Originally published on SaportaReport.
By Hannah E. Jones, Park Pride’s Marketing & Communications Manager
It may be summer break now, but class is almost back in session! Our Director of Education, Eli Dickerson, is excitedly preparing for the third year of the Park Stewardship Academy (PSA).
PSA is a three-month educational and skill-building program that equips community members with the knowledge and skills needed to become stronger stewards and leaders within their neighborhood parks.
The 2025 cohort includes:
- Deionte Benson, Gresham Park (DeKalb County)
- Saratan Farrer, Herbert Greene Nature Preserve & Wilson Mill Park (City of Atlanta)
- Eunice Glover, West Manor Park (Atlanta)
- Bill Gould, Ormewood Forest (Atlanta)
- Olivia Hollis, Perkerson Park (Atlanta)
- Marianna Lee, Mountain Way Common (Atlanta)
- Rodney Mullins, Maddox Park (Atlanta)
- Michael Paul, Olmsted Linear Parks (Atlanta & DeKalb)
- Quanda Spencer, Outdoor Activity Center (Atlanta)
- James Tyler, Lionel Hampton Nature Preserve (Atlanta)
Beginning in September, the 2025 class will attend a series of sessions – both virtual and in-person during evenings and weekends – to fill out their park toolkit. The curriculum, crafted with care by Park Pride, will cover a wide range of topics, including telling your park story, communicating with elected officials, how to be an effective leader, public art and beautification, hosting events, engaging neighbors and more. A key theme is the art of storytelling.
“We will talk about how storytelling is really necessary to be an effective park advocate,” Eli said. “Fundraising, recruiting new members for your Friends of the Park group, volunteerism – Storytelling can be hugely helpful for all of those.”
He added: “I’m excited that they’ll get to share their stories and finetune their craft, which will help in their pursuit of improving, activating and advocating for their parks.”
Ultimately, PSA is about more than just working in parks; it’s about building a network of leadership. So far, 24 community members have graduated from PSA, stewarding 29 parks – 16 of which are in historically disinvested communities. Collectively, these PSA grads serve an estimated 50,000 residents across the City of Atlanta and DeKalb County.
While the program is only in its third year, similar organizations based in Austin, Philadelphia and Denver have expressed interest in modeling PSA in their respective cities.
The 2025 PSA class has big ideas for their parks, including hosting more community events, increased ecological health, and additional capital improvements to make their parks more comfortable to visit, like restrooms, picnic areas and water fountains.
Deionte Benson with the Friends of Gresham Park said that he is particularly drawn to PSA’s focus on community-based conservation, equity, and education.
“My goal is to gain practical skills in land management, native plant restoration, and ecological design, while also learning how to engage local communities in park planning and care,” he said. “I hope to bring this knowledge back to my own community.”
For Saratan Farrer with Herbert Greene Nature Preserve and Wilson Mill Park, her primary motivation for applying to PSA is to “learn practical strategies for hosting impactful events, activities, and volunteer opportunities that will bring neighbors together and foster a vibrant greenspace.”
She continued: “I hope to achieve a comprehensive skillset that empowers me to be a more effective park leader, ultimately enriching our community’s experience and connection to our park.”
After completing the program in December, each graduate will be eligible to apply for an activation grant to bring activity into the park. In the past, Friends of the Park groups have received modest grants that have helped to support community celebrations, Easter egg hunts, senior programming, invasive plant removal, environmental education, community-led beautification projects and more.
By the time the program comes to a close, Eli hopes that the 2025 class feels invigorated with the skills, knowledge and connections needed to take their parks to the next level. Through this experience, they are also joining a larger group of community members who are passionate about stewarding and improving their neighborhood greenspace.
“The bonds and relationships formed have continued long after completing the program,” Eli said. “I really appreciate how the past two cohorts have stayed connected and continue to learn from one another.”
Keep an eye out this fall for updates on what our 2025 PSA class is up to!