Awareness Raising On Manhattan Avenue

May 15, 2008 by missheather
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic

I knew something was up when a group of cherubic-faced group of teens entered the junk shop and asked me if they could put up fliers. I asked what the fliers were for. “They’re regarding the Greenpoint Oil Spill” they said. Then they proceeded to ask if I knew anything about it. To wit I said “yes” on both counts, e.g.; yes, they can put up fliers and yes, I knew about the oil spill. And in true “old fuck” fashion I proceeded to tell them about my lovely cruise down Newtown Creek last fall. They humored me.

After I got off work I noticed these kids have been very busy indeed! This chalk drawing hails from the corner of Manhattan Avenue and Green Street.

This one (my personal favorite) is located just across the street.

This one can be found just down the block to the north.

And this one hails a couple blocks to the south. Curious to know more about who (or what) was behind this latest awareness raising campaign I chased down this group of teens and asked them.

Apparently they are part of a special one semester (junior?) high school program. The school is located in Westchester county, but the students hail from all over the United States.

In addition to posting fliers and doing sidewalk drawings they were distributing these nifty homemade fliers.

Which feature a handy map of the oil spill on the back! They asked me if I wanted one. I said no thanks because “I have enough shit at home already”. They thought this was very funny. One even noted that it sounded like something her mother would say. I will refrain from commenting on that.

They eventually turned the table and asked me about what I knew about the oil spill. I gave them my two cents and was very relieved to learn my answer passed their muster. They, in turn, told me what they knew about oil spills, brown fields and the like.

They told me nothing I didn’t know already (mostly via the Gowanus Lounge and Newtown Creehave to admit I was impressed.

Come to think of it, they imparted to me one piece of information that was both disturbing and very telling: most of the people they had spoken with had no idea such an oil spill existed.

Miss Heather

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Comments

3 Comments on Awareness Raising On Manhattan Avenue

al oof on Thu, 15th May 2008 10:21 pm

the westchesterite in me really wants to know what school it is.

shannyn54 on Fri, 16th May 2008 3:04 pm

Ooh 97% sure that would CITYterm out of Dobbs Ferry. Greatest program ever. (www.cityterm.org)

anisoj on Sat, 17th May 2008 10:17 am

This is absolutely a CITYterm project. I teach these kids currently in a semester high school program that uses New York City as its classroom for experiential education. The kids worked on a three week study of Newtown Creek, then spent the day in the city doing activism. Check us out at http://www.cityterm.org and see what else we’re up to. Our kids are amazing! Thanks!

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