# Garden Apprentice Program

Brooklyn Botanic Garden's four-tier teen apprenticeship in urban agriculture and environmental education. Grades 9-11, no fee, nine-month commitment, and a $600-$800 completion reimbursement.

## Key facts

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Organization | Brooklyn Botanic Garden |
| Category | volunteer |
| Cost | Free |
| Deadline | Rolling / check official site |
| Eligibility | Grades 9–11 |
| Format | In person |
| Location | Brooklyn, NY |
| Time commitment | ~6 hours/week |
| Apply | https://www.bbg.org/learn/gap |

## About this program

# Garden Apprentice Program

The Garden Apprentice Program (GAP) is Brooklyn Botanic Garden's four-tier teen apprenticeship in urban agriculture and environmental education. Apprentices make a nine-month commitment from March through November, meeting once or twice a week during the spring and fall sessions and four days a week in the summer at one of the best-known public gardens in the country.

## What You'll Do

- Grow and harvest fruits, vegetables, and herbs in BBG's Children's Garden
- Learn botany and environmentalism through hands-on activities across the Garden's collections
- Teach visitors about plants in the Discovery Garden and conduct science experiments (Tier 2)
- Research, design, and build GAP carts - mobile educational exhibits wheeled out into the Garden (Tier 3)
- Mentor newer apprentices and co-facilitate Children's Garden programming (Tier 4)

## Who Should Apply

Students in grades 9-11: Tier 1 is open to 9th graders, Tier 2 to 10th graders, Tier 3 to 11th graders, and Tier 4 only to apprentices who have completed Tier 3. New applicants may enter at any tier except Tier 4. No gardening experience is required and there is no fee to participate. BBG accepts 12 to 14 apprentices per tier and typically receives about three times that many applications.

## Outcomes

Apprentices spend roughly 190-220 hours at the Garden, all of which count toward school community-service requirements. Tiers 1-3 receive a one-time reimbursement of $600, $700, or $800 on completion; Tier 4 apprentices are onboarded as part-time BBG staff at $17 per hour.

## Frequently asked questions

### How much does Garden Apprentice Program cost?

Garden Apprentice Program is completely free — there is no participation fee. Costs like travel or optional materials may still apply; check the official site for details.

### Who is eligible for Garden Apprentice Program?

Garden Apprentice Program is open to high school students in grades 9–11. Some programs have additional requirements (GPA, coursework, essays, or recommendations) — the full criteria are on the official site.

### Is Garden Apprentice Program online or in person?

Garden Apprentice Program is an in-person program based in Brooklyn, NY. Expect a time commitment of roughly 6 hours per week.

### How do I apply to Garden Apprentice Program?

Apply directly through Brooklyn Botanic Garden's official website. ExtracurricularHub links to the official application — we list and verify programs but don't process applications.

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Last updated: 2026-07-28.
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