By Deidra McGee, USDA Forest Service Public Affairs
On June 19 and 20, the USDA Forest Service sent 17 delegates from across the country to join with 520 young adults from across the country for the world's first two-day Outdoor Youth Summit and Festival in New York City's Central Park. With the emphasis on youth engagement, the Forest Service thought it was vital to go to the source and ask young people for their ideas and thoughts about conservation in America.
The Youth Summit was a specific America’s Great Outdoors’ listening session for young people. Participants used interactive keypad voting to give their opinions on a variety of topics. They also shared ideas and developed strategies on how to advance the growing movement of reconnecting young people to the outdoors and how to inspire healthy living, green jobs and environmental stewardship.
“It was truly an amazing event and I was so grateful to be a part of it”, remarked Forest Service delegate, Jess Hoylman, Portland Environmental Engagement Program, Portland, Oregon. Delegates are encouraged to become champions for the outdoors in their communities and build a strong Outdoor Nation for all Americans by getting out, standing out, and speaking out.
For more information, visit:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/06/21/engaging-with-young-leaders-americas-great-outdoors