GMTRG: Millbrook High Spring 2026

Joyce Gaffney talking with Millbrook students.

Urban Sustainability Solutions is proud to continue our ongoing partnership with Millbrook Magnet High School in Raleigh, marking the third consecutive year of collaboration through our Growing More Than Rain Gardens program.

During their final in-class day, students focused on reviewing and refining site designs for local properties, applying everything they had learned throughout the program. They were also joined by special guest Joyce Gaffney, Senior Water Quality Specialist with the City of Raleigh. Joyce shared insights into her career path and daily responsibilities, and engaged students in a discussion about internship opportunities, continued education pathways, and the technical parameters used to measure water quality. She also helped students understand how municipalities collaborate to manage and protect water resources across jurisdictions.

On the field day, students put their knowledge into action at Baileywick Road Park, where they worked alongside park staff to maintain two bioretention areas. In addition to hands-on maintenance, students surveyed drainage issues in the park and developed design ideas to improve stormwater management on-site.

In the afternoon, the group visited a residential property to meet a homeowner who was in the process of installing a large rain garden. Students assisted in the final stages of installation, gaining firsthand experience in bringing a project from design to completion while seeing the direct impact of their work for a local resident.

This continued partnership with Millbrook Magnet High School reflects the strength of long-term collaboration between schools, municipalities, and community partners.