Training Student Organizers (TSO) motivates high school and intermediate school students to organize and participate in environmental improvement projects in their neighborhoods, schools, and homes.

Participating students learn about specific environmental issues -- water, energy, solid waste, noise, etc. and develop citizenship skills: needs assessment, public speaking, letter writing, knowledge of how city government functions, etc. Students are prepared for the future by their development of both stewardship skills and academic knowledge in science, math and social studies.

Most recently, with the award of a Hyatt Community Grant from Grand Hyatt New York, this year TSO will be able to engage 1,800 NYC school students in meaningful service-learning education and activities that emphasize energy use, conservation, climate change, sustainability, and habitat restoration. These budding environmental stewards will help make NYC a greener, cleaner, healthier city while learning behaviors that will make them thoughtful custodians of the planet for a lifetime. Grand Hyatt New York is proud to be one of only three hotels in New York City to be in the pilot program for "Green Hotels" by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and certified 4 out of 5 leaves from the program by Audubon International.

TSO is still unique in environmental education because it engages students in learning and acting on a broad range of environmental issues and services across an area from Jamaica, Queens to the Catskill Mountains. Students plant trees, get the city to fix broken fire hydrants and sidewalks, work with the transit authority to lower noise on the trains, educate others about eating healthy, locally grown food and conserving energy, etc.

Hundreds of participants have gone on to become involved in green projects in their own neighborhoods, study environmental science in college and graduate school, pursue green careers and simply participate more in the life of their communities.

"I really feel our project made a difference in our community, and that by doing these projects I am a better citizen. TSO changed my outlook on the city and the environment"

2005 TSO Participant

For more info, please contact Mike Zamm at mzamm@GrowNYC.org