A summer of learning, outdoor exploration and service culminated this morning in a graduation ceremony for 70 Cook County youth at South Suburban College in South Holland. Now in its ninth year, the Forest Preserve Experience (FPE) is a collaborative program coordinated by Friends of the Forest Preserves and the Forest Preserves of Cook County, with generous support from the Cook County Bureau of Economic Development, the Housing Authority of Cook County (HACC), the Forest Preserve Foundation, and others. For five weeks this summer, young people ages 14-19 who live in households that receive services from HACC worked in crews at several Forest Preserves sites in the south and southwest suburbs, learning about environmental conservation and contributing to the health and beauty of the preserves. Most crew members worked at Forest Preserves sites near their homes, allowing them to engage in projects that their families and communities would most easily be able to enjoy. In addition to career and life skills workshops, the summer included a variety of recreational outings and activities, ranging from kayaking local waterways to visiting Brookfield Zoo.

Photo Credit: Forest Preserves of Cook County