High School Explainer Program

Explainers are high school students who have been accepted into a competitive internship program and work as volunteer educators in the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden.

Explainers begin their internship learning about the three-part mission of the New York Botanical Garden: Science, Education, and Horticulture through interactive, hands-on tours and activities. The internship includes working on a team to conduct citizen science phenophase research in the Thain Family Forest, learning hands-on horticulture in the Edible Academy, and developing teaching skills to facilitate activities for children and families at the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden Pop-Up. Intern Explainers commit to a minimum of 125 volunteer hours, which includes orientation, training, and weekend shifts.

Intern Explainers spend much of their time out on Garden grounds. With the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden under renovation until Spring 2025, Intern Explainers collect data for their phenology project in the Thain Family Forest. Our family programs take place in our Everett Children’s Adventure Garden Pop-Up. Space near these areas is available for Explainer meetings and breaks.

Teens share a sense of community, forge new friendships, and spend time outdoors exploring nature. Teens become more self-confident through public speaking, gain a deeper knowledge of a topic (plant science and ecology specifically), and share experiences with peers.

During the Onsite Internship, MetroCards are provided to defray the cost of transportation to and from the Garden. The onsite Internship benefits include admission for Explainers’ families to visit the garden, discounts at the Cafe and Shop in the Garden as well as documentation of service hours and recommendations for college or other scholarship programs.

Intern Explainers are accepted into the program twice a year in the spring or fall session. The application process for the fall session takes place late spring before summer break. Specific session dates are listed above. Each session requires a commitment to attend all four training days and one weekend shift of 4.5 hours for the duration of the internship. Interns who successfully complete internship requirements have the option to apply to advanced levels of the program.

Students who submit complete applications by the Application Deadline (see above for dates) are invited to attend a group interview. Students will be contacted via e-mail and given a scheduled interview date. Group interviews are interactive and take place in-person within the Children’s Adventure Garden. All applicants interviewed will receive an email following the interview with an admission decision.

Accepted applicants will receive an invitation to attend the required Explainer Orientation with a parent or guardian in person. Explainers accepted into the program are required to complete 24 hours of team training before they may begin actively volunteering. Dates of the orientation and training are noted on the website. Attendance is mandatory.

There is no single type of person who is chosen to be an Explainer. The best Explainers are enthusiastic learners who enjoy nature, science, and sharing discoveries with others (especially children). Explainers learn to communicate with the public and gain confidence in a variety of circumstances. Explainers don’t always start out as great public speakers, but they do begin with a willingness to work and try hard.

Application deadlines are strictly adhered to. If your application is submitted after the deadline, it will be considered for the next available session. If you would like to update your application, you may submit a new one at any time.

If Explainers have completed 125 volunteer hours at the six-month deadline:

• They may leave the Program
• They may apply to be an Advanced Explainer

Advanced Explainers are part-time employees paid through a generous grant from the NY City Council. Advanced Explainers teach visiting families in our Everett Children’s Adventure Garden Pop-Up, leading fun, interactive science education stations alongside Master and Senior Explainers. Additionally, Advanced Explainers participate in weekly mentor meetings to further their professional skills.

There are a small number of part-time, paid leadership opportunities at the Adventure Garden for the positions of Master and Senior Explainer. When these positions become available, Advanced Explainers in good standing may apply by submitting a resume and cover letter.

Explainers who do not complete the 125 hours before the six-month deadline do not receive a completion certificate or letter of recommendation for their service.

Because all Explainers receive all the training and enrichment they will need for the Program, Explainers need only to be enthusiastic learners with an interest in being good educators and helping others to learn and grow! Having a general interest in nature, plant sciences, ecology, and education is very helpful.

In the Onsite Internship, no matter what the season, Explainers help young visitors to use science process skills to explore nature and make their own discoveries. Activity stations focus on concepts such as prediction, observation, measurement (sense of scale), data collection, or journaling. Explainers help children to practice these skills through fun, engaging processes such as using magnifying lenses, creating an observational drawing, collecting and observing samples from the pond wetland, or collecting data about life in the Garden. Explainers facilitate Family Programs by standing to lead hands-on activities with visiting families. Explainers switch between various activity stations and typically remain at a given station for up to one hour. Explainers receive a 30-minute break during every 4.5-hour shift.