A Rewarding Westchester Summer

(YWAA photos)

Natalie Warren '17 (above, L), YWAA's Community Service Intern for 2014, spent the summer working as a counselor at Camp Success for Family Services of Westchester.  Camp Success, a "camp on wheels," permits children with emotional challenges to travel to various activities across Westchester and beyond.

Warren had an opportunity, also, to volunteer for a week at the Sustainable Garden Project on the grounds of Scarsdale High School. The Scarsdale Garden, a Yale Day of Service site in recent years, is directed by Maggie Favretti '85 (above, R).  It produces over 1,000 pounds of food each year, much of which is distributed to food pantries in the Westchester area.


After her stints as an intern and as a Scarsdale volunteer, Warren, a Berea, KY, native, heads back to New Haven and Morse College for her sophomore year in a few weeks.

Favretti, too, has had a memorable summer, which will become even more special in the next two weeks. Her leadership of the Garden Project has attracted White House attention.  On Aug. 12, she will travel to Washington and the White House, where she will receive an Honorable Mention for the Presidential Innovation in Environmental Education award.

Besides food for pantries, the Garden Project has promoted the importance of garden communities throughout the area.  Favretti helped lead a conference in building gardening communities in Scarsdale in April; over 100 attended the day-long sessions on gardening techniques, collaborative problem-solving, and food and nutrition challenges.