Growth is the goal for River City Youth’s gardening internship. Growing plants, obviously, but also for the students involved.
River City Youth, a Spokane-based nonprofit focused on enrichment for youth, offers agricultural internship programs for high school students four times a year — two in spring, one summer, one fall — each lasting seven weeks with three days per week. Sometimes they receive three times as many applicants as available spots.
“When I heard of River City Youth, I was like, “Oh, I can have a fun time doing what I love and expanding my social circle,” North Central High School sophomore Valentine shared while checking on crops and the beehive in the organization’s West Central garden.
Gardening appeals to youth in the program, providing moderate physical exercise that’s not exhausting while producing (pun intended) visible and meaningful results, especially for individuals who have experienced food insecurity.
Along with learning to tend a garden and keep bees, interns are challenged to develop other skills that will serve them in all aspects of life.
“We also hear a lot of youth saying that they want to overcome social anxiety, that they want to get better at communicating together,” River City Youth Engagement Navigator Wilson Faust explained.
At the end of each internship, participants receive a certificate of completion, a resume entry they can use for future job applications, and references from program staff.
Learn more about River City Youth and find more opportunities for youth activities at EngageIRL.com.