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Garden Apprentice Program at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden

 
bbg_logobbg.org/learn/gap
1000 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11225
gap@bbg.org
 
Teenagers in grades 8-12 have the chance to be involved and learn about urban agriculture and the wonders of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden through the Garden Apprentice Program. The apprenticeship is a tier 9-month based program.
 
Activities
Working with visitors and children, growing, harvesting, and cooking fruits and vegetables, and exploring the plant collections and greenhouses at BBG. In tier 4, apprentices receive an hourly salary of $15.
 
Eligibility
Tier 1 – Open to students in 8th or 9th grade. Apprentices work alongside an adult instructor and a teen Tier 4 apprentice in the Children’s Garden, helping with garden-based activities for children ages 4–10 in the BBG’s after-school and weekend programs.
Tier 2 – Open to students in 10th grade or to those who have successfully completed Tier 1. Apprentices are placed in different mentorships in the spring, summer, and fall, such as helping our Interpretation team in the Discovery Garden or running science research projects.
Tier 3 – Open to students in 11th grade or to those who have successfully completed Tier 2. Apprentices run the Discovery Carts—education stations that are wheeled out onto the grounds on weekends. Apprentices build public-speaking and interpretation skills as they engage with Garden visitors.
Tier 4 – Apprentices build skills in horticulture while learning how to be environmental educators. Gardening, nature explorations, and cooking with fresh ingredients are the main activities. Note that 12th-grade students may not apply as first-time.
 
Schedule
► Apprentices make a nine-month commitment to GAP, from March to November.
► Typically, the work in a week is 2–3 hours in the spring and fall and 5–6 hours weekly during the summer programming.
► In the course of a year, apprentices spend approximately 50–60 hours in the Garden.
 
How to Apply
► Applications for the 2022 program year are currently closed. New applications for the 2023 program year will be available in the fall of 2022.
► For questions, please email gap@bbg.org or visit the FAQ section at bbg.org/learn/gap. The expired 2021 application deadline was December 16, 2021.
 
Know more about the program at bbg.org/learn/gap.
 
Updated on March 10, 2022