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Internships at BBG

Garden Apprentice Program for High School Students

The Garden Apprentice Program at Brooklyn Botanic Garden provides students in grades 8-12 with opportunities for personal growth and career development. The four-tier program includes training and volunteer placements with increasing levels of responsibility focused on gardening, environmental issues, science, leadership, and career skills.

Apprentices become a dynamic, energetic part of the Garden's Education Department. See the tier descriptions below for more information and application links. For more information, please e-mail GAP@bbg.org.

Tier 1: Discovery Guides

(Application Deadline: April 30, 2008)

Designed for students entering 8th or 9th grade, Discovery Guides focus on building leadership, communication, and Botany skills; becoming familiar with the many facets of BBG; and building basic work skills that will transfer easily to any field.

Volunteer placements will include gardening time in the Children's Garden, placements at Discovery Carts, and assistance with Public Programs.

Discovery Guides are committed to a yearlong program including three weeks of training in the summer and one three-hour shift per week on Saturday or Sunday during the school year. In addition, there will be ongoing training on writing, research, public speaking, leadership, first aid, and working with the public.

Tier 2: Garden Corps

(Application Deadline: March 31, 2008)

Tier 2 of the Garden Apprentice Program is designed for students entering 9th, 10th, or 11th grade—preference will be given to students who have been Discovery Guides, have other experience with BBG, or have a special interest in science or the environment.

Garden Corps students go through a weeklong training session in July. The internships run from July through June. Summer placements are seven weeks, Tuesday–Friday. School-year placements are 10 to 12 weeks each and require a commitment to one three-hour shift per week. Placements for students may include Science, Horticulture, and other departments at Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

Tier 3: Junior Apprentices

(Application Deadline: March 31, 2008)

Junior Apprentices work within the Children's Garden as assistants to education program instructors. Responsibilities include gardening, preparing materials, and helping to manage groups of students. The Junior Apprentice Program is a yearlong program beginning in July and including additional training in the spring. The work schedule is a minimum of 6 hours per week in the school year and 20 hours per week in the summer.

The Junior Apprentice program is open to students who will be entering 10th, 11th, or 12th grade in the fall—preference will be given to students who have been Discovery Guides or Garden Corps members, have other experience with BBG, or have other outdoor education experience.