Earth Seeds Ecology Internship
Earth Seeds is a garden ecology-based, paid youth internship that aims to help youth explore their relationships with nature and develop the skills to become environmental stewards and gardeners who use their resources to improve their lives and surrounding communities.
Applications for this competitive program are currently open for high school students from Southwest Philadelphia. Click here to learn more and to apply.
Application deadline: Friday, April 3
Earth Seeds: Gardening for Good
“All that you touch you change. All that you change changes you.” – Octavia Butler
The history of nature-based careers is marked by a legacy of injustice. From the displacement of indigenous peoples through the establishment of national parks, to the appropriation of botanical knowledge from enslaved people, to the destruction of plant and animal populations in the name of science, the field has a complicated and painful past.
Acknowledging this history is essential as we look toward the future in Southwest Philadelphia, where vulnerable neighborhoods are most at risk from environmental changes. This internship experience is an investment in the youth of the Southwest community. This experience will provide the necessary knowledge, critical thinking skills, and practical expertise that will empower young people to become leaders within their communities.
Topics Covered & Responsibilities
Specific responsibilities for participants include:
- Carry an open mind and open heart
- Explore personal, cultural, family, and communal history
- Be an active listener and participant in discussions
- Commit to working on a team and accepting feedback
- Be able to lift over 40 lbs and work in all weather conditions
Topics covered include:
- Plant care
- Horticultural business management
- Seed collecting & seed banks
- Landscape design & installation
- Land management
- Tree care
- Resume building
- Conflict resolution & restorative justice
- Understanding topics such as:
- Birds (Ornithology)
- Plants (Botany)
- Mushrooms (Mycology)
- Rocks (Geology)
- Insects (Entomology)
- Climate change
- Ecology
- Local environmental policy
- Marginalized historical figures in nature-based fields
Important Dates
Semester 1 | Spring: Connection & Orientation
In spring, we’ll focus on building connections—connecting to nature, your peers, and your community. We’ll spend time getting to know the land and learning about the plants, trees, and animals around us.
Hours: 10 hours/week; Wednesdays and Thursdays, 3:45 – 5:30pm; and Saturdays, 9:00am – 3:00 pm
Semester 2 | Summer: Experience
In the summer, we’ll dive into hands-on gardening and nature work. You’ll learn skills like pruning, landscape design, and how to maintain a garden. You’ll also attend workshops led by experts in the field and work on your own garden design.
Hours: 20 hours/week, Tuesday – Friday, 9:00am – 3:00pm
Semester 3 | Fall: Capstone
In the fall, you’ll work collectively with your peers to complete a garden project that combines all of the concepts that you have learned thus far. You’ll finish with a portfolio of your work and share your project with the community in a final presentation.
Hours: 10 hours/week; Wednesdays and Thursdays 3:45 – 5:30pm; and Saturdays, 9:00am – 3:00 pm
Time Commitment
The time commitment and hours for this internship vary throughout the summer and school year:
- Spring 2027 (dates TBA): 10 hours/week; Wednesdays and Thursdays 3:45 – 5:30pm; and Saturdays, 9:00am – 3:00 pm
- Summer 2026 (June 29 – August 7, 2026): 20 hours/week, Tuesday – Friday, 8:30am – 2:00pm
- Fall 2026 (dates TBA): 10 hours/week; Wednesdays and Thursdays 3:45 – 5:30pm; and Saturdays, 9:00am – 3:00 pm
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