Applications for the Summer Program are now closed for 2022

Making a Difference

The Summer Program is targeted at High school students and adult volunteers motivated to further biodiversity, climate resilience and food security in our community. We believe in “learning while doing” - so this program is hands-on involving real projects that require dirt, sweat and toil, while leaving you with a sense of learning and actual accomplishment.

The program takes place at multiple locations in the Town Of North Hempstead, NY, centered around Port Washington. Activities include gardening, preserve maintenance, nature walks and plant ID, studying local fauna, clearing invasives, and small outdoor lab, recycling and composting, and arts & crafts. We will also have weekly zoom sessions and in-person classses to teach rewilding and regenerative gardening concepts and skills needed to complete the work.

About the Program

ReWild Long Island and Plant A Row, Port Washington have partnered again to offer hands-on learning experiences for youth in 2022. The 2022 program has been produced an organizing team that includes seven Student Leaders from the 2021 program.

You can apply to be a student intern or student volunteer, as below.

Internships are awarded to selected students who can commit to 60 hours of work (including training) over the summer. We offer a stipend of $300 and certificates on successful completion of internships.

Volunteers commit to at least 30 hours of work (including training) over the summer. Volunteers do not receive a stipend, but have greater time flexibility in scheduling their hours. We do offer certificates on completion and encourage you to volunteer if you cannot make the more rigourous time commitments that internships require.

ACTIVITIES

We will be performing the following activities to further bio-diversity, climate resilience and food security while “learning by doing”.

• Watering, weeding, pruning, and caring for vegetable gardens where the produce is donated to food pantries. You will learn about organic and regenerative food production by gardening through the summer season.

• Planting Native Perenennials, weeding rewilded spaces and documenting the explosion of biodiversity brought about by native eco-systems. You will learn about rewilding and sustainable landscaping through these activities.

• Working on composting and Bokashi methods for sustainably recycling yard and kitchen waste, and reusing compost into vegetable beds.

• Recycling plant pots that would otherwise go into the waste stream.

• Nature walks and bird banding

• Weekly Zoom sessions to check-in and learn

• In person classes to teach rewilding and sustainable gardening concepts and techniques.

All activities are outdoors and will be carried out in a Covid-safe, socially distanced manner. Learn more about the activities, location and schedule here.

REQUIREMENTS

We have a limited number of internships and volunteer roles, so we are looking for students who meet the following criteria:

• Self-motivated and responsible. Committed to outdoor safety.

• Enjoy hands-on work in the soil to grow food while helping plants, birds, bees and, butterflies.

• Socially minded – want to help fight hunger, climate change, loss of biodiversity, or other causes.

• Can travel to our work sites on a weekly basis.

• We seek to ensure diversity representation across categories such as gender, race, socio-economic status and ability.

INCENTIVES

• Interns and volunteers will learn a lot about rewilding, regenerative gardening and furthering biodiversity through our training sessions.

• You will then work hands-on in outdoor spaces in the middle of nature. At the end of the summer, you will see the difference you have made.

• Interns will receive a lump sum scholarship payable on successful completion of the internship. Volunteers who end up completing 60 hours of work will also be considered for internships.

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

• We welcome you to become part of the leadership team the following year, helping plan a better program.

APPLICATIONS

• Applications for each year will go live in April and stay up till the spots are filled. The program runs from the end of June through October of each year.

• Students of all abilities, women, and minority students are especially welcome to apply.

• We will start interviewing and selecting interns by mid-May. So please get your applications in to us as early as possible, and no later than May 1, 2022.

ORGANIZERS

The Summer Program is organized by a committee of adult and youth volunteers who have worked hard to make the 2022 program possible. The two organizations that provide funding and structure for the program are:

• Rewild Long Island is a Port Washington-based grassroots organization that supports climate-conscious landscaping through planting native perennials, reducing chemical use, increasing biodiversity, growing food organically, and mitigating resource use. It has successfully completed dozens of home and public rewilding projects. Learn more at www.rewildlongisland.org

• Plant A Row for the Hungry, Port Washington celebrating its 12th year, defines its mission as mobilizing the Port Washington Community to grow and distribute locally grown produce to families with food insecurities. It is through education and commitment that we grow as individuals. Learn more at https://www.plantarowforthehungry.org.

Questions?

Check out the FAQ first. Then contact us by email: info@rewildlongisland.org if you still need help!

A big thanks to our sponsors: