Some recent high school graduates are learning all about preservation thanks to a new training program in the Bronx.
The program, a partnership between the World Monuments Fund and the Woodlawn Conservancy, gives 12 students ages 18 to 24 the opportunity to get hands on training.
It's part of an eight week course in the art of restoration and preservation of monuments at Woodlawn Cemetery.
"They're working with marble and garnet, but they're learning how to pin things together, how to make repairs, how to do cleaning that is sensitive to the stone, but also paying attention to what type of stone. You don't clean all types of stone the same way, so it provides them with the opportunity to learn about stone types and cleaning methods," said Woodlawn Cemetery Director of Historical Services Susan Olsen.
Once the program is complete, two of the 12 students will remain at Woodlawn and begin their apprenticeships.
The others will move elsewhere to continue their work in the preservation trade.