SuSol launched our Air Quality program in 2022. A key part of that work is the Youth Air Protectors high school internship program. We worked with 11 students from Armijo High School from January through May 2026. During the internship, students learned about air quality challenges in Fairfield and Suisun City, engaged community members on air quality-related topics, and gathered community feedback to inform a countywide Air Quality Summit on Oct. 17. Here, several Youth Air Protectors share reflections on their internship experience, as well as memorable events and projects they worked on during their time in the program.
Fairfield-Suisun Youth Air Protectors Youth Air Protectors learn about walkability with SuSol Program Manager Willa Gruver in downtown Fairfield
By Devin Mahawijemuni, 11th grade
I have been doing internships and fellowships for Sustainable Solano since I was a freshman. I did the Youth Wellness internship, the Nature-Based Solutions internship, the Resilient Roots Fellowship, and most recently the Youth Air Protectors. I did these things because I really like volunteering and learning about the environment. I also like finding ways to make my community better and being an active member within it.
As my final project for Youth Air Protectors, I redesigned a section of Highway 12. This part of the highway does not currently have any shade or benches for people to sit on and isn’t safe for people to walk on due to the narrow sidewalk and lack of pedestrian infrastructure. I used the computer program SketchUp to make a design. I added trees and benches to the area and made the sidewalks safer by making them wider and adding crosswalks. My goal was to make people feel welcome when they are walking or running in this area. I wanted to make it nice to walk through, and I wanted it to be good for the environment too.
For one of our final meetings, we got to present our projects to the Suisun City Council. I had expected there to be around 15 people at the meeting, but after we arrived, we received a pleasant surprise. There were in fact around 150 people there to listen to our presentations due to a California Forever protest happening that same day. After our projects were presented, we felt very accomplished because we presented to such a large audience.
These internships, especially Youth Air Protectors, helped me in many ways. I became more confident in myself as a leader and gained experience speaking publicly and presenting projects. I got better at working with others and talking to people. I made new friends, and we had some great times together. It was nice to work with people who care about the environment like I do.
In the future I want to use what I learned from Sustainable Solano when I go to college. I really want to study Environmental Science. I want to learn more about how to help the environment and make communities better. I want to learn about ways to make sure people are safe and the environment is protected. I am excited to keep learning about issues and finding ways to make a difference.
Youth Air Protectors Landon, Leena, Devin and Melissa getting ready to present their projects to Suisun City Council
By Landon Camacho, 10th grade
Before this internship, I had never had any type of real commitment to doing anything. I never went to any clubs, I only ever really went to one sports club during my freshmen year, and I didn’t like it. I always assumed that commitments like clubs or anything after school was a waste.
But when my science teacher announced some Sustainable Solano internships, I saw this one, the Youth Air Protectors. To me, it sounded pretty easy, and I would be getting paid to do it. Truthfully, I only signed up for the pay. I never had real interest in air quality. But that all changed when the first lesson started. Learning about air quality was actually pretty fun!
I had never imagined that I would enjoy learning about air quality, learning about why it gets bad in the first place and how to help prevent that. The events we had every month were definitely a highlight. I was able to learn how to plant trees to improve air quality and make streets more walkable, get rid of weeds and garden pests naturally, and more.
During the last two months of the internship, we had to create a final project. It was about finding an area in Suisun/Fairfield that could be renovated for better walkability and air quality. Interns were to create the renovation using 3D software. I personally used Roblox to redesign an abandoned and demolished church into a sports park! I also researched the area by asking the community for input and taking pictures. At the end, I presented my project to the Suisun City Council, and finally doing so after two months of hard work felt incredible.
This internship was an experience I will never forget. I was able to improve my ability to work with a team, as well as my public speaking skills. I was even able to put this on my resume so that I could get a job at Six Flags this summer! All in all, being a Youth Air Protector has done nothing but benefit me for the better, and I will always recommend this, and any other Sustainable Solano internship to everyone.
Youth Air Protector Landon presenting to Suisun City Council
By Melissa Martinez, 12th grade
Earlier this year in January, I became a Youth Air Protector for Fairfield and Suisun. As a Youth Air Protector, I’ve been given an array of wonderful opportunities to learn about relevant local air quality issues, apply solutions, and engage with my community. Most recently, I presented my final project, a street redesign imagining what Suisun could look like as a more sustainable city. It was inspiring and refreshing to see that I was capable of creating and offering a proposal towards my city’s sustainability; I saw that change was possible and that it could come from me! While this project was the culmination of everything I’d learned, I’d like to highlight an especially insightful experience.
