Below are opportunities for you to get involved in real local projects that promote sustainability in some way.
All students are free to join in on these activities
For APES students: You need an 8 hours of community service this year (4 each grading period)
Instructions on how to write your step-up reflection
Download a approval and verification form (needed for ALL placements except Eco-Action or lunch composting)
Download an Independent Project time sheet (if you are working on an independent project - Pre-approval necessary)
Step up hours and essay are due on the Monday before the last day of each grading period
All are welcome. We meet once a week after school, rain or shine from 4-6 pm on Thursday. Our first day will be Thursday, Aug 31 (first week of school!)
We meet every Thursday in our Eco-Action garden behind D wing after school. We plant, build, organize... whatever needs to be done! <sklakovich@chccs.k12.nc.us>
AFTER SCHOOL - Sign up HERE (This will open at exactly 4pm on Tue, Aug 26)
Check your total Eco-Action hours HERE
You do NOT need a verification form for these hours!
Moving our school to zero waste means we must increase the amount we compost. We need compost ambassadors that will talk with students at lunch and make sure they are correctly using the new compost system we are using this year. Working 4 lunches will count for 4 hours of service.
1 - You must be trained first! Put your name on THIS form. There will be a training Thursday, Sept 4 at lunch in Room D224.
2 - After you've done your training, sign up for ambassador lunch spots HERE
3 - Show up when you signed up and help CHS compost!
You do NOT need a verification form for these hours!
Josephine Craig <jecraig@students.chccs.k12.nc.us> is our Compost Supervisor this year. They are the one to send a thank you note to after your service.
A football game, Culturefest, community dinner, or any other school event can be made more sustainable!
Help our community become more sustainable by providing proper waste bins at a school event. (compost!) You could also be sure that only compostable items will be used (forks, plates, cups... ) This will take a bit of organizing and documentation but what a great way of spreading the word about waste! Contact Mr. Klakovich <sklakovich@chccs.k12.nc.us>
You must have THIS liability waiver signed by a parent (Bring signed to the event)
Please email Dale Morgan at dmorgan@townofchapelhill.org
September 19 - Science trivia night
October 24 - TBA
November 21 - TBA
December 19 - TBA
Freund, Will <wfreund@unc.edu>
For real Science nerds, there is another event that meets the second Tuesday of every month that is catered to an adult audience. Find out more about the Carolina Science Cafe HERE. If there is a topic that you are interested in, this could be a very satisfying evening for you.
September 14, 2025 1-3 pm
October 12, 2025 1-3 pm
November 9, 2025 1-3 pm
The PTA invites you to come help spruce up our school! Roll up your sleeves and dig in the dirt with us!
Please bring your garden gloves if you have them
Sign up HERE
Heather S. Kennealy <hskennealy@gmail.com>
Rewild Earth is here to make it is easy for you to help save native species from extinction. For all the events listed on this site, unless otherwise mentioned we provide all the gear you will need: protective eyewear, gloves, saws, loppers, etc. All you have to do is show up and be ready to work hard. You'll be amazed to see how much impact you can have in just a couple of hours. An impact that will last for decades! Help us stop human-caused extinctions by clicking on the Join us button! Be sure to accept the waiver of liability
HERE is a link to their upcoming events workdays. Click on Take Action! Many opportunities are on Saturdays and Sundays
Steven Feuerstein <steven.feuerstein@gmail.com>
This organization's mission is to grow deep connections between children and the natural world. Our high school Eco-Crew works with us at the site one Saturday each month. Their volunteer efforts can be seen in improvements to our Learning Garden, out on the trails, and in the ongoing maintenance and enhancement of our outdoor learning spaces. The dates for this year's eco-crew are:
Sept 20, 9:00-12:00
Oct 11, 9:00-12:00
Nov 8, 9:00-12:00
Dec 6, 9:00-12:00
Feb 7, 10:00-1:00
Mar 14, 10:00-2:00
Mar 21. 10:00-2:00
Apr 18, 9:00-12:00,
May TBD
interested students should email Emma, at emma.nadeau@gmail.com to be added to our Eco Crew list. By joining that list, they will get monthly invitations via email for each workday and will also be notified about any changes in the workday schedule.
shelby@learningoutside.org
Saturday, TBA, 10 am – 12:30 pm
We are looking forward to your next opportunity to get outside, meet interesting people, and make a difference while working to beautify the trail.
