As climate change intensifies, urban populations face unique challenges, such as pollution, and habitat degradation, which demand urgent attention. Over half of the world’s population lives in cities, yet many of these people are often excluded from environmental conservation discussions. This exclusion is not only unfair but also unsustainable. Marine Park, Brooklyn offers a great example of this gap in New York City. Since urban environments, such as Marine Park, often face specific environmental issues, active environmental stewardship is crucial. This is where citizen science and environmental education programs play an important role. Citizen science, which is the involvement of the public in scientific research, and environmental education programs, which are initiatives that teach people about the environment and environmental issues, provide a framework for engaging urban youths in these important conversations. This transdisciplinary qualitative case study research project, carried from September to November 2024, sought to address the question: ‘How can organizations use citizen science and environmental education programs to encourage and empower youth to become environmental stewards in Marine Park, Brooklyn, New York?’. For this study, I utilized an interdisciplinary mixed-methods case study framework focused on youths (14-18). I conducted a survey to gather information about youth attitudes, behaviors, and pre-existing knowledge about the environment, as well as observational research to document engagement in citizen science and education programs. The findings from this study highlight that participants have an increase in a sense of empowerment after being involved in these programs. These findings suggest that such programs are important in fostering a stronger connection to nature and empowering youth to take active roles in environmental initiatives. Given these outcomes, organizations should prioritize and expand the use of these programs, including educational and citizen science initiatives, to engage youths and promote environmental stewardship in urban areas like Marine Park.