Special thanks to SCA’s Philadelphia Crew supporters: National Park Service, Exelon Corporation (PECO), The Boeing Company, William Penn Foundation, PNC, Wheelabrator Falls Inc, Philadelphia Youth Network, George and Miriam Martin Foundation, and others in the Philadelphia area.

The SCA Greater Philadelphia Summer Program successfully completed its fourth year, with area youth completing meaningful summer service projects while gaining leadership and Job Readiness skills. These local high school students committed themselves to working on conservation service projects in Philadelphia’s parks and natural areas, becoming an integral part of SCA’s mission of building the next generation of conservation leaders by engaging in hands-on service to the land.

An SCA partner since the Philadelphia program launched in 2009, Valley Forge has continuously provided great projects and offered many opportunities for SCA program youth. Valley Forge Crew Accomplishments:

• Removed over 57 rusty crayfish. There were no native species in the stream.
• Resurfaced Varnum trail and Connector trail with wood chips, grading the trail and filling in potholes.
• Laid down approximately 1,000 feet of mulch along the connector trail of the Chapel/Bridal trail.
• Students removed encroaching vines, including grape vine, wisteria, and Japanese honeysuckle, from trees at the "shotgun shell mailbox” and along the Schuylkill river.
• Over ¼ acre of mile-a-minute was removed and bagged to avoid seed dispersal.
• Students installed signs near the preserve & pond to warn against the dangers of allowing dogs to swim or defecate in or near the water
• Crews installed 1 water bar, 1 drainage dip, and 3 check steps on the lower chapel trail where erosion was identified as a problem.

Darby Creek Annual Clean Up at John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge

It was a great turn out to celebrate Earth Day 2012 here in the city of Philadelphia.

We had 200 volunteers come out to support the event; 40 Alumni, SCA Leaders/Staff and New Potential SCA Summer Members, 20 ARAMARK Volunteers, and 140 Community Members. Everyone participated in collecting trash and debris from the Darby Creek and surrounding areas.

250 cubic yards of clean up was collected from the refuge... that equates to about 9 tons of trash -- approximately 3 full dumpsters of random trash items; pieces of metal, bottles, cans, tires, toy big wheels, bowling balls and much more!

Collectively this group of volunteers accumulated about 700 total hours of service.

People certainly worked hard, many came back muddy and sweaty when the event was complete.

More importantly, SCA, John Heinz staff and community members helped to restore the refuge home and habitat to many wildlife animals in Pennsylvania.

It was awesome to get everyone together to be productive. The weather was perfect, sunny high 70’s. After all the hard work we had free lunch served; hot dogs, chips and a nice cold drinks, it was the perfect ending to a great day.

By KYW's Karin Phillips

The official launch was held Tuesday morning for a program that introduces urban youth to "green" jobs.

High school kids in light blue t-shirts worked to clean up the area in front of the Valley Green Inn, in Wissahickon Valley Park. They are part of the Conservation Leadership Corps, a group of 50 local high school kids working at green jobs in area parks, including removal of invasive plants, picking up litter, and gardening.

Valerie Bailey (at left in photo) is executive vice president of the Student Conservation Association:

"When they end their summer, they would have gained quite a number of things. They will have learned some real job readiness skills."

Fifteen-year-old Lemiah Tucker of West Philadelphia has been working in Valley Forge Park. She says the great outdoors is something brand new for her:

"Maybe I'll volunteer down the road and help work with animals on the outside. I like this!"

Kobi Amissah of West Philadelphia, also 15, has been working along the Bala Cynwd Trail:

"I had orginally planned on being a lawyer but this is shaping me. Yeah. It might be possible in my future."

Local Walmart representative Tony Tenaglia (at right in photo):

"This is fantastic! And with the weather that we had this weekend, and the work that they are able to do today, it's obvious that it's needed."

Walmart donated $170,000 for the program.

(Photo by KYW's Karin Phillips)