What is ELP?
A 10-week immersive summer program for high school students to connect with like-minded peers, network within the environmental community of Alabama, and cultivate professional skills in communication and scientific research!
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What is ELP?
The Environmental Leadership Program stems from the discerned need for more opportunities for engagement and tangible connection to the environmental and outdoor community of Birmingham, Alabama. In 2023, high school students approached our Swim Guide program asking for an opportunity to participate in the internship program. From this, we began brainstorming further educational opportunities for high school aged students.
The Environmental Leadership Program was created in 2024 and has since had two years of successful programming, providing a total of 25 students tangible ways to further their education and career goals to become young environmental leaders at their schools and into their community.
Program Highlights
Introductory Retreat
ELP 2025 kicked off with a three-day retreat at Living River Retreat on the Cahaba! The scholars built friendships, made s’mores, learned from Alabama Rivers Alliance through Southern Exposure films, and brainstormed for their environmental research projects. They learned about birds with Alabama Audubon, mussels at the Aquatic Biodiversity Center, and the Cahaba River at the Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge.
Field Trips & College Visits
All ELP scholars attend the once weekly field trips to meet and learn hands-on skills from professionals in the environmental sector of Birmingham, and the greater Alabama area. These trips consist of college and university visits to meet our partners and affiliates, as well as nonprofit and corporate partner field trips.
We connect the ELP scholars with other nonprofit organizations, such as Freshwater Land Trust, Jefferson County Greenways, and Cool Green Trees to connect them to other organizations they can be civically engaged with. Our partnership with corporate companies such as Carmeuse Longview and Colonial Pipeline also give the students a sense of future career opportunities in the corporate sector that invest and care for the environment.
Our collaboration with professors and affiliates of universities has given the ELP scholars the opportunity to visit various schools to learn about the vast opportunities to continue their education and further their aspirations to work in the environmental sector. We have taken students to Auburn University, the University of Alabama, Montevallo University, and the University of Alabama at Birmingham in past years.
In one impactful day, each field trip brings new ideas and opportunities to the ELP scholars as they continue to find their way towards making an impact for our environment in their own lives!
Community Connections
All ELP scholars are encouraged to attend other opportunities that Cahaba River Coalition hosts throughout the summer season. These opportunities include Tire Rodeo, the Urban Turtle Project, and various litter cleanups and fundraising events. As well as networking with professionals in the Birmingham environmental sector, our scholars are able to meet and learn from our college aged Swim Guide interns, and make connections with students attending colleges they are interested in.
Professional Development
The culminating event of ELP is the career expo and presentation day, where ELP scholars and family are invited to learn more from local environmental organizations and support the ELP scholars as they each presented their independent environmental research projects. This event allows the scholars to show what they have learned throughout their time in the Environmental Leadership Program, and to truly feel the accomplishment they have achieved!
ELP offers several professional development workshops and opportunities throughout the program. These include resume and LinkedIn building workshops, a career panel with professionals in the environmental nonprofit sector, and guidance on how to give a great presentation and practice with public speaking.
Independent Research Projects
The independent research projects are an exciting opportunity for ELP scholars to choose an environmental topic that interests them, and build a project that promotes sustainability or action towards environmental awareness in their own lives.
The topics have ranged from water quality testing in collaboration with our legacy Swim Guide program, to implementing rain gardens at their schools, to conducting biological surveys in their neighborhoods, to creating art installations out of litter, and more. ELP scholars have complete creative freedom to tailor the project to fit their unique interests, and weekly meetings with a CRC staff member or ELP ambassador allows the scholar to learn as they go!
Distinguished Scholars Award
The Distinguished Scholar Award is given to the scholars that showed exemplary effort throughout the program in all aspects of their project, attendance of field trips, professional development opportunities, and community connections. This award will allow the selected scholar to further their career and education goals. From the 2025 cohort, we proudly awarded the Distinguished Scholar Award to Wendy Contreras of Homewood High School, and Aeden Kramer of Helena High School!
Past Scholars
2024:
Ben C. - The Hillsboro School
Callie H. - Helena High School
Claire P. - The Hillsboro School
Edwin H. - Pelham High School
Elizabeth H. - Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School
Jourdan G. - McAdory High School
Julia K. - The Altamont School
Marquavion S. - Selma High School
Nathan H. - Hewitt Trussville High School
Victoria R. - John Carroll Catholic High School
Zoya A. - Alabama School of Fine Arts
2025: Aaron W. - Helena High School Aeden K. - Helena High School Addison W. - Hoover High School Alfia A. - Hoover High School De’Quan B. - Leeds High School Fisher C. - Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School Guillermo B. - Homewood High School Jaelynn W. - Homewood High School Marko M-K. - The Altamont School Meade P. - Homewood High School Molly V. - Hoover High School Paula W. - Magic City Acceptance Academy Wendy C. - Homewood High School
Past Sponsors
The Environmental Leadership Program cannot happen without the support of our sponsors, and collaboration from our partners! Thank you to everyone who has supported this program!
How to Get Involved
If you or someone you know would like to become involved with ELP, or other opportunities with Cahaba River Coalition, please complete the google form, and we will be in touch with further details!