In honor of our annual Teen Exploration Day, throughout August we’re featuring youth from our Youth Outdoor Ambassador and youth conservation corps programs on the Forest Preserves of Cook County Facebook page. Get to know some of the wonderful young people working in the forest preserves this summer:
Tiquiria Hall
Tiquiria Hall started her time at the Forest Preserves as a volunteer at Trailside Museum of Natural History, and over several years she’s kept adding more experience and responsibilities. Today, she’s a full-time Recreation Aide, helping to share our natural world.
“I came to the nature center with a passion of working with animals; I learned numerous things about the care of resident wild animals and the protocols of running a nature center while at Trailside. While volunteering, I also learned about and applied for the Youth Outdoor Ambassador Program. As a YOA, I helped care for the resident animals, including a turkey vulture, red-tailed hawk and different species of snakes. Now as a Recreation Aide, I help coordinate and host fun, educational programs and events—hopefully inspiring other teens and youth to experience nature.”
In honor of our annual Teen Exploration Day, throughout August we’re featuring youth from our Youth Outdoor Ambassador and youth conservation corps programs.
Destiny Ogando
As a child, Destiny Ogando heard stories from her parents about their experiences growing up in a tropical place surrounded by nature. Though she listened intently to these stories, she was surprised by how much there was yet to learn about nature in Cook County. When she started high school, she became more socially aware of things that directly impact people such as the environment.
“I was interested in the Youth Outdoor Ambassador Program because I wanted to be a part of something that helps conserve what little the world has left, and the Forest Preserves was the match for that,” said Destiny, who was placed at River Trail Nature Center, where she helped with operations and learned about native wildlife like coyotes. “Going into the program, I knew I wanted to become a lawyer. This opportunity introduced me to the possibility of being a policy maker for places like the Forest Preserves.”
In honor of our annual Teen Exploration Day, throughout August we’re featuring youth from our Youth Outdoor Ambassador and youth conservation corps programs.
Jalen Blue
Looking for a new experience, Jalen Blue took a chance on the Youth Outdoor Ambassador program. He always considered himself a homebody, generally preferring to be indoors. After his first year working with the Forest Preserves’ programming team in central Cook County, Jalen decided to return for a second year and was placed in south Cook County to help with virtual programming where he did crayfish monitoring and developed nature kits.
“I like to try new things, and I’ve never had a job where I had to work outside—the YOA program piqued my interest. I returned a second year because of how comforting working in nature is and because I really appreciate the work we do to intentionally educate others. I always assumed that nature could manage itself. What surprises me about nature is the amount of human contribution necessary to keep the ecosystem in balance, especially in such a densely populated urban area,” shares Jalen. “Since working with the Forest Preserves, I’ve developed an affinity for sitting outside to get a breath of fresh air. This year I also grew to like birding.”
In honor of our annual Teen Exploration Day, throughout August we’re featuring youth from our Youth Outdoor Ambassador and youth conservation corps programs.
Isabel Feliciano
When Isabel Feliciano first joined the Chicago Conservation Leadership Corps in 2018, she already had a strong interest in nature and animals. This year—her second time participating in CCLC—Isabel’s interest in pursuing a career in wildlife rehabilitation or as wildlife caretaker flourished while working at Trailside Museum of Natural History where she also helped with trail maintenance projects and designing a fence made from invasive shrubs removed from the forest preserves.
“I’ve always loved being outdoors in nature and learning about the animals that live there. I have a gift with wild animals and domesticated animals. I also really enjoy learning new things about them as well,” Isabel shares. “Doing this work and removing the invasive shrub buckthorn is so satisfying. It’s also good exercise, a stress reliever to work hard and we are helping wildlife live better. The work I’ve done this year has given me more insight on the impact the natural environment has on wildlife.”
Chicago Conservation Leadership Corps is a youth conservation corps program hosted in partnership with Friends of the Forest Preserves, Student Conservation Association and the Forest Preserves of Cook County. In honor of our annual Teen Exploration Day, throughout August we’re featuring youth from our Youth Outdoor Ambassador and youth conservation corps programs.
Damya King
Damya King knew she needed an open mind when she joined the Youth Outdoor Ambassador program. With little experience working in nature before the season, Damya sought an opportunity in which she’d be introduced to new things. During her time as a YOA, she worked at Sand Ridge Nature Center and Sagawau Environmental Learning Center where she helped with animal care, assisted with outreach and more.
“As the season comes to an end, I realize how much the Forest Preserves has changed me and my outlook on how to appreciate the land and our preserves. Now that I’ve had this opportunity to work in nature and spread this knowledge, I could definitely see myself pursuing a career path that I wouldn’t have thought about had it not been for the Youth Outdoor Ambassador program,” Damya shares.
In honor of our annual Teen Exploration Day, throughout August we’re featuring youth from our Youth Outdoor Ambassador and youth conservation corps programs.
Leslye Carrasco
Facing a summer like never before due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Leslye Carrasco decided to join Enlace Chicago—a partner of One Summer Chicago—as a way to experience something new during these unusual times. Through Enlace, she was connected to the Forest Preserves’ Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center, where she nurtured her passion for vegetable gardening and learned more about plants and nature. During the summer, Leslye learned about native species and helped restore forests and ponds while also participating in activities like fishing and canoeing.
“Being outside is a different world than being inside. Outside you can experience different views, learn about nature and expand your knowledge. Now whenever I go outside, I always look up and down—not just straight—because there’s more to experience,” shares Leslye.
Enlace Chicago convenes, organizes, and builds the capacity of Little Village stakeholders to confront systemic inequities and barriers to economic and social access. The Forest Preserves’ partnership with Enlace Chicago is supported by the Forest Preserve Foundation. In honor of our annual Teen Exploration Day, throughout August we’re featuring youth from our Youth Outdoor Ambassador and youth conservation corps programs.
Brett Harris
Although this was his third year joining the Youth Outdoor Ambassador program, Brett Harris enjoyed an entirely new experience this year as part of a virtual team that created nature kits and learned about local communities and natural habitats. With the ongoing pandemic, Brett also realized just how beneficial nature can be.
“This summer I learned a lot of new things about nature, specifically how much it boosts your health. I learned about the effects on physical and mental health, which was fascinating,” says Brett. “This whole summer program was new for me; I had never worked from home before. I had no idea what to expect, but we made it work. Being in the house for most of the day is not fun or healthy. Ever since, I’ve gotten into nature and being outside a lot more.”
In honor of our annual Teen Exploration Day, throughout August we’re featuring youth from our Youth Outdoor Ambassador and youth conservation corps programs.