A pillar of this internship is action, done through monthly community engagement activities. One of these activities was planting trees and doing garden maintenance at the City Church food garden in Fairfield. We planted fruit, shade trees, and herbs while also weeding invasive species. As I was digging, planting, and weeding, I was also talking with my fellow interns and other members of the community. I realized the true depth of action and the potential it has. It felt fulfilling to actually be productive while talking to people and having a good time. I saw the complexity of action, how it can simultaneously have a tangible impact and strengthen community relationships when done with others. This is the most valuable lesson I learned, and is one that I will remember and cherish.
The internship was transformative, showing me what I was capable of doing and the possibilities of environmental solutions. As someone with experience in environmental work through the Student Conservation Association, which focused on stewardship, this internship gave me a different environmental lens to see through: air quality. Through this internship, I was able to see the interconnectedness of our environmental issues firsthand. As a senior in high school, I am looking forward to pursuing a career in sustainability at UC Davis and seeing how I will apply the lessons I have learned. It is bittersweet that this internship is coming to an end, but I’m excited to see how I will build upon this experience as I enter a new chapter of life!
Welcome circle and volunteer introductions prior to planting trees at City Church
By Leena McAllister, 11th grade
My experience with Sustainable Solano overall was a great experience. The internship provided me with knowledge through hands-on activities, projects, and lectures. My fellow interns and I got to engage with and give back to our community through volunteering at community events, such as the Rush Ranch Annual Open House.
One of my favorite volunteer events that we participated in was the tree planting event that took place at a local church in Fairfield. Personally, it was my first time planting trees, and it was both enjoyable and a great opportunity to gain hands-on knowledge and skills that I can apply to future volunteering or career choices.
One of my favorite projects was the final project in which each intern got to propose a design solution that could improve air quality in either Suisun City or Fairfield. Through these projects we went through each step of brainstorming, interviewing other community members, researching our topic, and gathering evidence to inform and support our redesign proposals. Some of the places that the interns chose were street intersections, local parks, and areas with a lack of shade. My project focused on improving community access to walkable green space in Suisun City by adding a public restroom to Samuel Goepp Park.
Through this internship, I became aware of how the things we do every day affect the air quality, and how daily actions can make a real difference in improving the air. This internship overall opened up new opportunities, perspectives, and insights into the world around me.
Youth Air Protectors and Sustainable Solano staff at Rush Ranch
By Joshua Ibrahim, 12th grade
Going into this internship by Sustainable Solano, I thought that it would just be a group of interns learning about the air but it was so much more. It was the gateway to building new friendships and learning about ways to improve air quality, it was truly eye-opening!
Through this internship, I have built knowledge that will stick with me throughout my life, ranging from walkability, reasons for poor air quality, the importance of plants and trees, etc. It was obtained in different ways as well, sometimes we would listen to a presentation by Willa Gruver (our program manager), and others we would be walking around Fairfield and learning why certain areas are better for the environment than others through direct observation. One time we had a “Permaculture 101” class in Armijo’s very own garden, which also opened my eyes. It was extremely insightful and just a great time sitting on the wooden seats with the interns and the people helping out. I had a great time and it was probably my favorite class.
I would say that my favorite part of the internship was when we spent our Saturday at the church planting trees. On this day I feel like I got to really bond with the other interns and genuinely make a true friendship because we were together all day. We were also doing hands-on activities such as weeding so that gave us more time to talk to each other. That was a fun day that helped the air quality in the community and helped me make new friendships.
Something that really stood out to me (in terms of learning) is identifying good vs. bad walkability. It is something I hadn’t thought about before, so learning about it was truly enlightening. The walkability of our urban environments plays a much bigger role in air quality than we think, and it is something I never even gave thought to.This new piece of knowledge played a key role in my decision to redesign North Texas Street to improve the local air quality.
I ended up choosing North Texas Street because it’s a place that I noticed had walkability issues after touring Fairfield with the group and learning about the link between walkability and air quality. It was also a street that I see many students use to commute to and from school so I took it upon myself to find some possible solutions. Presenting this project to Fairfield City Council was an experience that completely took me out of my comfort zone, but I wasn’t nervous because the lessons learned from Sustainable Solano made me confident in my knowledge and abilities. Overall, the lessons I learned in these last few months have fundamentally changed my understanding of how my daily life is connected to the air quality. I will use this awareness to foster an environment that will benefit from better air quality.
Sustainable Solano board member Dr. Bonnie Hamilton and Youth Air Protectors Joshua, Ian, and Bryson after presenting their projects to Fairfield City Council
To see the rest of the Youth Air Protectors’ redesign projects, please join us at the Solano County Air Quality Summit on Oct. 17 at the Joseph Nelson Center in Suisun City. This event will bring together experts, policymakers, nonprofits and community members to explore the future of air quality in Solano County. Register here to reserve your spot!
