The Neighborhood Partnership Committee was excited to help fund this program. These are the kinds of initiatives happening in Nicholtown that we like to see our yard sale proceeds support!
—Matt Rollins, Minister of Community Engagement
“Because of this program…I don’t feel weird when I stare too long at the leaves that I now know the names of. Or when I listen more closely to the birds and the bugs that I can now recognize the sound of. I don’t feel weird about being curious about things in nature that may seem insignificant to a lot of people.”
— Shekinah Sanchez, 2025 Sustaining Way Steward Youth Program Participant
Shekinah’s story encapsulates how Sustaining Way’s Youth Education Program prompts students to think more deeply about sustainability, the earth, and their role in environmental stewardship. Operated in partnership with local schools, after-school programs, and faith communities, the program reaches students K–12 across Greenville County, providing opportunities around:
• Growing sustainable and healthy food systems
• Identifying native plants, animals, and pollinators
• Understanding solar and energy efficiency
• Learning about future education and careers in sustainability
• Implementing daily environmentally friendly practices
As Shekinah’s story demonstrates, these in-person lessons and mentorship at Annie’s House in Nicholtown open doors that often lead to pursuing higher education opportunities and careers in sustainability.
“This experience has empowered me enough to go and study Nature Conservation. So, when I’m in nature, I won’t just look at it and see its beauty but also see the way it works, where it’s from, [and] why it exists. And in my own way, help protect it,” Shekinah said.
—Rick Joye, founder Sustaining Way