Just an hour or two of your time can make a difference as we continue the forest restoration project to benefit the wildlife, health, and appearance of the trail. We will meet in the area near the pedestrian bridge at the Daley Road entrance to the Booker Creek Trail.
· Place: The Booker Creek Trail near the Daley Road entrance. https://goo.gl/maps/Uj7dji1thsuSEdC47
· Parking: Please be aware of the No Parking signs at the trails entrance and locate a parking spot on the street where the signs are not posted.
· Tools: We will have tools and gloves available for your use but if you have your own, please bring them along as we tend to run short.
· Sign-up: volunteersignup.org/KHRE4
· Please complete the online volunteer form every time you volunteer: CH Parks & Recs. Volunteer Form.
Jeanette Bench <jeanettebench82@gmail.com>
Sponsored by the Friends of Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation
Volunteer work days scheduled on Monday and Thursday evenings from 4 PM - 8 PM, Wednesday and Friday mornings from 10 AM – 12 PM, and on the second Saturday of each month (times vary with the seasons).
Tasks usually involve things such as starting seedlings, Planting directly in the garden or field, Mulching beds, Turning compost, Weeding, Harvesting, Special projects like building trellises, Trail maintenance. Volunteers should wear closed-toed shoes, dress for the weather, and bring a water bottle. Everyone is welcome. Youth under the age of 18 must have a valid drivers license and bring a signed waiver form.
All volunteers must complete a Visitor Liability and Media Release.
An online volunteer sign up can be found at here.
Jessamine Hyatt <hyatt.jessamine@gmail.com>
Contact the link below to find out about opportunities that are coming up
This is a great organization that supports women who have recently come out of jail and need help.
They host volunteer opportunities once a month on their farm.
If you plan to come and you are under 18, be sure to print and fill out THIS WAIVER form
Check out their webpage for more information
There are lots of projects that you could organize and complete. Be sure to to get preapproval! You will need to Download an Independent Project Time Sheet
Here are just a few ideas:
Battery recycling - Be in charge of our battery recycling program. Monitor collection, take batteries to recycling center, promote awareness, plan events
Be in charge of composting at school events - Make signage, set up and break down composting at a dance, dinner, or other event
Every year, CHS tries to DEREASE the amount of food scraps and other compostables that get thrown in the garbage
We need someone who will organize our compost ambassadors. You do not need leadership experience to do this but you will need a strong desire to BE a leader. You will work with Mr Klakovich to implement, monitor and improve our composting system. In the past, this postion has been called the Compost Queen! (or King) Talk with Mr. Klakovich or send him an email if you are interested sklakovich@chccs.k12nc.us
Sunday, April 6, 12-4pm
The town of Carrboro needs volutneers to help with various tasks during their Earth Day festival.
If interested, please fill out THIS application
If you would like to help with our zero waste campaign, contact Megan Miller mamiller@students.chccs.k12.nc.us
Please register at info@bolincreek.org
This live staking workshop hosted by Friends of Bolin Creek will be led by Mitch Woodard from the NC State Extension Service with assistance from Michael Dupree, Urban Sustainability Solutions. Watch their demonstrations to learn how to stabilize and grow vegetation to decrease erosion and foster stream health.
Mitch Woodward mdwoodwa@ncsu.edu
Invasive Species Removal work day
November 16, 10am - 1pm
ABOUT THE PROJECT: We are calling one and all to help plant hundreds of native trees and plants in a Bolin Creek stream buffer, located in Phase 2 of Bolin Forest. This new vegetation will more than replace the invasive species we removed several weeks ago. The area to be planted includes the prize winning regenerative storm water conveyance that slows stormwater velocity. In addition to planting, we will relocate a pedestrian path in the wetlands that is causing sediment erosion into the creek.
