High school interns in the Port Richmond Partnership Leadership Academy (PRPLA) worked this summer with Alexa Dietrich, Associate Professor of Anthropology and Master Composter.
Students renovated a community garden demonstration site, learned the fundamentals of organic composting and experienced the joys of working in the soil.
The PRPLA is a 3-year commitment with a five-week summer intensive program, aimed to enhance and enrich the achievement of Port Richmond High School rising juniors and seniors, and future college first year students.
The Academy was s established by Wagner College and the New World Foundation COIN Program in the fall of 2013. It has become a truly unique program designed to deepen participants academic abilities as well as develop community capacity building skills to affect positive change locally. Academy participants are immersed in two innovative, credit-bearing high school or college courses during the summer intensive, in addition to completing a focused community advocacy project or internships and engaging in civic learning field trips throughout the summer and academic year.