Mix together a passionate environmental science teacher, inner city students that need real life work experience and a National Tallgrass Prairie and what do you get?

The Midewin Youth Corps Program!

Eight high school students from North Lawndale College Prep (NLCP) formed a teacher-led work crew at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie where they supported a variety of conservation projects. Last summer’s conservation results included:

  • 482 ft of trail maintained around the Welcome Center
  • Bolder placement at Hoff Road Trailhead
  • Area of 3,100 square ft of seed planted at the Hoff Road Trailhead
  • Area of 1,300 square ft of vegetative overgrowth cut
  • 4.25 acres of Seed Collection
  • And more…

And thanks to generous support from the Exelon Foundation , not one but two youth crews from NLCP will work at Midewin this summer. With a total of 16 students working this summer we’ll be able to double our conservation results and expose eight additional students to this incredible experience out at Midewin.

National Forest Foundation Tree Symbol