$15,000

The Green Corps Urban Youth Program (Green Corps) was established to provide Cleveland teens with real-world experiences that add relevance to classroom learning and teach workplace skills. The summer work-study program annually employs and trains 90 low-income Cleveland teens, ages 14-18, who work in 6 gardens across the city. Green Corps teens learn to cultivate, harvest and sell sustainably grown produce. A detailed 3-year curriculum, aligned to Ohio Academic Content Standards, includes botany, agriculture, environmental science and sustainability, finance and business, marketing, communication, and nutrition. All revenue from the sale of Green Corps' produce and products is reinvested into the program. Teens sell their fresh produce and bottled salsa at 2 North Union Farmers Markets and directly to city residents from market stands at the learning farms. Green Corps has positive working relationships with community development corporations, schools and business and government representatives.