this great experience and for giving me more reason to love and save the environment.”

Life in Groundwork

By Jaden Rolle “Groundwork was founded 30 years ago in the U.K. as a radical experiment to bring communities, businesses, and government together to revitalize brownfields. Brownfield is a term to describe a vacant and often blight land that is contaminated due to previous industrial use. The U.S. adopted the Groundwork model as a way to help them with the revitalization of brownfields in the U.S. Bridgeport was one of the first Groundwork trusts to be established in the U.S. It was established in the late 90s around 1998. Because Bridgeport was a major contributor to the industrial revolution we have our share brownfields that needed to be addressed which influenced a Groundwork trust being established.”

Jaden’s View “My experience with Groundwork taught me a lot of stuff. I learned more about plants and why people need to grow more plants like shrubs and annuals. I also got to meet really, really, REALLY cool people like Tanner who is the person who teaches us about plants and trees (and for some reason color theory) and Christina (I have nothing to say… Umm she is a nice person… I’m sorry Christina.). And I also meet a lot of cool people.”

“People should come to groundwork. People will get to learn a lot about plants, trees, colors, etc.

Also people get to go to trips and meet other groundwork trusts. They might even be able to go to another country which is cool. And with that you also get to help the community. You just being in Groundwork helps with the environment. So yeah that’s why people should come to groundwork.”

Huy’s View “I have learned a lot about trees, flowers, and bushes that have allowed me to get out of the normal education of history or math. I met a lot of people, new friends since I went to groundwork and had a great time becoming friends with Tanner. This opportunity at Groundwork is going to stay with me and help me take similar opportunities to be a part of the environment.”

PLANT. GROW. LEARN. SUCCEED!

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JOCSAN & ANTHONY DESCRIBE GWB Groundwork Experience

By Jocsan Mecatl “In Groundwork I learned so many things about the environment and life on earth. I got to learn about plants, like trees and grasses, and their common and scientific names. It was really an awesome thing to do because I was learning something new and enjoyed it at the same time.

I joined Groundwork because of my sister. She influenced me to join after she participated in a summer program offered by Groundwork. One memorable experience she shared with me was when she went on a camping trip near the beach in New York to work on a trail. During the trip she got to see a baby turtle.

I applied because I did not want to stay home all day and just play video games.

So I was thinking about joining Groundwork to do something that would get me out of the house and away from being able to just sit down and play my video games. I was glad to be part of the Groundwork program.

I shared my experience about this program with my friend because like me he also needed to something else to do other then just play video games. So I told him to apply to Groundwork and he too got involved. This program is good because at my school there is only one after school program called buildOn. I think what makes youth want to participate in Groundwork is that they bring youth to places like national parks and museums. I have not gone on any of the trips but would really like to go to the Grand Canyon. I remember hearing about it in school and wanting to go there for the hikes and to see the river that runs through the canyon.”

Groundwork Experience

By Anthony Zanfordino “In April of 2018, I started a program called “Groundwork Bridgeport”. I was new to everything and did not know exactly what I was signing up for. Throughout the 6 week program, I got familiar and use to everything and everyone. During those 6 weeks I got invited to a trip to the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx. I met some cool people there and it was a really cool trip, I hope we go again this year. When I graduated from the Spring program I decided to apply for the summer program and was accepted. In the summer we learned about landscape design and helped a primary school design a new type of space for the school grounds.

That program was also very cool.

In August i went camping with Tanner Burgdorf and a few other people. While camping for 5 days we worked at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in New York. It was a very hot but cool experience during that time. Just a week after that I got sent to Yellowstone National Park. It was my first time on a plane and I never been to the other part of the U.S. At first I was scared to get on the plane but once we took off I thought it was amazing. They treated us to snacks etc. The whole time I could not believe I was on a plane. We had to get up super early before the flight but I couldn’t wait until I got there. We first landed at the airport in Denver for a 2-3 hour overlay. That airport was so big and busy, the design was amazing and I loved it. We got on another plane to Montana. Once we landed in Montana, I knew we were not in the big city anymore. Everything and everyone was so different, it was so hot.

We got picked up and made our way to the camp in Yellowstone. It took about an hour to get to Yellowstone. When we got there we set up and waited for everyone to get back to the camp. There were about 7 or 8 different Groundwork trusts there.

There were about 80 of us all together. The Yellowstone trip was about 7-8 days long every weekday we had to work, it was actual work hours. They provided breakfast, lunch and dinner. They had this thing called Kitchen Patrol or KP. Your groundwork trust and another trust’s job is to clean the kitchen, clean the tables, organize the kitchen, and then wash dishes which was very fun.

During that trip we went to learn about the history of the Native Americans at an old campsite. We went pika searching, made a campfire, ate smores, played a fun game called mafia, and many other things. I saw animals I never seen before like elk, pika, bison, pronghorns, and many others. During the weekend just before leaving we took a tour around the park, specifically Old Faithful. We saw a geyser go off and it was beautiful.

That trip phenomenal and I really hope to go again this year. I also hope to go camping again this year as well. I am now doing the winter program and I am just about to finish with the program. Overall the programs I have done have all been worth it.

Groundwork overall is a great experience, especially for volunteer hours. I hope to do more with Groundwork Bridgeport a lot more in the future. I love it and grown into it.”

PLANT. GROW. LEARN. SUCCEED!

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LEVERAGING RESOURCES FUNDING RECEIEVED FROM PUBLIC SECTOR

FUNDING RECEIEVED FROM PRIVATE SECTOR

$130,928.86

PLANT. GROW. LEARN. SUCCEED!

$115,936.51

For more information contact: hello@groundworkbridgeport.org | 203-335-6126

www.groundworkbridgeport.org

facebook.com/groundworkbridgeport/ @groundworkbridgeport

Groundwork Bridgeport, Inc. is a registered 501 Š (3) nonprofit organization.

Office located at: 1001 Main Street Suite 20 Bridgeport, CT 06604 EIN: 06-1556949