On Saturday, Tennessee state parks and natural areas will host volunteer events to help Tennessee Promise scholars log community-service hours required for the program.
Nearly 60 projects are planned, including clearing brush, limbs and invasive plants, planting flowers, building trails, assisting with community events and maintaining historic features.
“This is a great opportunity for young people to improve a state park or natural area while banking volunteer service hours and having fun in a beautiful setting all at the same time,” says Deputy Commissioner of Parks and Conservation Brock Hill.
The Tennessee Promise, one of Gov. Bill Haslam’s Drive to 55 initiatives to increase the number of Tennesseans with a post-secondary education to 55 percent by 2025, provides tuition-free community and technical college to recent high school graduates. All Tennessee Promise students using the program this fall are required to complete eight hours of community service by Aug. 1.
Below are eight of the closest activities. Almost all have a maximum number of participants that can be accommodated. Sturdy shoes and appropriate clothing will be necessary for the work. Participants also will want to tote water, snacks and/or lunch. To see the complete list of opportunities statewide, visit www.tnstateparks.com/about/special-event-cards/tn-promise-saturday.