YES! Gave Them the Chance
- CDC-PHP Media Communications
- Apr 3
- 2 min read
Updated: Apr 4
In Pembroke-Hopkins Park, there’s a trail you won’t find on any map. It wasn’t built by experts—but by teens who never imagined they’d become conservation leaders... until YES! gave them the chance. For 8-10 weeks every summer, teens like Daquan trade uncertain futures for boots, backpacks, and purpose. Thanks to donors like you, they:
Earn wages while restoring trails at the Kankakee Wildlife Refuge.
Track endangered turtles alongside biologists, logging data that protects species.
Build fences, clear invasive plants, and learn skills that translate to careers.
Discover pride in their community’s rare ecosystems—and their role in preserving them.
Last year, your support equipped each student with $150 of gear: waterproof boots, compasses, first aid kits—tools that said, “You belong here.”
Why This Matters
Pembroke-Hopkins Park sits on land stewarded for generations by Potawatomi, Odawa, and Ojibwe communities. Today, its sand savannas and biodiversity are a global treasure—but its youth face few opportunities.
YES! changes that.
For Deshondre, it meant overcoming his fear of ticks to become a certified CPR responder.
For Anne, it sparked a passion for botany after she helped catalog 85+ plant species.
For Christine, it was the confidence to lead a community plant giveaway, handing out seedlings to neighbors.
“Before YES!, I didn’t think people like me worked in conservation,” Daquan admits. “Now I know—this land needs us.”
Your Impact in Numbers
$50,000 will fund next summer’s crew, covering:
Wages for 8-10 local teens
Gear and training
Field trips to places like Starved Rock, where kids see conservation careers in action
Your Gift Makes This Possible
$50 provides a durable journal and compass, helping a student document their journey.
$150 outfits one young leader with essential gear—from mosquito jackets to first aid kits—keeping them safe as they work.
$1,000 sponsors a student’s entire experience, including hands-on training and mentorship.
$5,000+ (Sponsorship Level) ensures a full crew can work for an entire season, planting seeds of change.
A Legacy of Stewardship
When donors like you invest in YES!, you’re not just funding a summer job. You’re planting seeds for:
✅ Stronger communities (teams that clean parks and teach neighbors).
✅ Brighter futures (last year’s crew leader now studies environmental science).
✅ Protected land (every invasive species removed helps Pembroke’s ecosystems thrive).
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Join Us at the Guiding Stars Gala
This year, we aim to raise $50,000 to empower 6-8 more students like Deshondre, Christine, and Anne. By purchasing a ticket or becoming a sponsor, you’re not just attending a gala—you’re investing in the next generation of Eco Ambassadors.
Together, we can turn their potential into progress.
Will you help light the way?
“We inherit what they preserved. Let’s forward it.” —CDC-PHP
P.S. Daquan’s crew left behind a new trail at the Mskoda Preserve. Your gift ensures more teens will walk it—and build their own paths. Thank you.
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