From Safe Passage to Green Careers: Norfolk Youth Graduate from HIPtern Workforce Program

Teens With a Purpose celebrates at-promise young people building pathways in horticulture, environmental justice, and community resilience

Norfolk, VA — On Saturday, August 15th, 2026, Teens With a Purpose will celebrate the next generation of youth leaders, environmental stewards, and green workforce changemakers at the HIPtern Graduation and Career Fair.

The event will honor young people who completed hands-on training through TWP’s HIPtern (Horticultural Internship Program) BloomForce program, a paid youth workforce initiative that connects horticulture, environmental justice, community healing, and career readiness. The celebration will also include a career fair designed to connect graduates with employers, mentors, certification pathways, and future opportunities in the growing green economy and beyond.

What makes this graduation especially powerful is how many of these young people found their way to the program. Through TWP’s Safe Passage work, trusted outreach staff and credible messengers helped recruit youth directly from the community, including at-promise young people who are often closest to the challenges of violence, disconnection, economic barriers, and limited access to opportunity.

“Transformation starts with an opportunity, germinates through trust, and our graduates have bloomed through the cohort,” said Andre Love, Co-Executive Director of Teens With a Purpose. “Our HIPterns are actively learning how to grow futures for themselves, their families, and their communities.”

The HIPtern program is held at Purpose Park, a one-acre teen led community garden. The program gives youth real-world experience in gardening, forestry, landscaping, food justice, environmental stewardship, stormwater mitigation creative placemaking, and green infrastructure. Participants build leadership skills while contributing to projects that support neighborhood beautification, climate resilience, community wellness, and local food access.

The program is made possible through key partnerships and support from the City of Norfolk, USDA Forestry’s, the Blue Green Beltway Project, GHHI Thriving Communities, Dollar Bank, Hampton Roads Community Foundation and private donors whose investments help create pathways for young people to gain skills, earn opportunities, and see themselves as part of the future workforce shaping a healthier region.

“This program shows what is possible when we stop asking young people to simply survive their environments and start investing in their ability to transform them,” Michelle Sims, Co-Executive Director added. “These youth are proof that opportunity, trust, and purpose can change the trajectory of a life.”

The event will include a graduation ceremony, youth reflections, community partner recognition, tour of Purpose Park and a career fair featuring organizations and partners connected to workforce development, environmental careers, public health, community safety, and green infrastructure.

Community members, employers, workforce partners, environmental organizations, funders, and supporters are invited to attend and celebrate the accomplishments of the HIPtern graduates.

Hosted by: Teens With a Purpose 

For more information, partnership opportunities, or career fair participation, contact Andre Love at twpassist@gmail.com.

About Teens With a Purpose

TWP is committed to the development of young leaders who positively impact their neighbors, classmates, schools, governments, congregations and one another.  Teens With a Purpose (TWP) was formed in 1996, and in 2007, Teens With a Purpose became TWP-The Youth Movement a 501(c) (3) non-profit youth development organization. The organization is celebrating 30 years of experience in providing peer leadership training and has been recognized both regionally and nationally. Creatively cultivating the next generation of leaders is the heart of our overall mission. TWP is a provider of prolific programming in a creative environment that promotes youth voice, collective action, racial equity & social justice where youth explore emotions, reduce anxiety, help resolve conflict, increase self-esteem and build personal power that fortifies youth and marginalized communities.