28 THE QUEENS COURIER • AUGUST 22, 2019 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
Queens Public Library off ers free Citi Bike rides
BY BILL PARRY
bparry@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Queens Public Library, along with the
Brooklyn and New York public library systems,
are teaming with Citi Bike to provide
low-income New Yorkers to provide a
free month of the bike share service.
Residents of NYCHA developments
in western Queens or those that receive
SNAP benefi ts need only visit the circulation
desk of any library branch within a
Citi Bike service area to pick up a gift certifi
cate that will give them access to their
fi rst month for free.
“Citi Bike’s reduced fare gift certifi cates
will off er many people who visit our libraries
in western Queens and our tech lab at
the Queensbridge Houses equitable access
to a healthy transportation option that
respects the environment,” Queens Public
Library President and CEO Dennis M.
Walcott said. “We are delighted to work
with Citi Bike, Lyft , Healthfi rst, the New
York City Department of Transportation
and the Brooklyn and New York public
library systems to help set in motion
another opportunity for discovery, learning
and growth for New Yorkers.”
Th ose who qualify for the Reduced
Fare Bike Share program presented by
Healthfi rst will be provided with unlimited
45-minute rides during an initial
30-day period. Once the fi rst month is
complete, riders can choose to continue
their membership, paying just $5 a month
— less than the cost of two swipes of a
Metrocard. For added fl exibility, there is
no annual commitment or auto-renew.
Members can re-enroll at any time by
simply taking a Citi Bike trip once their
initial month is over, and their membership
will be activated for another 30-day
period.
“New York’s libraries serve as an indispensable
role in providing opportunity to
diverse communities, making the partnership
between Citi Bike and the city’s library
systems so exciting,” DOT Commissioner
Polly Trottenberg said. “Because it provides
such tremendous benefi ts, cycling
in New York City has been growing faster
than any other mode of travel. Getting
library users access to Citi Bike will be
another way to further grow the nation’s
largest bike share program.”
Th e partnership marks the fi rst anniversary
of the Reduced Fare Bike Share program
which has seen more than 7,500 riders
take part for at least one month in the
past year. More than 3,500 are currently
enrolled in the program riding about
twice as frequently as those with annual
memberships.
“As key resources for New Yorkers, Citi
Bike and our public libraries are natural
partners,” said Caroline Samponaro, Head
of Micromobility Policy at Lyft , the operator
of Citi Bike. “As Citi Bike expands in
the coming years, so too will our eff orts
to ensure that the system is accessible and
equitable for everyone. We’re thrilled to
begin this innovative partnership to bring
aff ordable bikeshare to more low-income
residents across New York this summer.”
August Martin students take part in summer jobs that double as STEM experience
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
For the past three years, students at
August Martin High School in South
Jamaica have had the opportunity to
participate in a unique summer youth
employment program that blends
for-credit academics, personal development
and engagement through environmental
sustainability through career
exploration and service learning.
Th e CareerCLUE program is an initiative
of the NYC Department of Education
(NYC DOE) and the NYC Department
of Youth and Community Development
Summer Youth Employment Program
(DYCD, SYEP). Solar One is a nonprofi
t organization that delivers environmental
education programming to New
Yorkers of all ages throughout the fi ve
boroughs and beyond, and was the fi rst
nonprofi t STEM Education partner for
CareerCLUE, which has now expanded
throughout the city.
Solar One’s CareerCLUE program
builds student knowledge through
experiential learning while imparting
the mix of skills necessary to thrive in
the emerging green careers of the 21st
century.
“CareerCLUE provides experience for
14- and 15-year-olds to get paid while
learning about green jobs and careers
growing here in New York City,” said
Karen Alsen, director of education at
Solar One. “During this program we
deliver our green design lab curriculum,
which is our K-12 curriculum. It focuses
on environmental sustainability, energy,
food, water, materials, recycling and
air quality.”
August Martin High School, located at
156-10 Baisley Blvd., is one of six schools
participating in the six-week summer
program, which runs from July 8 to Aug.
15. CareerCLUE was launched at August
Martin in 2016 and has received a positive
evaluation from students.
“I hope this program lasts a very long
time,” said Treasure Russell, 15, a rising
junior. “It’s very fun and educational
for science. I wanted to learn about topics
like water pollution and how our food
was sent to us. So far, I’ve learned the different
types of farming, food waste and
the amount of water we use … we built
solar cars, went on trips to diff erent areas
like a recycling center in Brooklyn.”
Th e students with their solar energy
cars they learned how to build in the
program.
For Abdul Ahmed, 15, also
a junior, enjoyed spending his
summer days learning inside
and outside of the classroom
while receiving a stipend and
academic credit for his participation.
August Martin junior Abdul
Ahmed (Courtesy of Solar
One)
“I thought it would be a good
thing for me and I learned a
lot from this program — the
food that we eat, how we can
use solar panels for energy, the
rising sea levels,” Ahmed said.
“Th e program is a fun process
but it can be work, it’s fair.
Overall, it was a great experience
and I’ll continue to go on trips and
learn more about what is going on in the
world.”
Th e students will wrap up their summer
service learning experience with a fi nal
presentation on Aug. 15.
According to Bruno Estrada, an environmental
educator at Solar One,
CareerCLUE provides students with a
holistic summer job employment opportunity,
while engaging in STEM-related
activities.
“Many times many of these students
don’t have the opportunity to get a job
over the summer because of their age or
because they may not have the experience
or necessary skills to hold a job,” Estrada
said. “One of the greatest impacts of the
program is having that work experience
… although it’s a classroom setting, they
sign in everyday, they go through evaluations
every three weeks and work on a
group project together. It’s a step into what
work life is like, and keeps them motivated
throughout the year.”
(Courtesy of Solar One)
Solar One’s CareerCLUE program was
recently selected as a 2019 winner of the
national UL Innovative Education Award
(ULIEA) and will receive $50,000 to further
expand its summer youth program
for low-income and at-risk students. Th e
UL Innovative Education Award is a fi rstof
its-kind initiative designed to invest up
to $250,000 annually in environmental
and STEM education, sustainable communities
and youth empowerment.
“We’re super excited to receive this
funding to allow us to support the existing
program but to also expand it hopefully
for next year, to just continue to
improve it and to particularly improve the
experience the students had,” Alsen said.
Th e ULIEA program is celebrating fi ve
years of recognizing organizations that
demonstrate eff ective educational programming
and community engagement.
Past winners have promoted E-STEM in
a variety of ways, which include providing
opportunities to make direct improvements
in their communities, using handson
education through experiences like
cleaning up a mock oil spill and onboard
fl oating classrooms.
“Th ere has never been a more important
time to engage youth across North
America in environmental issues and
education,” said Christiane Maertens,
program director for the UL Innovative
Education Award. “Th e partnership
with UL and NAAEE has demonstrated
increased interest in E-STEM among
youth.”
Courtesy of Citi Bike
Queens Public Library is taking part in a program that allows a free month of Citi Bike rides to NYCHA
resident in western Queens.
Courtesy of Solar One
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