Green Playces: Student Ambassadors

Green Playces: Student Ambassadors is an in-school Grounded Strategies program that works alongside Allegheny County students to transform vacant and underutilized land on or near their school campus. Through this program, students learn the process of designing, planning, and building green spaces for their school community.

Following the completion of the project, students then take a deep dive into examining environmental justice issues in their community like land use, air quality, and water quality. Green Playce Student Ambassadors will leave the program with the tools to engage their community with a deeper understanding of environmental justice issues.

Currently, the Student Ambassador program is being implemented with 3 different classrooms:

2 different 5th-grade classes from Twin Rivers Intermediate School in McKeesport are working to design and transform an unused courtyard space at their school.
15 high schoolers from Propel Andrew Street High School in Homestead are serving as Student Ambassadors for a vacant lot owned by their school, situated in the community just outside their school campus.

Snapshots from Green Playces: Student Ambassadors

“I want people to feel relaxed in the space. I want people to feel calm and happy in this space. I also want people to feel comfortable.”5th Grade Green Playce Student Ambassador