Job Description

Fall Season Environmental Education Interns gain incredible hands-on experience teaching and learning in our programs as they develop essential skills for environmental education. Environmental Educators improve their teaching techniques through practice, reflection, and feedback. Environmental Educators spend most of their time directly teaching Children’s Peace Garden Field Trips at the Boulder farm. Interns also gain experience observing and teaching After School Garden Club, Classroom Visits and Field Trips at the Food Project Farm.

Fall season Environmental Education Interns will participate in Growing Gardens’ Food Project Gleaning program in partnership with GG 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 experience and knowledge about vegetable production helping in the greenhouse, Children’s Peace Garden and Cultiva fields.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION INTERN DUTIES

TEACHING IN CHILDREN’S PEACE GARDEN:

●       Teach the following topics during field trips to the garden site and visits to classroom visits to local schools: plant life cycles, planting and garden care, insects, pollination, beekeeping, composting, harvesting, healthy eating, community, cycles, and much more!

●       Work closely with the Program Coordinator and other Environmental Educators to teach Field Trips, After School Garden Club and Classroom Visits.

●       Assist Food Project Program Coordinator with Field Trips at the Food Project Farm site in Longmont.

●     Once trained in all curricula, independently teach and manage field trips

●     Conduct surveys and document attendance at all programs

●     Document activities through photography for reports, grant proposals and marketing

●     Attend intern trainings

●     Assist with administration tasks

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

●     Gleaning at the Boulder County Farmers’ Market

●     Assist with marketing for programming

●     Positively interact with the public during community outreach events

EVENT PARTICIPATION

●       Participate in the annual Farm Gala

●       Participate in the Growing Gardens Community Harvest Festival

●       Children’s Peace Garden Outreach events

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 wide range of audiences in a garden-based setting including effective

 teaching techniques, group management strategies, and age-appropriate teaching/learning.

●     Learning and teaching Growing Gardens’ Environmental Education curriculum for field trips, school

days off in the garden and classroom visits.

●     Effective communication strategies with students, teacher, peers, supervisors, etc.

●     Effective feedback strategies including professional and peer-to-peer feedback.

●     Ability to work in a team environment.

●     Ability to work effectively in a dynamic environment including comfort with changing tasks.

●     Cultivate a positive learning environment for diverse audiences.

●     Contribute as active member of a professional learning community.

GARDENING AND AGRICULTURE:

●       Basic small-scale organic vegetable production techniques including: Seeding, Transplanting, and Propagation; basic garden care; Vermicomposting; Honeybees; Insects and Pollination; Gleaning; Harvesting.

●       Gleaning produce for donation

STRUCTURE OF INTERNSHIP

●       Internship duration is August 12th – November 1st, 2019.

●       Required attendance at orientation meeting on Monday, August 12th with all GG interns, mentor, intern supervisor and additional GG staff

●       Intern position is 15 hours per week.  Note: hours may vary between weeks and some evening work is required. The most effective schedule for both intern and GG is 3 days per week, approximately 5 hours per day, variable based on program schedule.

●       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.

●       This internship is unpaid and qualifies for credit at the university level          

Learning Plan Contract – Each Intern will develop a Learning Objectives contract with their Supervisor and Mentor by the second week of the internship. This contract includes: position description, educational objectives, learning objectives, and skill development.

Evaluation – To support the Intern’s growth during the internship, the Mentor and Supervisor will provide an opportunity for midpoint evaluation and end of internship evaluation. Evaluations include Intern self-evaluation, Mentor and Supervisor evaluations, and discussion.

ADDITIONAL BENEFITS OF INTERNING WITH GROWING GARDENS:

●     Hands-on experience making a positive impact in the lives of children, teens and adults

●     Friendly, relaxed environment

●     Good experience; develops marketable teaching and group leading skills

●     Additional training offered through Growing Gardens classes, workshops, and staff shadowing

●     Weekly organic vegetables from the garden as available – This benefit has the value of $20-$35 per week depending on the time of year.

●     Shared garden plot with other Growing Gardens Interns in the Hawthorn Community Garden

●     Garden is located with easy access to public transportation

●     This internship qualifies for credit at the university level

●     and so much more!!!!!!!!

Qualifications

Growing Gardens is seeking individuals who are excited to gain skills and experience teaching and learning in a community of motivated garden-based educators! Interns will bring some prior experience engaging youth, and much excitement to teach in an engaging and dynamic environment. The intern must be excited to work outside in all weather conditions, and be able to serve as a mature, healthy role model for children and teens. Interns love working collaboratively with a team and can work effectively independent of supervision. Interns do not need prior gardening or farming experience but they must have interest in developing skills and knowledge in this area. Interns must demonstrate responsibility, reliability, and organization skills.

Applicants must hold CURRENT CERTIFICATIONS IN CPR AND FIRST AID BY AUGUST 12, 2019. This intern position is contingent upon the satisfactory results of a background check. 

Additional Information

TO APPLY:

APPLICATIONS ARE DUE BY JULY 1, 2019 AND WILL BE REVIEWED ON A ROLLING BASIS. POSITIONS WILL REMAIN OPEN UNTIL FILLED.

SEND COVER LETTER, COMPLETED APPLICATION, AND UPDATED RESUME TO MEGAN (MREYNOSO @GROWINGGARDENS.ORG)

MORE INFORMATION AND APPLICATIONS CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.GROWINGGARDENS.ORG/INTERNSHIPS