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 Councilman Andrew Cohen and the New Yankee Stadium Development Fund for supporting the 2019 Garden 2 Market Internship.

Each year, VCPA hires 4 high school interns for the Garden 2 Market internship. Applications for the upcoming internship will be available in Spring 2020.

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.

To learn more, check out these two videos:

Urban Eco Teens 2018

Con Edison’s Green Jobs for Youth

We are deeply grateful for our friends and supporters who make this wonderful opportunity for teens possible:

The Pinkerton Foundation, The Rudin Foundation, NYC Council Member Andrew Cohen, Horace Mann School, Con Edison, The Edward F. & Sheri G. Leonard Fund, TD Charitable Foundation, Research Foundation of the City of New York/CUNY Lehman College, The Hyde & Watson Foundation, Jockey Hollow Foundation, Patagonia, The City Gardens Club of NYC, The New Yankee Stadium Community Benefits Fund, Shandler Family Fund, and NYC Council Parks Equity Initiative.

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

Many thanks to our partners and collaborators from CUNY Lehman College, New York Botanical Garden, Wave Hill, Youth Development Institute, and NYC Parks.