​Growing Youth Leadership (GYL) is Walnut Way Conservation Corp's signature summer internship program that engages local teens in intensive urban agriculture education, leadership development, and job training. Through hands-on experience, youth transform vacant lots into productive gardens and orchards while developing valuable skills and contributing to community wellness.

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Program Overview

Growing Youth Leadership offers Milwaukee youth the opportunity to:

• Gain intensive training in sustainable urban agriculture practices

• Develop leadership skills through hands-on community projects

• Earn income while learning valuable job skills

• Contribute to neighborhood food security and environmental stewardship

• Engage in civic activities that strengthen our community

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Through this transformative program, teens grow and harvest a wide range of chemical-free vegetables and fruits, from tending beans on reclaimed mini vegetable farms to picking peaches in urban orchards and creating value-added products like jams for local farmers markets.

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Impact & Outcomes

"It's about taking care of what you have, taking pride, having ownership and helping each other out." - Kimora Eubanks, 18-year-old GYL intern

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Each growing season, GYL employs local teens to work in Walnut Way gardens and at partner sites like Alice's Garden. Throughout the program, participants engage in civic engagement and environmental stewardship activities-key components of the Walnut Way mission.

GYL creates multiple community benefits:

• Grows young environmental leaders

• Transforms once-vacant lots into productive gardens and orchards

• Produces an abundance of fresh food that increases neighborhood access to healthy options

• Supports Lindsay Heights' economic and environmental development

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Program Details

Who: Milwaukee youth ages 14-19

When: Summer season (June-August)

Where: Walnut Way gardens and partner sites throughout Lindsay Heights

Activities include:

• Planting and harvesting organic produce

• Learning sustainable growing practices

• Creating value-added products

• Selling at local markets

• Participating in leadership development workshops

• Engaging with community members

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The GYL Experience

![Youth harvesting vegetables in community garden] (Image placeholder)

Participants in the Growing Youth Leadership program don't just learn about agriculture-they become agents of positive change in their community. From weeding rows of vegetables on thriving mini-farms that once stood as abandoned lots to picking fresh fruit from urban orchards planted by their peers, GYL interns experience firsthand how their work contributes to community transformation.

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Under the guidance of our Urban Agriculture Coordinator, interns develop practical skills while contributing to Walnut Way's mission of creating an economically diverse community through environmental stewardship, community engagement, and economic development

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Why GYL Matters

Growing Youth Leadership is a powerful way to engage and employ youth in our community to steward the land and revitalize the neighborhood. The program continues to support our mission to sustain transformation by advancing economically diverse and abundant communities through civic engagement, environmental stewardship, and creating venues for prosperity.

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In Lindsay Heights, where 96% of residents are African American and many families face economic challenges, GYL offers meaningful opportunities for youth development while addressing community needs for fresh, healthy food and environmental justice

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Join Our Community of Young Leaders

![Youth selling produce at farmers market] (Image placeholder)

Applications for Summer 2025 will open in March

Interested in becoming a GYL intern? Want to support the program? There are many ways to get involved:

• Apply: Youth ages 14-19 can apply for paid summer internships

• Volunteer: Community members can support our gardens and youth programs

• Donate: Contributions help fund internship positions and program supplies

• Partner: Organizations can collaborate on educational or community projects

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