Last year, the SCA partnered with the National Park Service to tackle back-logged historic preservation projects funded by the Great American Outdoors Act at sites throughout the eastern United States, including Darrah Hall at Reconstruction Era National Historical Park in South Carolina. Our Maintenance Action Team rehabilitated the exterior of Darrah Hall, including replacing rotten …
The National Park Service (NPS) was created on August 25, 1916, when President Woodrow Wilson signed the National Park Service Act. Forty-one years later, the Student Conservation Association (SCA) placed its first volunteers at Grand Teton and Olympic National Parks to assist with their upkeep. Thus began a glorious partnership between the SCA and the …
Tommy Sheridan spent his first summer with the SCA in 2002 as an intern for the Northern Southeast Regional Aquaculture Association in Alaska. He was responsible for caring for juvenile salmon at a net-pen complex on a remote lake, where he lived in a 1964 Airstream trailer. “I was on my own, 13 miles outside …
This past March, 12 SCA crew members from Houston and Atlanta trekked to Grand Teton National Park to learn and serve. For several members, the adventure was a journey full of firsts, from leaving home to seeing clouds from an airplane window, visiting a national park and seeing snow. Through a partnership with the Grand …
Back in the fall, Tiffany Ashley was looking for something different. Tired of working in the service industry, she longed to be outside and become part of a community. So, she decided to sign up for the opportunity of a lifetime and join the SCA’s 2024 Women’s Fire and Fuels Crew. “What they’re able to …
In honor of World Sea Turtle Day on June 16, we’re celebrating our SCA alums who were inspired to protect this special creature through their service at the Student Conservation Association. Matthew Botello grew up hunting, fishing and exploring the outdoors alongside his family in Corpus Christi, Texas. One of the perks of living near …
They are all winners! In anticipation of our 67th anniversary on June 24, 2024, we are digging up old photos of our crews from parks across the country to share with the Student Conservation Association (SCA) community. Take a look at our crews from over the years. Your support helps to change lives and landscapes! …
In honor of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month this May, we are highlighting three parks rich in AANPHI history and culture that our SCA crew members are helping to protect. 1. Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail The Ala Kahakai Trail was established as a National Historic Trail in 2000 to …
What is it that’s so calming about nature? May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and at the Student Conservation Association, we have seen firsthand the benefits of nature on our young members through hands-on service to the land. Ninety percent of program participants feel more confident and better able to work with different people after …
The SCA ended Earth Month with a bang! Our tree planting event at Proksa Park on April 28 brought more than 70 volunteers together to plant 30 new trees, including Aerie Real Foundation Ambassador Aly Raisman, gold medal gymnast and advocate. Together with the Morton Arboretum’s Chicago Trees Initiative, the Berwyn Park District and the …
International Bat Appreciation Day on April 17 celebrates the important role that bats play in our lives. Due to threats from disease and climate change, bat populations in North America and beyond are considered to be endangered. Student Conservation Association interns work to help monitor bat populations and provide critical research efforts, including acoustic surveys …
We asked our Student Conservation Association community to vote on their favorite park photo from three finalists. The winning photo is of Mt. Rainier National Park, which will be featured on a set of limited-edition SCA postcards this summer. Read on to learn more about the vital conservation work at the locations showcased in the …
In honor of Women’s History Month in March, we reflect on the life and legacy of our fearless founder, Liz Putnam. As a 20-year-old student at Vassar College in 1953, she outlined the idea for the SCA in her senior thesis. Modeled after the Civilian Conservation Corps, which enlisted young men to improve America’s public …
We asked our SCA community to vote for their favorite fall photo and the results are in!
You’re invited to get outside the day after Thanksgiving as part of a larger effort to turn #BlackFriday greener.
Did you know the Student Conservation Association has special roving crews that travel frequently within a state or region?
June is Great Outdoors Month, and that also means it’s time for the Great American Campout, typically held on the fourth Saturday in June.
Across the nation, Student Conservation Association crews are working to protect public lands, and the 2023 summer season will be no exception. With projects ranging from trail maintenance to removing invasive plant species, SCA members will work to improve parks and greenspaces in multiple U.S. cities. Here’s a glimpse of our conservation work over the …
We love planting trees at the Student Conservation Association. With National Arbor Day coming up on April 28, we’re shining a spotlight on our Urban Green Program, which provides young people with paid green jobs, including single-day service projects, seasonal work and year-long internships or fellowships.
National Park Week (April 22-30) is a time to honor all things parks. With more than 400 national parks across the country, there is unarguably a lot to love.
It was one of the tightest calendar cover races in SCA history! But grizzly bears received the most votes from our online community, so they will grace the cover of the Student Conservation Association’s 2024 calendar. Thanks to the thousands of SCA supporters who weighed in.
The more you learn about the Student Conservation Association’s founder, Liz Putnam, the more you are in awe of her greatness.
We are especially proud to honor her during Women’s History Month, and we also want to celebrate her birthday on April 3! Will you help us?
Get out your binoculars! Feb. 17 kicks off the national Great Backyard Bird Count. We’re getting into the spirit by showcasing three threatened bird species that the Student Conservation Association is working to protect this year.