Generation Earth School Outreach Intern, TreePeople

Sophia L., Spring 2024 

Hello, my name is Sophia, and I am a senior at the University of Southern California pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies. This fall semester, I have had the privilege of interning for TreePeople’s education team as part of their Generation Earth program. The program, which was created in partnership with TreePeople and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works, partners with middle and high school educators in Los Angeles County to foster interest in environmental topics both in the classroom via projects and presentations and through outdoor events and field trips.  

My internship duties as a school outreach intern varied slightly from week to week. Early in my internship, I brainstormed and designed interactive youth activities for outreach events to draw students’ interest in forestry, water, and soil preservation. Additionally, I helped coordinate outreach events by placing food orders and attending some events. The purpose of these events was to connect with teachers and students about Generation Earth and how the program can reach their schools.  A major part of my internship’s duties was helping TreePeople plan their annual Environmental Youth Summit.  In preparation for the event, I coordinated with multiple vendors such as food and drinks, Photo Booth services, and customized souvenir items.  Additionally, I helped fundraising campaigns to solicit in-kind donations from different companies to be distributed at the Youth Summit event. While many of my duties involved writing emails, cold calling, and coordinating with different vendors, I was still able to contribute my creativity and design skills by designing environmental pledge cards to be used at the Youth Summit.  

As a school outreach intern for Generation Earth, I have gained valuable experience and skills in community engagement for environmental topics and learned how to apply these skills to promote youth action and directly impact school communities. While I have previous experience with engagement through social media, I am thankful to have explored employing creativity and education to inspire students of various age groups to act and stand up for their environment. Youth action is essential for environmental action because it harnesses the passion, energy, and creativity of students to drive positive change and build a sustainable future for generations to come. Through interning with Generation Earth, I was able to leave a positive impact on this powerful demographic and contribute to the fight against environmental threats in a creative, fun, engaging, and actionable way.