“Roots to Boots” program will give CPS grads opportunities for horticulture careers

A new partnership that includes Keep Cincinnati Beautiful, the City of Cincinnati, and the Landscape Horticulture programs at Cincinnati State will provide up to 10 graduates from Cincinnati Public Schools with a unique opportunity to earn college credits while they prepare for jobs in greenspace management.

The new program, called “Roots to Boots,” was announced at a news conference on March 29 at the Cincinnati State Greenhouse, and was covered by Local 12 TV (WKRC) as well as Channel 9 (WCPO) and Fox19 (WXIX).

The recently-refurbished Greenhouse on Clifton Campus is the learning lab for the College’s Landscape Horticulture degree and certificate programs.

Keep Cincinnati Beautiful (KCB) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting environmental stewardship and community engagement through beautification, education, and environmental initiatives. Since 1978, “KCB has been working tirelessly to enhance the quality of life in Cincinnati by preserving and improving natural and built environments.”

• New or recent graduates of Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) who are interested in the Roots to Boots Program may complete an application on the Keep Cincinnati Beautiful website at www.keepcincinnatibeautiful.org prior to May 1. Applications will be reviewed as they are submitted.
• If participants complete the program, they will receive a Roots to Boots certificate as well as 25 college credit hours that can be applied to a horticulture-related certificate or degree program at Cincinnati State.
• Keep Cincinnati Beautiful will provide selected participants with tuition support and opportunities for work experience while they learn, as well as their own rain jacket, rain pants, work boots, and a set of gardening hand tools.

Jonathan Adee, Executive Director of Keep Cincinnati Beautiful, said, “Keep Cincinnati Beautiful is thrilled to partner with Cincinnati State and the City of Cincinnati to provide meaningful employment opportunities to CPS graduates along with resources to activate greenspaces, which have been proven to reduce gun violence.”

Beyond providing employment opportunities, the Roots to Boots program seeks to deepen environmental stewardship in Cincinnati by connecting a new generation of stewards to the movement for a Greener Cincinnati.

Through mentorship, education, and community engagement initiatives, Keep Cincinnati Beautiful and Cincinnati State aim to inspire a lifelong commitment to land stewardship among program participants.

Cincinnati State’s President, Dr. Monica Posey, said, “We are grateful to Keep Cincinnati Beautiful, and also applaud them for developing this innovative new program. We know from research and experience that students who receive the support they need will succeed at much higher rates than those who do not have support.”

Kirsten Brademeyer, Education and Youth Programs Manager at Keep Cincinnati Beautiful, said planning for the Roots to Boots program has been in process for more than a year.

 “It’s clear that our city’s young people care deeply for each other and for their environment,” Brademeyer said. “Through this program, we are not only creating opportunities for youth to turn that care into a career, but also working alongside them to foster a more equitable, vibrant, and sustainable future for our city.”