HandS-On program For High School Students motivated by Environment, food and social justice concerns

The Summer Programs at both locations emphasize sustainable landscaping through practical experience. Activities include:

• Organic and regenerative food production: planting, watering, weeding, pruning, and caring for fruit and vegetable gardens to donate produce to food pantries for the hungry

• Rewilding and sustainable landscaping: planting native perennials, weeding rewilded spaces, and documenting the surge of biodiversity brought by native ecosystems

• Composting and Recycling: sustainably recycling kitchen scraps and yard waste into soil food that enriches vegetable beds

• Connecting with nature and ecosystems: nature walks, bird banding, monarch butterflies release, oyster farming

• Lectures: information-packed lectures from knowledgeable environmentalists (and check-ins) in weekly Saturday Zoom sessions

• Sustainable Garden Design: designing and presenting a garden with a team

• Training: in-person classes to learn rewilding and sustainable gardening concepts and techniques

2023 Program & Photos

2022 Program & Photos

Please add yourself to the ReWild email list (bottom of this page) to be notified when next year’s program goes live. Applications are typically open by April 1 of each year, and due by May 1 to be guaranteed an interview slot. Students of all abilities are encouraged to apply. We seek to ensure diversity and representation across all categories, including gender, race, socio-economic status, and ability. You can apply to be a student intern or a student volunteer, with differences between the categories as below.

Internship

• Complete at least 60 hours of work (including training)

• Stipend of $300

• Certificates after successful completion

Usually, there are a limited number of spots, so we are looking for students that meet the following requirements

• Enjoy hands-on work in soil to grow food and help plants, birds, bees, butterflies, and other organisms

• Seek to help fight hunger, climate change, loss of biodiversity, and other environmental issues

• Able to travel to work sites on a regular basis

• Self-motivated and responsible

• Committed to outdoor safety

• Learning: You will learn a lot about rewilding, regenerative gardening, and furthering biodiversity through training sessions and hands-on activities.

• Spending time outside: You will work in-person and outdoors in sites full of greenery and fresh air.

• Making new friends: You will meet adult and youth mentors and other interns and volunteers that share similar values and are concerned about similar environmental issues.

• Making a difference: You will contribute to initiatives fighting against hunger, climate change, and loss of biodiversity. At the end of the summer, you will see the difference you have made.

• Stipend: Interns will receive a stipend on successful completion of the internship at the end-of-the-program commendation ceremony. Although volunteers do not receive a stipend, under the circumstance that we have more slots for students to receive one, volunteers who complete 60 hours of work will be considered for the stipend.

• Recommendation letters: On request, we will write recommendation letters in support of motivated and responsible students, both volunteers and interns.

• Leadership opportunity: We welcome you to become part of the leadership team the following year to plan and organize a better program.

This Summer Program is made possible through a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, with support from the Community Chest of Port Washington, Long Island Community Foundation, and Dejana Foundation.

Check out the FAQ first. If you still need help, contact us at summerorganizers@rewildlongisland.org or via the form below.