For three weeks last fall, when students from New Start High School in Burien finished the school day, they went home dirty, scratched up and exhausted. They worked in the rain and snow and their "homework" was piled everywhere -- giant mounds of Himalayan blackberries and English ivy they cleared by hand -- and they couldn't have been prouder.

Up to 20 high-schoolers worked on a habitat restoration project at Salmon Creek Park and Salmon Park Ravine as part of New Start's hands-on science curriculum. Their efforts and dedication to environmental stewardship earned them King County's "Earth Heroes at School" award presented April 14 by King County Executive Dow Constantine.

"It's a good thing because you're helping your environment, getting to know your fellow schoolmates better and it's good physical exercise!" says Fidel Trower-Kelly, a New Start student.

The project's goal is to rid the park and ravine of invasive, non-indigenous plants and replant the areas with native species. New Start, the Highline School District's alternative school for at-risk youth, began the program three years ago. By 2010, the city of Burien, the Environmental Science Center at Seahurst Park and community volunteers joined as collaborating partners.

"Working with the larger community really helped us get things done that we probably couldn't have otherwise," says Beverly Mowrer, the New Start science teacher currently spearheading the project.

Transportation, tools and instruction were either loaned or donated. During the three-week, intensive mini-quarter held from Nov. 29 to Dec. 17, students divided their time between classroom instruction and fieldwork. Ultimately, they cleared 14,000 square feet of land between the two sites. Many of the native plants they used for repopulation were grown at New Start's on-site nursery.

Retiree John Feeney, a Burien resident, is an 18-year member of the Washington Farm Forestry Association and volunteered his expertise last fall.

"It provided the kids with experience in identifying native plants and learning why they're necessary as far as helping things such as keeping streams unpolluted," he says. The students undoubtedly benefit from the science education, but Feeney considers the overall experience equally important.

Even outside of school, students are visiting the sites and tending the plants.

"I walk through a couple times a week," says New Start student Solomon Hammond.

Feeney isn't surprised by the program's positive impact. "Working in the soil and being outside, you feel connected and a part of the world around you," he says. "It rounds out your education."

Feeney continues volunteering, sometimes up to 35 hours a week. With student help, his current project is constructing an 8-by-12-foot greenhouse Mowrer procured through a donation. It is the next step in advancing New Start's plant-nursery and habitat restoration program.
It has taken a community of goodwill to help the project grow, but everyone agrees that the students are the superstars.

"I think everyone was shocked and impressed at how hard the kids worked," says Mowrer. "They showed up and worked their tails off!"

Lisa Aumann, Burien's Adopt-A-Park coordinator, witnessed their dedication while on-site during the project. "Some of these kids are struggling in their own daily lives and I was really impressed with how hard they worked and the commitment they showed," says Aumann. She wrote and submitted the nomination for the Earth Heroes award.

It is the first project the city of Burien has ever submitted. While it is not accompanied by a monetary reward, Mowrer hopes the Earth Heroes recognition will be beneficial when applying for future grants.

The students summarize the award's greatest meaning. "It reinforced my interest in science," says Trower-Kelly, adding that, "It makes it feel like this isn't just about earning school credit."

Both Trower-Kelly and Hammond are ready to get back in the field. They still have work to do. "Those blackberries - I just hate 'em," Hammond says firmly.