City Parks Foundation (CPF) is the only independent, nonprofit organization to offer park programs throughout the five boroughs of New York City. We work in over 750 parks citywide, presenting a broad range of free arts, sports, and education programs, and empowering citizens to support their parks on a local level. Our programs and community building initiatives reach more than 600,000 people each year, contributing to the revitalization of neighborhoods throughout New York City.
Coastal Classrooms Testimonials
Nathaniel Shelness, Education Assistant
Last year I worked with an afterschool program at I.S. 126 Q Albert Shanker School for Visual and Performing Arts in Long Island City, Queens. Despite the school's proximity to the East River—we were fewer than three blocks away—students did not recognize the river as "nature." This changed when the Coastal Classroom sent a biologist to lead a workshop for the school. Our students donned waders and made their way into the East River, which they learned was really a tidal strait inhabited by all sorts of cool creatures. More than learning about the river so close to their school, our students benefited from the experience of taking a close and critical look at the environment around them. With the help of the biologist from Coastal Classroom, what many students previously believed to be a murky, dirty waterway was revealed to be a rich ecosystem thriving with wildlife. Their perceptions of their surroundings changed and they began to realize that first impressions and cursory observations aren't always the last word—for middle school students I think this is a huge achievement. I'd like to thank the Coastal Classroom and the City Parks Foundation for making this memorable experience possible.
In all of its programming and activities, City Parks Foundation partners with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation to improve neighborhood parks and the communities they serve.
