WOODLAWN CONSERVANCY INC

WOODLAWN'S SIGNATURE PROGRAM, BRIDGE TO CRAFTS CAREERS, SUCCESSFULLY TAUGHT FOUR COHORTS OF YOUNG PEOPLE AGES 18-24 TO MAKE THEM JOB READY IN MASONRY PRESERVATION, LANDSCAPE RESTORATION. METALS CONSERVATION, AND GENERAL MAINTENANCE AND CONSTRUCTION. THE MASONRY AND LANDSCAPE COHORTS BEGAN IN THE SPRING OF 2023 AND THE MASONRY INTERNS LEARNED HOW TO CLEAN AND POINT MAUSOLEUMS AS WELL AS BUILD SCAFFOLDING. FIFTEEN INTERNS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE PROGRAM AND ALL INTERNS RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING CERTIFICATIONS: OSHA-30, 10 HR. SITE SAFETY, JAHN MORTAR, MAN LIFT OPERATIONS AND BUILDING STATIONERY SCAFFOLDING. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE PROGRAM, 2 INTERNS WERE SELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN A YEAR-LONG APPRENTICESHIP AT WOODLAWN, WORKING UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF WOODLAWN'S MASTER CRAFTSMEN. INTERNS LEARNED TREE IDENTIFICATION, TURF MAINTENANCE, HAND PRUNING AND THE USE OF HAND-TOOLS SUCH AS PRUNERS, HAND SAWS AND STRING TRIMMERS. INTERNS RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING CERTIFICATIONS: OSHA-30, 10 HR. SITE SAFETY, MAN-LIFT OPERATIONS, FIRST AID/CPR AND FLAGGING. INTERNS FROM THIS COHORT HAVE GONE ON TO EMPLOYMENT WITH THE HIGH LINE, BATTERY PARK, THE DAVEY TREE COMPANY, CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY, VAN CORTLANDT PARK, AND WITH PRIVATE LANDSCAPERS.IN THE FALL OF 2024, WOODLAWN CONSERVANCY INTRODUCED TWO NEW TRAINING PROGRAMS, ONE IN METALS CONSERVATION, AND ONE IN COMMUNITY RESTORATION TO LEARN GENERAL MAINTENANCE. EACH COHORT HAD 10 INTERNS AND ALL RECEIVED OSHA-30, 10 HOUR SITE SAFETY, MAN-LIFT AND SCAFFOLDING CERTIFICATION. INTERNS IN THE METALS RESTORATION COHORT LEARNED CLEANING, WAXING, AND REMOVAL OF PATINAS. THEY HAVE GONE ON TO JOBS WITH ALLEN METALS AND CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY. INTERNS IN THE COMMUNITY RESTORATION COHORT LEARNED POWER WASHING, GRAFFITI REMOVAL, POT-HOLE REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE OF STREET TREES. INTERNS FROM THIS COHORT HAVE OBTAINED JOBS AS BUILDING PORTERS AND PARKS WORKERS.IN THE SUMMER OF 2024, WOODLAWN CONSERVANCY HOSTED 20 STUDENTS FROM BRONX INTERNATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL AND BRONX LAB SCHOOL IN THE SUMMER YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM HISTORIC PRESERVATION SUMMER SCHOOL. THIS 6-WEEK PROGRAM INTRODUCED HIGH SCHOOL JUNIORS AND SENIORS, ALL RECENT IMMIGRANTS TO THE US, TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION, AND LANDSCAPING THROUGH A CURRICULUM OF SKETCHING, MEASURING, PHOTOGRAPHING, RESEARCHING, MOSAIC MAKING AND VISITING HISTORIC SITES. THIS PROGRAM IS INTEGRAL TO THE RECRUITMENT OF INTERNS FOR THE BRIDGE TO CRAFTS CAREERS PROGRAM.ALL OF THESE ACTIVITIES SUPPORT THE MISSION OF ENHANCING WOODLAWN AS A NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK.

THE WOODLAWN CONSERVANCY PRESENTS AN ON-GOING CALENDAR OF TOURS, CONCERTS, LECTURES, AND SPECIAL EVENTS, AS WELL AS PARTNERS WITH BRONX-BASED ARTS GROUPS THAT NEED PRESENTATION SPACE. PUBLIC PROGRAMS INCLUDE WOMEN'S HISTORY TOUR, BLACK HISTORY MONTH TOUR, JAZZ HERITAGE TOUR, ART AND ARCHITECTURE TOURS, AUTHOR TALKS ON RECENT BOOKS ABOUT NOTABLES BURIED AT WOODLAWN, AND JAZZ CONCERTS. THE CONSERVANCY ALSO PARTICIPATES IN NYC-WIDE EVENTS INCLUDING JANE'S WALK AND OPEN HOUSE NY. PROGRAM PARTNERS INCLUDE JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER, NY TRANSIT MUSEUM, NYC AUDUBON SOCIETY, BRONX ARTS ENSEMBLE AND THE BRONX HISTORICAL SOCIETY. THERE WERE ABOUT 53 PUBLIC EVENTS AND TOUR IN 2024 AND 50 PRIVATE TOURS FOR SCHOOL STUDENTS AND ADULT EDUCATION GROUPSANOTHER SIGNATURE PROGRAM OF THE WOODLAWN CONSERVANCY IS THE PLACEMENT OF FLAGS ON THE GRAVES OF OVER 8500 VETERANS EACH YEAR AT MEMORIAL DAY. THIS COMMUNITY BASED EFFORT HONORS THE SACRIFICE OF THOSE WHO SERVED OUR COUNTRY. THE CONSERVANCY WELCOMES APPROXIMATELY 100 COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS TO ASSIST IN THIS EFFORT.