Washington, D.C.--Congressman Eliot Engel announced the Friends of Van Cortlandt Park is receiving a $15,000 environment education grant from the federal Environmental Protection Agency for its Summer Environmental Internship Program.

The grant will fund summer jobs for 30 high school students at Van Cortlandt Park to give them first-hand experience in urban park management.

This work, said the Congressman, will give the students an understanding of the importance and difficulties of protecting the natural environment in parks which are enjoyed by thousands of visitors annually. They will work with environmental professionals to acquire environmental knowledge and skills and perform tasks reflecting their commitment to environmental stewardship.

The grant is part of the EPA’s program to have young people experience and understand how our air, water and land can be improved by people of all ages who know about and care for them. The grants program will give students the knowledge and skills they need to become the present and future caretakers of their environment.

EPA’s local and nationwide educational programs promote environmental stewardship and support excellence in environmental education. Since 1992, EPA has funded over $44 million in environmental education grants to support more than 3,000 projects across the country.