Connecticut Students Turn Environmental Projects into Lasting Community Impact | Global Affairs | Office of the Provost

NRCA CAP Initiative gives Connecticut high school students the first step to tackling environmental issues within their local communities.

Meaningful change often begins close to home. Through UConn’s Natural Resources Conservation Academy’s (NRCA) Conservation Ambassador Program (CAP), Connecticut high school students are identifying challenges in their own communities and developing projects that create lasting impact.

The NRCA is a program administered through UConn’s College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources (CAHNR) and UConn Extension. Each academic year, the NRCA selects students from grades 9-11 from high schools across Connecticut to participate in the 10-month Conservation Ambassador Program. The program consists of a week of field experience along with a student-led environmental action project. Within the program, students receive mentorship from the NRCA Staff, college mentors, and environmental professionals before presenting their work at the CAP Showcase Program.

Conversations with students from the 2025-26 CAP cohort revealed that the program emphasizes students forming meaningful connections and experiences while serving their local communities.