High School Internship

Summer High School Internship Dates: June 18 – July 26, 2024

Every summer Sherman Library & Gardens offers an intensive six-week full time paid internship opportunity for High School students who show an interest in study or career options in the field of horticulture and/or public gardens. In recent years we have welcomed students from El Dorado High School, Placentia, Early College High School, Costa Mesa and Newport Harbor High School, Newport Beach. The interns joined our horticulture and education team for a varied program of practical garden work, summer camp, field trips and individual projects.

‘I have absolutely loved working at Sherman Gardens for the summer! It has been such a great learning experience and has allowed me to explore this field further. I definitely plan to continue to volunteer at the gardens.’

                                                                                        – Madelyn Sparks, Summer 2021 High School Intern 

Amongst many other activities, our interns learned to re-pot and virus test orchids, clean out the koi pond, groom specific plants, mow and edge the lawn, handle young and enthusiastic summer campers and work within a small team. The intent of the internship is to show high school students that horticulture and botany are viable and rewarding college majors and career paths. Field trips to The Huntington Library, Tree of Life Nursery, the Summer Exotic Plant and Orchid Show and the Farm + Food Lab help them to understand the context of their work at the gardens and the wider industry.

Previous Internship recipients have gone on to study Landscape Architecture at UC Berkeley and Biology at UCLA.

Thank you to the Sherman Library & Gardens Volunteer Association.

Applications for this year’s High School Internship 
program are now open.

How To Apply

Please email Catherine Dickinson, Education Director, at [email protected] with the following:

A pdf document including:

1. Your Name, Grade in 2024/25, Name of School, Email Address, Phone number, Extracurricular Activities and Interests.
2. When your school summer break begins and ends. Any other commitments that might need to be accommodated.
3. An essay, 500 words or less, responding to these questions: 

•  Why would you be a good fit for this internship? 

• If you were given a 2.2 acre plot of land and a full team of gardeners to help you, what kind of garden would you create?

Application Due By: March 31, 2024 

Details:

Paid Internship @ $16/hr.
20-30 hours per week, Monday – Friday
June 18 – July 26, 2024
Number of Positions: 1
Qualifications: High school student entering 11th or 12th Grade w/ 2.5 or higher GPA