ORLANDO, Fla. – Young people are taking some time out of their spring break to give back to the community by building a beehive while working under student-run business Black Bee Honey.
“We have the frames, we put them together and build the hive from the bottom up,” said Yabdiel Sanchez, who was seen hammering away while making the beehives.
Sanchez is a sophomore at Jones High School in Parramore and is a part of the team building beehives to help pollinate the nearby area.
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Black Bee Honey is a student-run business with Parramore Kidz Zone aimed at providing healthy food options for the Parramore community, while also exposing teens like Sanchez to new things.
“We learned how to be an entrepreneur, leadership skills, how to be a salesman, you know, different qualities of life,” Sanchez said.
This is Black Bee Honey’s second colony. The new human-made bee colony will go on top of Orlando Fire Station 1 to give the bees access to its green roof and community gardens.
The honey produced there is set to be sold in Parramore, as well as in various restaurants.
Orlando Fire is teaming up in hopes to set examples for young people to follow.
“A lot of times we hear a lot of negative stories about the youth but today, this is definitely positive,” said Chief Benjamin Barksdale, with the Orlando Fire Department.
Since 2006, Parramore Kidz Zone officials say youth employment programs like Black Bee Honey have helped reduce juvenile arrests and teen pregnancy rates.
City officials hope this will inspire other young people to give back.
“Here you have African-American youth that are involved with nature and bees and, I mean, it speaks volumes. Not only that, but working with other public servants to serve the city,” Barksdale said.
The honey that will come from the new colonies will be available in following months once the bees settle in and start pollinating the area.
Black Bee Honey will infuse this batch with peppers to make a new flaming hot honey.
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