Do you LOVE being outside, working with children and exploring the natural world? Do you have experience or interest in working in a garden or farm setting?  Are you excited to work collaboratively to make camp memorable for children aged 5-11 years old? Do you love to laugh, run through the sprinklers, and eat snacks from the garden? We are looking for high-energy, upbeat, compassionate educators to join our education team for Growing Gardens Summer Camp in 2023! 

Job Title: Summer Environmental Educator
Job Status: Full Time, Seasonal Summer Employee, Average 40 hours per week
Reports To: Education Program Coordinator
Pay: $700 per week of summer camps; training weeks will be prorated to reflect days worked

Bonus: $150 finishing bonus upon completion of the summer season.

PDIS Required Training: 7 hours of online training that will be completed independently before May 30 start date. This 7-hour training will be compensated with a $100 stipend and can be completed in sections.

Required in-person training: May 30–June 2, 8:00 AM–4:00 PM ($560 stipend)
Summer Camp Schedule: Summer Camp is weekly June 5–August 11 (9 weeks total)

There is no Summer Camp the week of July 3rd-7th. We are offering 2 options for this week.  You can take a week-long break OR work 2 days with Growing Gardens engaging in mid-season training and opportunities to connect with other programs in our organization. This option would take place on July 6 & 7 at a rate of $140 per day.

Job Purpose:

Growing Gardens’ Summer Environmental Educator works to deliver high-quality summer camp education programs. Educators co-lead a group of 15 campers each week and teach students about our garden and all it has to offer through lessons, activities, crafts, games, and basic cooking. Working with the Education Program Coordinator, educators are responsible for preparing camp and leading children through activities. Summer Environmental Educators are essential in setting and attaining programming goals and objectives.

Major Functions and Accountabilities

• Teach garden-based education programming to children from 8:30 am-3:30 pm during the 9 Summer Camp weeks. Camp is located at the Boulder Farm Site.
• Work with fellow Summer Environmental Educators to prepare and lead week-long summer camp sessions. All supplies, curriculum, and training will be provided by Growing Gardens prior to camp start date.
• Maintain positive relationships with campers, parents, and fellow staff.
• Record keeping and administrative work documenting programming.
• This job is outside in all weather conditions and involves many contact hours with program participants.

Required Qualifications

• The candidate must have at least 460 hours of satisfactory and verifiable experience working with school-age children. 460 Hours must be with children aged 4-18 in groups of four or more. Babysitting hours cannot be counted.  
• Experience teaching in an outdoor or environmental education setting.
• Responsibility, reliability, and organizational skills.
• Exceptional relationship-building and conflict-resolution skills.
• Ability to self-motivate and work independently as well as collaboratively with the team.
• Ability to adapt to changing situations: weather, curriculum, child needs, etc.
• Consistent positive attitude and ability to enthusiastically work all day outdoors with children.
• The position is contingent upon the satisfactory results of a background check.

A note about working here in the time of Covid-19:

Like everyone around the globe, our operations have been challenged by this pandemic. Our work has had to shift at a moment's notice based on Public Health guidelines and changing priorities for the organization. We ask that interns are understanding of changing schedules and planned work as necessary. In order to keep our small and mighty team healthy through the season we are requiring that everyone participating in our internship program be fully vaccinated against Covid-19. At this time, that means they will have received the primary vaccination and the bivalent booster containing Omicron. Further details on this can be found on the CDC website. *If you need an exception to this requirement, please speak with the hiring manager.

Growing Gardens prohibits and will not tolerate discrimination or harassment and will take affirmative measures to ensure against them, especially if they are carried out on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, marital status, national origin, disability, status as a veteran or disabled veteran, neurodiversity, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, genetic information, matriculation or political affiliation. This policy applies to all employees or potential employees, volunteers, participants, members of the Growing Gardens Board of Directors, people who serve on Growing Gardens’ committees, and anyone attending Growing Gardens’ events.  This policy extends to all aspects of employment at Growing Gardens, including hiring, transfer, promotion, training, working conditions, policies, compensation, evaluation, discipline, and termination.

For any questions, contact Rachel Charkowicz at rachel@growinggardens.org