Elm Tree Elementary and Fall Leaves at FMCP!

This past week, the vibrant energy of young volunteers from PS 211 Elm Tree Elementary lit up Flushing Meadows Corona Park! Equipped with gloves, compost bags, rakes—and plenty of enthusiasm—these students made a meaningful impact during our cleanup event.

For many of the 130 5th graders who participated, this was their first volunteering experience. It was a valuable opportunity to instill the importance of civic engagement and environmental stewardship in the next generation. Teachers and parents also joined, connecting with students to emphasize the value of teamwork and responsibility. Together they were able to collect 261 bags by the end of the afternoon! 

A huge shoutout to our event staff! Latisha Williams, the park's Deputy Administrator with over 20 years of experience at the Parks Department, demonstrated tool usage to the 5th graders at the event. Her expertise made the learning experience hands-on and engaging.

Another shoutout goes to our Project Development Coordinator, Michael DeVito. He is in charge of organizing volunteer events like these at Flushing Meadows Corona Park, and worked closely with some of the classes. He was also able to talk to some of the students, explaining how the process benefits the park by transforming the leaves into nutrient-rich compost.

Events like these are more than just about beautifying our park, it’s about connecting with our local schools and community groups and reminding them how powerful community partnership can be for creating positive change. 

We are so grateful for PS 211 Elm Elementary for all their hard work and dedication to keeping our park clean. 

Interested in organizing similar events? Please complete our volunteer application or email the Stewardship Team directly, volunteer@allianceforfmcp.org, to learn more about how to keep our park greener.

FMCP’s Stewardship Team is supported by generous funding from Con Edison