by Hayley Tessler, Field Research and Partnerships Coordinator
Every summer, Riverside Park Conservancy’s Teen Corps program brings together high school students from West Harlem and Washington Heights to restore the park, learn horticultural skills, and connect with other youth in their community. It is a joy to see participants grow not only in their plant ID skills and tool knowledge, but also in their confidence, teamwork, and sense of responsibility for public space.
This summer, veteran Teen Corps participants, Danil Slater and Maggie Vecerka, stepped into a new role as Teen Corps Mentors, leading and guiding 18 high school students participating in the program.
Danil joined Teen Corps the summer before his freshman year of high school. “I was anxious, nervous, and not really sure what to expect,” he remembered, “but I was excited.”
That first summer, Danil met his “arch-nemesis” mugwort and developed the patience and persistence to remove invasive plants. As he returned each year, his skills deepened. He learned to identify more plants with confidence and mastered tools he’d never used before, like pruners and weed wrenches. Over time, he also began to recognize the bigger picture of how gardeners, volunteers, and Conservancy staff each contributed to the health of the park.
By his third summer, he was noticing native plants outside of work hours and sharing his knowledge with friends and family. “Teen Corps gave me an appreciation, interest, and idea of Riverside Park, its Conservancy, and how it operates,” he said.
Danil Slater leads a demonstration for the 2025 Teen Corps cohort.
For Maggie, the enjoyment of Teen Corps was unexpected. “When I first applied… I thought I would hate it,” she admitted. “Working outside, doing physical labor in the hot sun was not something I would have considered.” But by the end of her first summer, she was hooked.
Her second year brought a shift: she found herself answering her peers’ questions about plant ID and offering guidance. Without realizing it, she was preparing for mentorship. “The first thing I got from the Teen Corps program was community,” she reflected. “I’ve found a little niche in the Conservancy staff community as well, and I’ve really enjoyed that.”
After several years of participation in the program, both Danil and Maggie jumped at the chance to be in the first ever cohort of Teen Corps Mentors. A week before Teen Corps began, they arrived at the Conservancy’s office for training related to near-peer mentorship, tool use and safety, and a plant identification refresher.
For Danil, mentorship meant shifting from focusing on his own learning to supporting others.
He also gained a broader perspective on how the Conservancy works, collaborating not just with Teen Corps, but with zone gardeners, volunteers, and corporate groups. “Being a Teen Corps Mentor elevated. . . [my] . . . understanding and passion for the park, environmental science, and the Conservancy.”
For Maggie, mentorship offered a balance of responsibility and connection. “During my time as a mentor, I have developed my organizational and leadership skills, tried to hone the balance between being a friend and being a boss, and spent time with people of all backgrounds and skill sets.”
Three years ago, Maggie would have never imagined working 20+ hours a week outdoors. Now, she sees the park as a source of community and personal growth.
“Instead of being able to just zone out and weed, I had to learn how to lead and help my companions. I learned how to act professionally, when it was time to act professionally, and how to lead with my words and my actions.”
He also gained a broader perspective on how the Conservancy works, collaborating not just with Teen Corps, but with zone gardeners, volunteers, and corporate groups. “Being a Teen Corps Mentor elevated. . . [my] . . . understanding and passion for the park, environmental science, and the Conservancy.”
For Maggie, mentorship offered a balance of responsibility and connection. “During my time as a mentor, I have developed my organizational and leadership skills, tried to hone the balance between being a friend and being a boss, and spent time with people of all backgrounds and skill sets.”
Three years ago, Maggie would have never imagined working 20+ hours a week outdoors. Now, she sees the park as a source of community and personal growth.
“My time here has been a formative experience. I have cultivated an interest in the natural world and in horticulture that was previously unknown to me, I have forged close working relationships with adults at the Conservancy and learned so much about myself along the way.”
For both Danil and Maggie, the Teen Corps Mentor role was a step up in responsibility that left them with a lasting connection to Riverside Park.
As Maggie put it, “It takes time to develop a proper connection with a space… I feel like I know Riverside Park more now. It’s familiar to me.”
And as Danil summed up, “Teen Corps gave me an appreciation… being a Teen Corps Mentor gave me a passion.”
We are so proud of our Teen Corps Mentors and all that they accomplished this summer. Their journeys remind us that when young people are given the chance to care for a park, the park gives something back in return: skills, confidence, and a lifelong sense of stewardship.