Reconnecting with the river: FMR's 2024 summer youth program

ESI fellows and guests stand on the shoreline in the gorge with canoes

On weekly paddles and outings, our Environmental Stewardship Institute fellows got to know more about metro waters and the communities working to steward them. 

Our summer youth fellows spent a lot of time on the water this year. Some had never been in a canoe or kayak, but quickly learned how to paddle on near-weekly outings, fostering deeper relationships and understandings of the rivers and lakes where we live.

Friends of the Mississippi River's Environmental Stewardship Institute (ESI) summer program is an eight-week session designed to teach high schoolers about the environment and environmental field through hands-on learning. Summer fellows spend time outdoors, hear from experts and undertake a capstone project. All of this provides opportunities to practice skills and gain tools fellows would need to pursue an environmental career. 

Here are some of the highlights from 2024.

100+ hours, four paddles and countless connections

This year, 24 paid fellows and two assistants (Bella and Kaia, both members of last year’s ESI Council) joined us for more than 100 hours of programming. Last year we only met for six weeks, but this summer we extended our program to just over eight weeks of gatherings and outings.

This meant more time for fellows to get to know each other and build community, and more time for FMR staff to get to know the fellows. Many FMR staff spent time with this year's cohort on the water or in our office, sharing their career journeys and their work.

ESI facilitators led team-building and reflective activities throughout the program.

This also meant more time for paddling! We went on four paddles total, canoeing on Rice Creek, Bush Lake and, of course, the Mississippi River. Most of our fellows had never paddled before, so our first trip — an out-and-back trip on Rice Creek with heavy winds and a strong current — was quite the challenge. But they learned quickly and these trips became a highlight of the summer for many.

ESI fellow Amelie said, "I enjoyed paddling because not only was I able to spend time in and reconnect with nature, but I had the chance to hear from Travis Bush about his experience with the Mississippi as an Indigenous man. It gave me a different perspective on the river and made me want to care for our waters and environment even more." 

Learning about different environmental pathways is a key part of our program. Experts, professionals and community members joined us to share their knowledge and experiences and offer perspectives about the places we walked and paddled through. 

2024 outings

2024 fellows' capstone projects

Capstone projects are a key component of our summer program. By working on a project, fellows learn to research online and by talking to experts, gain organizational skills and have the freedom to explore a subject they're curious or passionate about with support from FMR staff and each other. ESI projects provide valuable experience developing and bringing an idea to life, and can be a great addition to fellows’ resumes.

This year, topics ranged from water quality research, to videos about important environmental topics, to creating a living terrarium, to an issue familiar to FMR followers — invasive carp. We were impressed by the amount of research that went into this group of projects. All of the projects required lots of background information, and the fellows did not shy away from this challenge. We hope you enjoy looking through their projects as much as we did.

(Note: Opinions expressed in projects are those of the program participant and do not necessarily represent those of FMR.)

Join us

We created the Environmental Stewardship Institute to help close the opportunity gap for BIPOC and underrepresented communities in the environmental field. Youth leadership is a key part of our approach to equity and long-term approach to diversifying the environmental sector. We hold a summer intensive program and a school-year youth advisory council. Learn more about the institute.

FMR's ESI programs are part of our larger Stewardship & Education program. We create many opportunities for youth and community members of all ages to get involved with FMR. 

Thank you to American Beverage Foundation, Cargill Foundation, City of St. Paul, George Family Foundation, HB Fuller, Minnesota Beverage Association, Right Track, Trillium Family Foundation, Xcel Energy Foundation and donors like you for making our ESI program possible.

Explore all of our Stewardship & Education updates.

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This school year
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Saturday, January 18, 2025 - 10:00am to 12:00pm
Rosemount Wildlife Preserve and North 20 Brewing, Rosemount

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