The Green Career Ladder

The Parks & People Foundation is one of the leading providers of environmental education programming in Baltimore City. Our programs promote awareness of environmental issues and provide positive pathways for young people to become involved in environmental stewardship activities.

Parks & People’s environmental education programs are all a part of our “Green Career Ladder”. This age appropriate progression in environmental stewardship, literacy, outreach and action begins at the elementary school level and continues through post-secondary education and eventually full-time employment in a "green job".

The primary goals for the Green Career Ladder are to:

  • engage young people in the study of their environment
  • to provide Baltimore City students with access to the emerging “green economy” through education and job training

The "rungs" on our Green Career Ladder include: 

  • KidsGrow – a fun, hands-on, inquiry based afterschool program for children in grades 2nd – 5th. Since 1995, KidsGrow has successfully raised academic achievement and in-school attendance at the schools where it operates.
  • Project BLUE – builds on the KidsGrow curriculum by serving middle school age children (6th – 8th grades) providing environmentally focused community service projects, academic study through research based projects and mentorship opportunities with professionals in the environmental sciences and natural resource fields.
  • BRANCHES – the “third rung” in the Green Career Ladder, BRANCHES, provides disadvantaged young people (ages 14 – 21) with opportunities for paid summer employment in the green economy, access to working professionals in the natural resources fields and academic support.
  • Internships – each year the Parks & People Foundation provides internship opportunities to students representing colleges and universities from across the country. These opportunities for hands-on placements with our various programs are another “rung” on the Green Career Ladder and provide excellent real world experiences for students interested in the environmental sciences, landscape architecture, public policy and planning fields.
  • Green Up, Clean Up Teams – Individuals hired by Parks & People to provide environmental stewardship services throughout the City.

For more information, email us or call (410) 448-5663.