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Youth Horticulture Apprentice Program


2010 Youth Horticulture Apprentices

We'll be accepting applications for the 2011 season beginning in May 2011.

Download the Program Brochure
Download an Application

For more information about applying to be a Youth Horticulture Apprentice, contact the Ithaca Children's Garden at 272-229 ext. 186 or send email to ithacachildrensgarden@cornell.edu.

Work hard, Learn a lot, Have fun!

The Youth Horticulture Apprentice Program (YHAP) is a youth development and workforce preparation program for teens ages 14-18. The program teaches work place skills, fosters personal growth, and introduces youth to career opportunities within the horticulture industry.

The YHAP participants learn science and horticultural job skills through a hands-on, tiered mentoring program centered around site development at the Ithaca Children's Garden. The YHAP teaches youth to become positive citizens, to work as part of a diverse team, increase their civic pride, and become competent and proud employees.

The program employs a tiered-mentoring system. The program is managed by an adult coordinator with the assistance of a college student mentor.

The Program

Youth apprentices employed with the YHAP engage in four types of activities during the program: Everyday Gardening Tasks, Garden Projects, Community Projects, and Career Exploration.

Everyday tasks include learning the basics of horticulture: watering, weeding, planting, mulching, and general plant care. Apprentices are the primary caretakers of the Garden during July and August.

Garden projects add depth to everyday tasks by engaging apprentices in the planning and decision-making process. These projects may require creativity (designing a new garden bed) or problem solving (laying a mathematically correct labyrinth) and generally take several days to complete. Some of these projects are permanent elements in the Garden, such as the pergola in the Edible Garden.

Community projects can happen on or off-site and allow apprentices to interact with other members of the community. In the past, apprentices have mulched the commons with guidance from the Community Beautification Coordinator, recorded their observations for the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Celebrate Urban Birds Program. and hosted activities for Cass Park Day Camp.

On- and off-site training's introduce career opportunities in the horticulture industry as well as teach new skills. Topics include soil science, compost, nursery management, organic farming, orchard production, greenhouse growing, farm entrepreneurship, Integrated Pest Management, weed identification, and plant propagation.

How to Apply

Youth interested in applying for an apprentice position should contact Meghan Cerveny, ICG Coordinator (607-272-2292 ext. 186 or lam26@cornell.edu). Apprentices are hired via the Ithaca Youth Bureau's Youth Employment Services (YES) and Joblink through Tompkins County Workforce New York. Funding for youth unable to go through these two agencies is sometimes available through the Ithaca Children's Garden. Feel free to call or email in May to learn more.

Download the Program Brochure
Download an Application

Season by Season: YHAP from 1999 to 2010

The Youth Horticulture Apprentice Program is the Ithaca Children's Garden's longest running program. Take a look at what all our apprentices have done over the last eleven years.

Support the YHAP

There are many ways to support the YHAP. Funding is needed to pay apprentice wages, provide them with t-shirt uniforms, and a set of tools. If you're interested in sponsoring an apprentice, please contact us at 607-272-2292 x 186 or lam26@cornell.edu.

In-kind donations of quality plant materials and new or gently used tools are always welcome.

Become a program guest speaker! We often invite local professionals or those with a specific skill set to lead a discussion or hands-on project either at the Garden or at an offsite facility.

Here is an example Guest Speakers in 2010:

    • - Mike Carpenter, Creative Construction. Instruction and design collaboration for kid-sized birdhouse and picnic table.
    • - Rusty Keeler, author of Natural Playscapes. Brainstorm on natural play environments in garden.
    • - Louise Raimando, ICG Board Member. Instruction on planting techniques, meadow restoration, and cover cropping.
    • - Monika Roth, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Tompkins County Agricultural Team Leader. Pruning instruction and guidance, assistance with Hatchday food preparation.
    • - Dan Klein and Martha Gimmousis, Community Beautification Coordinators. Community/Drive-by beautification. Apprentices mulched planter boxes in the Commons and along Cayuga Street adjacent to the Commons and tree wells along Aurora Street.
    • - Todd McLane, Farm Manager, West Haven Farm. Todd hosted a tour of West Haven Farm, sharing his knowledge on organic vegetable and fruit production. Additionally, apprentices helped mulch the large strawberry field at West Haven.
        • - Pamela Markham, Citizen Pruner. Tree pruning instruction and guidance.
        • - Mackenzie Grambor, Jade Tabony, Susan Denton, Cornell Cooperative Extension. Weekly farmstand collaboration.
        • - Chris Cerveny, PhD, Cornell University, Horticulture. Assistance with cut flower arrangements for farm stand.

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615 Willow Avenue, Ithaca, NY 14850-3555. 607 272 2292, fax: 607 272 7088