Westwood Hills Nature Center junior naturalists were recognized Aug. 19 by the St. Louis Park City Council for their service to the community this summer.

Forty youth volunteers served in the junior naturalist program this summer. Collectively, they volunteered over 1,400 hours. The junior naturalist program has been part of Westwood Hills Nature Center for 33 years. The program is designed to foster responsibility, community service, initiative, teamwork and leadership skills in youth grades 7 – 12. This year, the junior naturalists helped serve 470 summer camp participants, maintained the upper water garden and waterfall area, and cared for the nature center’s educational animals. In addition to being recognized by the city council, the junior naturalists received a letter of recommendation and a celebration in appreciation of their service.

The 2024 junior naturalists, including those not pictured, are Emmett Anklam, Alice Auerbach, Noah Bates, Natalie Cameron, Revaya Davis, Angela Dederich, Bella De La Luna-Landis, Chasen Elkins, Julia Flory, Desmond Harper, Myles Heyn, Emily Hodges, Elise Hogg, Brynn Kelly, Catherine Kotowski, Shiloh Anderson Landis, Anders Logan, Juliana Madrid, River Muggli, Rowan Muggli, Lily Munoz, Hutton Newhall, Cello Pascual, Nico Paterakis, Bryce Patterson, Georgia Paulson, Jackson Pilcher, Harrison Reiss, Anna Rosen, Karlie Rosenberg, Nina Rossiter, Katia Rubinchik, Mara Runyan, Indigo Schoneman, Erik Stanerson, Sophia Stevens, Linus Trachsel, Louisa Tuttle-Magee, Kieran Weber and Henry Weig