OEI, Onondaga Earth Corps (OEC) and the Partnership for Onondaga Creek had a blast on February 2 with the new group of youth that comprise the Young Eco-cuse Explorer program (YECE).

YECE is a program for youth 11-14 in the City of Syracuse that focuses on environmental justice issues. It is run by the Partnership for Onondaga Creek with assistance from OEI and OEC.

The focus this year is on food security and food access. Youth meet for hands-on programs once a month throughout the year and attend a DEC sleep-away camp for one week during the summer. At the first session we all got to know each other through games and cooking a healthy breakfast. The organizers were pleased that we had so many vegetable eaters in the group and that many folks said they wanted to try cooking the breakfast burritos at home.

Future sessions will provide the youth with the opportunity to think about where their food comes from, plant and tend a vegetable garden and create a meal for their families from the bounty of the garden.