Youth Garden Summer Program Coordinator with University of Maryland Extension (unpaid)

One volunteer is needed to aid the University of Maryland Extension and Field of Greens Community Garden to lead youth garden activities during the summer.  Field of Greens is a new community garden in East Riverdale.  In addition to supporting the gardening efforts of 20 local families, youth garden space promotes hands-on student learning.  We strive to educate and connect youth with the earth, food production, healthy eating and an active lifestyle. 

Over the summer, a local NGO, SEED, will host a seven week summer camp down the street from the garden and, with the help of the Youth Garden Summer Program Coordinator, will be able to incorporate garden activities into the camp.  Approximately 50 children ages 5-12 will be divided into four groups based on age, and each group will visit the garden one time per week for an hour-long activity.

Responsibilities:  The Youth Garden Summer Program Coordinator will create daily curricula for the seven-week summer camp based on 4-H Youth Development Experiential Learning activities and research-based educational materials from UMD Extension. The Coordinator will lead groups of youth in those activities, with the assistance of camp counselors.  The garden activities will be tailored to the appropriate age groups, engaging the children’s attention through hands-on learning. 

The volunteer will work 10-12 hours per week (between 9 am and 12 pm, four days a week), June 2 through August 8.  The first two weeks will be planning and the last week will be evaluation.  There will be a possibility of converting the position to a fall internship to continue development of the garden’s programming.  The primary worksite will be Field of Greens Community Garden, at 6200 Tuckerman Street in East Riverdale.  It is located behind the Center for Educational Partnership, 5 miles east of campus and accessible by the Shuttle UM – New Carrollton Route. 

Qualifications:  An ideal candidate for this position would be enthusiastic, reliable and an effective communicator.  Some experience in teaching and vegetable gardening and an appreciation for working outside are required.  The volunteer must have their own laptop for research and lesson planning.   

To Apply:  Send a resume and a cover letter in pdf format to Esther Gray at estherg@umd.edu by Friday, May 9.

For Additional Information:  Please contact Esther Gray, AmeriCorps VISTA Community Garden Coordinator, University of Maryland Extension, at estherg@umd.edu.