Internships

The Van Cortlandt Park Alliance offers two paid internship programs for High School Students: Garden 2 Market Internship and Urban Eco-Teens. In addition, we offer individual unpaid internships to high school and college students to assist with our ongoing Research Projects.

When we understand where our food comes from, and where it goes, we can make better decisions about what we buy and eat! This internship is for anyone interested in our food system and covers topics from growing to selling and eating. During the summer interns spend time in our garden learning about growing vegetables, composting and the social and community aspects of a garden, and time exploring food justice issues and learning about the business of running a weekly farm stand. They learn everything from ordering and pricing to stocking the table and completing a sale. They gain communication skills and become advocates for healthy eating in their community. The internship includes many chances to taste and cook new foods and recipes- because no internship about food is complete without eating!

Special thank you to Environmental Protection Fund as administered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for supporting our 2020 and 2021 Garden 2 Market Internship.

The application period for the 2021 Garden 2 Market Internship will open by March 2021.  

Founded in 2012, Urban Ecology Teen Internship (Urban Eco-Teens) is a year-round paid internship for high school students that prepares a new generation of students for college, stewardship, and natural resource management professions.

All interns work, in the park, alongside horticulturists and natural areas restoration staff from Van Cortlandt Park. They also complete labs, go on nature-focused field trips, and explore green career opportunities with natural resource professionals.

Eligible summer participants attend a tuition free, accredited, rigorous college course in Environmental Science at Lehman College; returning interns develop and present a special project; and, each year, two college-aged students develop leadership skills by training as program supervisors (Crew Leaders).

In the fall motivated interns become part of the Leadership Training series where they develop their own leadership skills, through hands-on activities, and co-lead volunteer groups in the park.

During the summer of 2020, our returning Urban Eco-Teens helped to create a new Teens Teaching Teens Video Series for VCPA’s Invasive Species Project: Video & Field Lab.

The application period for the 2021 Urban Ecology Teen Internship will open by March 2021.  

To learn more about Urban Eco Teens, check out these videos:

Urban Eco Teens 2018

Urban Eco Teens 2020

Con Edison’s Green Jobs for Youth

Leadership support provided by:
The Pinkerton Foundation
Con Edison
The Rudin Foundation, Inc.

Additional vital support provided by:
The City Gardens Club of New York City
The Dorr Foundation
Horace Mann School
Jockey Hollow Foundation
Edward F. & Sheri G. Leonard Fund
Laura J. Niles Foundation
Lower Hudson Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management
The New Yankee Stadium Community Benefits Fund
New York City Department of Environmental Protection
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Research Foundation – Lehman College
Shandler Family Fund
SMPS Family Fund
TD Charitable Foundation

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs  in partnership with the New York City Council and Council Member Andrew Cohen. 

With deep thanks to NYC Parks for their partnership.