We are thrilled to get help from the most knowledgeable professionals in the business, Mitch Woodard, NC State Extension Department, and Michael Dupree, Urban Sustainability Solutions, as well as support from many enthusiastic volunteers from Friends of Bolin Creek, Bolin Forest Phase II, and students and teachers from Carrboro High School. A state non-point source pollution grant paid for the stormwater conveyance, and a Carrboro Town grant will make purchase of the plants and trees possible.
SIGN UP HERE: We encourage you to RSVP to info@bolin.org. Bring garden gloves, shovel and trowel, if you have them. Refreshments will be provided.
WHERE TO MEET: If driving, parking is available at Forest Court condos off Bolin Creek Drive. Amber Court has limited parking. If walking, enter from Amber Court, Carrboro, and follow signs. Check in at the registration table.
Friends of Bolin Creek, Phase 2 Bolin Forest HOA, and Forest Court HOA are
co-sponsoring this activity with Rewild Earth.
Last Saturday of every month
October 26 - 10 to noon
Come volunteer to help us remove trash from our litter traps! These traps sit in urban creeks and streams keeping manmade trash from entering main waterways. These devices are built to withstand the rigors of flashy rain events, yet are passive enough not to harm the local fauna. Roadside littering accounts for approximately 75% of the trash in our nation’s waterways. Each time it rains, trash is funneled through our storm drain systems directly into our creeks. No filters or other mechanisms are in place to keep the trash from entering our waterways.
We have multiple trash trap locations in the watershed, so please check out our form below to find the one closest to you!
This Sunday, Sept 15th, we will be working with the MES Dad's Club to finish up the garden shed that will be located in the front quad of the school as well as spruce up the front area as well. This will mainly be weed pulling and trimming trees/bushes, gathering fallen branches, etc.. Here is the sign up and the flyer is attached.
Sunday, Sept. 22nd we will be joining Ariana Pancaldo, MES Resident Master Gardener, to work in the interior garden space. Specifically we have 5 raised bed gardens that need soil but there will be other areas of the garden to work in as well. PTA funded and Ariana built the new raised beds over the summer. if you haven't seen them - they are amazing and will support more garden education projects at MES.
HERE is a link with more information with information on how to sign up
Heather S. Kennealy <hskennealy@gmail.com>
Looking forward to your next opportunity to get outside, meet interesting people, and make a difference while working to beautify the trail? Just an hour or two of your time can make a difference as we continue the forest restoration project to benefit the wildlife, health, and appearance of the trail.
· Time: 10 am – 12:30 pm
· Place: The Booker Creek Trail near the Daley Road entrance. https://goo.gl/maps/Uj7dji1thsuSEdC47
· Parking: Please be aware of the No Parking signs at the trails entrance and locate a parking spot on the street where the signs are not posted.
· Tools: We will have tools and gloves available for your use but if you have your own, please bring them along as we tend to run short.
· Sign-up: volunteersignup.org/PK348
· Please complete the online volunteer form every time you volunteer: CH Parks & Recs. Volunteer Form.
The Town is sponsoring this event so any high school students that need volunteer hours this is your opportunity to secure them. Please be sure to sign in the morning of the event to get credit. The event is listed as Adopt A Trail on Booker Creek Feb. 10 in the letserv app.
Jeanette Bench <jeanettebench82@gmail.com>
We have been working with a local Carrboro neighborhood (102 Crest St.) to implement different stormwater management systems.
We will be hosting a community volunteer day to plant natives along the swales and in the community to aid water treatment.
Click HERE for more information
Suzy Schmalbeck <urbanss.org@gmail.com>
Saturday, March 23, 9-12 noon
FHave you ever participated in a trash clean up? Its much more fun than it sounds. Join other members of your community to help clean up Jordan Lake
Follow THIS link for more information including the liability waiver form
The town of Chapel Hill wants YOU to help monitor the water quality of our local creeks
You will be trained and given all the equipment that you need. This opportunity is limited to only 10 students
Learn more about it HERE
Sammy Bauer <sbauer@townofchapelhill.org>
Saturday, May 25, 9-11
NHS members will be on campus this Saturday from 9-11 to do a post- Boro Blowout campus cleanup
Timothy Walker twalker@chccs.k12.nc.us
Timothy Logue <tglogue@msn.com>
The PTSA is hosting another garden work day.Use the link below to sign up https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080A48A5AA2BA2F58-mcdougle
Saturday, October 15, 10 - 12:30
Japaneses Stiltgrass is a very damaging invasive species. We are going to remove a bunch of this plant to keep it out of the River. Help us keep it from spreading! You can read more about it here.
