Job Description
Full Season Environmental Education Interns gain hands-on experience teaching and learning in our programs as they develop essential skills for environmental education. Environmental Educators improve their teaching techniques through trainings, practice, reflection, and feedback. Environmental Educators spend most of their time directly teaching in the Children’s Peace Garden programs such as field trips,classroom visits, and summer camps. Interns will also have the opportunity to gain experience observing and teaching in the Nutrition Education Program and on the Food Project Farm in Longmont.
In addition to teaching in the Children’s Peace Garden, Nutrition Education Program and at the Food Project Farm, full season Environmental Education Interns gain experience teaching in the Horticultural Therapy program. This program primarily serves elderly community members and persons with special needs. Environmental Education Interns have the opportunity to co-lead these programs at off-site facilities as well as occasional on-site field trips at the gardens.
During the summer, interns will spend much of their time supporting full day summer camp or teaching in the afternoon portion of the Goats & Gardens Summer camp. They will also regularly have the opportunity to teach field trips and class visits. Additionally, Environmental Education Interns will occasionally work alongside teenage youth in the Cultiva Youth Project. Interns experience ways to engage with teenagers on the farm while helping youth develop leadership skills, learn about sustainable agriculture, and cultivate job and life skills.
In the Spring and Fall seasons, full season Environmental Education Interns will participate in Growing Gardens’ Food Project Gleaning program with Growing Gardens staff. Interns will collect produce directly from farmers during Wednesday evening Farmers’ Markets in Boulder and bring it back to the Hawthorn Farm where it is distributed to our school partners. Interns will participate in Gleaning on a rotating basis.
Environmental Education Interns will gain hands-on agriculture experience by working in the greenhouse, Children’s Peace Garden and Cultiva fields as scheduling permits.
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION INTERN DUTIES
Teaching in Children’s Peace Garden, Nutrition Education and Horticultural Therapy
- Teach the following topics during field trips to the Boulder and Longmont farm sites and classroom visits to local schools: plant life cycles, planting and garden care, insects, pollination, beekeeping, composting, harvesting, healthy eating, community, cycles and much more!
- Teach Field Trips, Classroom Visits, School Days Off and Summer Camps in the Children’s Peace Garden independently and with a co-teacher, with support and feedback from the Education staff.
- Lead and teach the afternoon portion of Goats and Gardens summer camp.
- Assist Food Project Program Coordinator with teaching Field Trips at the Food Project Farm site in Longmont.
- Assist teaching Nutrition Education Classroom Visits with our Early Childhood Education and Title 1 School partners.
- Act as a responsible, positive role model for all youth participants.
- Support and co-teach Horticultural Therapy classes for seniors and people with differing abilities.
- Conduct surveys, document and report attendance at all programs.
- Attend intern trainings as assigned throughout entire internship.
- Document activities through photography for reports, grant proposals and marketing as needed.
- Assist Program Coordinator and other Growing Gardens staff with administration tasks.
EVENT PARTICIPATION AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Environmental Education Interns will assist with marketing for programming and will educate and engage with community members during the following community outreach events:
- Growing Gardens’ Plant Sale, working two weekend days in May
- Annual Farm Gala fundraiser in August
- BEE Boulder Family Festival in September
- Community Harvest Festival in October
- Additional educational outreach events on occasional weekends throughout the year
- Assist on a rotating basis with Wednesday evening gleaning at the Boulder County Farmers Market in May, August, and September
Environmental Education Interns are responsible for other duties as assigned to engage with, and learn from, the Growing Gardens non-profit organization and community.
KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS THE INTERN WILL DEVELOP:
EDUCATION:
- Teaching and co-teaching to a wide range of audiences in a garden-based setting including effective teaching techniques, group management strategies, and age-appropriate teaching/learning.
- Strong background knowledge in the following topics: plant life cycles, planting and garden care, insects, pollination, beekeeping, composting, harvesting, healthy eating, community, and life cycles.
- Practicing effective communication strategies.
- Learning effective feedback strategies including peer-to-peer and supervisors.
- Working effectively in a dynamic team environment including comfort with changing tasks.
- Evaluating programs through formal processes.
- Intern will receive training on Advocacy vs. Inquiry, Ages & Stages, Learning Styles, Cultivating Community, Giving and Receiving feedback and so much more!
LEADERSHIP:
- Experience training future educators
- Assisting in managing seasonal intern schedules
- Experience developing garden-based curriculum
- Independently teaching lessons across programs
- Cultivating a positive learning environment for all audiences including diverse populations.
- Contributing as facilitator and active member of a professional learning community.
GARDENING AND AGRICULTURE:
- Basic small-scale organic vegetable production techniques including: Seeding, Transplanting, and Propagation; Garden care through the seasons; Vermicomposting; Honeybees; Insects and Pollination; Gleaning; Harvesting.
- Gleaning produce from other local farms for donation
STRUCTURE OF INTERNSHIP
- Internship duration is March 2nd - October 30th, 2020.
- Interns will attend a mandatory orientation within the first 2 weeks of their internship experience.
- Intern’s hour commitment will vary by week and season, and can range anywhere from 30-50 hours a week.
- Hours primarily take place during weekdays, however there is some evening and weekend work required.
- Each Intern is supported by a Mentor and Supervisor.
- Mentor oversees daily activities and supports each Intern’s growth during weekly meetings throughout the duration of the contract
- Supervisor is available upon request for check-ins and meetings and provides general oversight of Growing Gardens’ internship program.
- Interns may attend Learning Opportunities with Growing Gardens staff throughout the season.
LEARNING PLAN CONTRACT – Each Intern will develop a Learning Plan contract with their Mentor by the second week of the internship. This contract includes: position description, educational objectives, learning objectives, and skill development plan.
EVALUATION – To support the intern’s growth during the internship, the Mentor will provide a midpoint and end-ofinternship evaluation. Evaluations include Intern self-evaluation, Mentor evaluation of intern and intern evaluation of mentor and supervisors. Intern supervisor is present as needed for midpoint and end-of-season evaluations.
ADDITIONAL BENEFITS OF INTERNING WITH GROWING GARDENS:
- Friendly, relaxed work environment!
- Hands-on career experience at a well-respected non-profit!
- Development of marketable education and leadership skills
- Additional training offered through Growing Gardens classes, workshops, and staff career panels
- Access to a wide variety of organic seeds and plant starts!
- Shared garden plot with other Growing Gardens Interns in the Hawthorn Community Garden
- Weekly organic vegetables from the garden as available - starting at the beginning of the summer and continuing until the end of the internship – This benefit has the value of $20-$35 per week depending on the productivity of the farm
- Easy access to public transportation from garden!
- Monthly stipend of $1,200 and 1 week paid vacation
- and so much more!!!!!!!!
To apply:
Send resume, cover letter, completed application, and documented hours of experience working with children to Megan Reynoso
Applications due by January 6th, 2020 Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Positions will remain open until filled.