We mentor and employ high school and college-bound students from The Howard School.

Chattanooga’s first public school founded in 1865 and one of the oldest predominantly Black schools in the nation.

In 2012, Chattanooga’s first public school and one of the nation’s oldest predominantly Black schools partnered with LMC.

The Howard Leadership Program prepares students for college, careers and life. We boast a 100% graduation rate, with alums becoming engineers, land trust specialists and future doctors.

It began with a convergence of relationships.

In 2012, The Howard School had applied for a Tennessee American Water grant at the same time LMC’s Robyn Carlton approached school leaders with a question:

‍How can we help?

The answer came quickly: let’s use the grant to build a program together.

Howard School Interns work in the greenhouse

Thanks to Tennessee American Water, the origin of The Howard Leadership Program was born. Over the years, dozens of students have become interns, learning life-and-career skills while earning a sturdy paycheck.

Responsible for trail and park maintenance - from the bouldering park to all 16 miles of LMC trails - our interns have moved mountains - literally - to create landing pads, trails and parks. Our pollinator gardens? Food forest? Raised bed gardens?

All intern-run.

Thanks to our generous supporters, LMC also provides full college tuition assistance for all graduates. So far, six former interns have graduated college, debt-free.

The program gained national recognition, as other land trusts across the US began creating similar intern opportunities. In her dissertation, Dr. Robyn’s Carlton’s examined the strong correlation between The Howard Leadership Program and a reduction in lingering trauma in students with multiple Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) as the program’s curriculum leads to increased confidence, emotional maturity, intellectual growth and stronger relationships.

Recently, our interns wrote a letter of thanks:

Each day at Lookout Mountain Conservancy, we work hard to support one another and expand, beautify and protect the land around us. We’re contributing to nature every day, all year, for current and future generations to come.

We truly appreciate all that you’ve done for each and every one of us. Your support and time have given us all these opportunities to reflect on our past and see how far we’ve come and everything we’ve accomplished.

Most importantly, we believe the best is yet to come.

See you on the trails.

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