Students will need to complete THIS waiver form and bring it to the event.
You must emaill Mr. Logue in advance so he can estimate attendance.
We'll provide gloves as well as bug spray for students.
Timothy Logue <tglogue@msn.com>
Location:
Please meet at Forest Court Townhouses parking area at 100 Forest Ct, Carrboro, NC 27510. We will then walk to several adjacent home landscapes to discuss problem identification and possible solutions and cost. As parking is limited, if you live nearby, we ask that you walk over.
Workshop Description:
Water drainage issues around the home and surrounding landscape are a very common problem in our area. Poorly draining heavy clay soils combined with unmaintained & often clogged roof gutters and downspouts can lead to wet crawl spaces, rotted siding, erosion, and mosquitoes.
This outside, hands-on, practical educational workshop will be presented by Mitch Woodward, NC State University Cooperative Extension Water Quality Specialist as part of the Town of Carrboro EPA - 319 Stormwater Grant in partnership with 5 Carrboro area neighborhoods and Friends of Bolin Creek. We will meet in Forest Court parking area and start our walking tour of nearby residences at 9:00 AM sharp. This workshop will be held rain or shine, so please come prepared to be outside for about 2 hours walking to nearby landscapes to identify water issues and discuss solutions!
Please RSVP your attendance by October 27 to dshoffner@carrboronc.gov
Sunday, Nov 14 (11-3pm)
I am looking for 2 - 4 students to participate in the Friends of Bolin Creek table at the 2022 Food Truck rodeo devoted to non profits and worthwhile causes. It will be held at the Legion Park from 11 am - to 3 pm next Sunday, November 13th. Two students each could sign up for 11 - 1 pm, and from 1 - 3 pm. Our table will feature posters telling about our watersheds and where our water comes from, and the importance of maintaining our foresst to maintain the health of our creeks. Students can choose among these activities: (1) do a demo on the role or trees; (2) conduct a hands on experiment with sod and water absorption vs impervious surfaces and; (3) lead visitors in a game of "guess the forest critter"
Interested students should contact: Julie Mcclintock <mcclintock.julie@gmail.com>
We need a video to show in Real Talk next year to teach all students how to compost. Anyone can make a video and earn hours, but the winner's video will be shown in Real Talk next year. Here are the requirements:
1-3 people per video
Video must be visually appealing, easy to follow, and produce a correct, clear message about why and how we compost
Video should be 2-3 minutes long and include:
a quick intro about why composting matters (compost in landfills produces methane, which increases global temperatures, contributing to harmful effects of global warming)
what can and cannot go in compost
where to find compost bins during lunch
If you're interested, print a personal project time sheet to keep track of time spent on your video (found on Mr. Klakovich's page), and email the finished product to me!
Don't hesitate to email me with any questions!
Kate Adams <kmadams@students.chccs.k12.nc.us>
The OCBA will provide:
Free enrollment in a beekeeping course provided by OCBA in Hillsboro, including textbook
Full free membership to the OCBA for a whole year
Beekeeping equipment (veil, jacket, hive tool, smoker)
Hive boxes and frames
Two 'packages' of bees
An experienced mentor to guide them throughout the duration of the program.
The apprentice will be expected to:
Take care of their bees
Attend the bee school (held one night per week between the months of February and March, dates TBD)
Attend 8 of 11 OCBA meetings in Hillsborough
Give a presentation of the OCBA meeting at the end of their apprenticeship journey.
Keep records of their activities and share them at school at a date set by the main teacher at their school.
Participate in Outreach
Purchase any additional supplies needed ($50-150) with support of their parents or guardian
HERE is a link with more information with information on how to sign up
Jose Olmedo
1-919-791-5125
Apprenticeship Program Director
Orange County Beekeepers Association
Do you like working on computers or want to learn? This organization rebuilds old computers and donates them to people who need them. Check out their website for more information. They have Wednesday night and weekend workdays.