South Oak Cliff Renaissance Park is where I go to relax and relieve stress, which has allowed me to persevere in my studies and succeed academically. As a junior in the P-TECH (Pathways in Technology Early College High School) program at South Oak Cliff High School, I balance both high school and college classes, the demands of which can take a toll on my mental health. I’m also on the golf team and a member of the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC), both of which require time and focus outside of my classes.

Honestly, it’s a lot. I’ve found myself languishing in bed, scrolling on my phone, and losing motivation due to procrastination and stress. As a teen who has naturally fallen under the hypnosis of screens, I’ve found that getting outdoors is a better way of escaping.

Going to this park, which is a mere five-minute walk from my high school, gives me a sense of relief and peace—allowing room for motivation and positivity. I don’t just go to the park because it’s convenient. I go because it was built on the same values I advocate for, such as the importance of connecting with neighbors and with nature.

I usually go to the park with my friends; we join in games with other people and build friendships through basketball, dodgeball, and board games. If I didn’t go to the park, I’d miss having simple conversations with my neighbors and competing in casual, low-pressure sports.

I started an outdoor garden at South Oak Cliff High School called SOC Cultural Garden for similar reasons: I wanted a welcoming space where student-grown crops could feed the community and give my classmates an outdoor activity with purpose. I took into account that our community has limited access to fresh groceries and came together with a group of classmates who shared the same ideas and worked with staff to execute the plan. As a result, the garden has 13 plots as of now, growing about eight different kinds of produce including leafy greens, peppers, and baby root vegetables. It’s run and taken care of weekly by a committee of 11 students, including myself.

South Oak Cliff Renaissance Park, like the cultural garden, is a uniting place for the community—and it was designed with the community. Trust for Public Land worked with us to create the park we wanted, incorporating requested features such as climbing boulders. It reflects the values of my school too; like the park, South Oak Cliff High School has an outdoor learning space for students to enjoy being outside while still benefiting from teaching.

The park is like an oasis in a desert. When the weight of my future feels too heavy to handle, I visit the park by myself. I sometimes sit on the benches near the entrance and enjoy a good book (currently, I’m reading Fahrenheit 451), or I walk around while listening to my favorite musical artist, Daniel Caesar, and breathe in the crisp air.

And when I need something to conquer, I like climbing the boulders and using the exercise equipment. I also appreciate how environmentally friendly the park is, with things like rain gardens and solar power. I feel happier coming to school and more motivated to do my best because my body and mind feel great after time spent outdoors. It gives me the confidence to feel like I can balance everything. For all of these reasons, this park will always be a special place to me.

This story originally appeared in the 2024 spring/summer issue of Land&People magazine.