Partners for a Healthier Community

The Bioreserve Youth Corps gives students at B.M.C. Durfee High School the opportunity to learn how to set up water testing laboratories, use global positioning receivers to map vernal pools or to do a number of tasks that help to monitor or improve the quality of the Fall River environment. Operated by the Trustees of Reservations program in Fall River, the program employs three students who earn $6.75 an hour for ten hours of work a week after school and on weekends during the school year. This internship, part of the City's School-to-Career program operated by the school system, offers academic credits to students who participate. Funding was provided by the Robert F. Stocio/First Federal Savings Bank Charitable Foundation.

(Top row, from left) Bristol County Agricultural High School junior Amanda Delima takes a sample of water from Blossom Brook in the Bioreserve. B.M.C. Durfee High School senior, Bruno Ventura performs an analysis of water's quality. Ventura plans to major in environmental science in college. (Middle row) Bruno and Amanda are joined by Durfee High School senior Sam Phin as they measure the flow rate of the brook. (Bottom row) Youth Corp members work on locating vernal pools in Copicut Woods using a global positioning satellite receiver. The Bioreserve Youth Corps is open to any high school student who applies for the program through The Trustees of Reservations. Anyone interested in the program may contact Bioreserve Outreach and Education Coordinator Linton Harrington by e-mail at Lharrington@ttor.org.