Youth Garden Project Programs

In 2001, YGP began offering programs year round, instead of just during the growing season. This same year, YGP became an AmeriCorps sponsored program. As the Moab community grows, the Youth Garden Project looks forward to expanding our educational opportunities to meet the needs of the youth in the community. Our current programs are:

AmeriCorps: YGP is an AmeriCorps sponsored program, and YGP receives nearly half of our yearly funding from the Utah Commission on Volunteers, the state level of AmeriCorps. AmeriCorps is a National Service Organization that promotes mobilizing community volunteers to increase community assets. AmeriCorps’ motto is “Getting Things Done”. To continue our partnership with AmeriCorps YGP must increase volunteerism and provide direct service to the community. AmeriCorps members are the backbone of our programs, serving in every program that we offer.
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High School Science in the Garden Class: The High School Science Class focuses on Agriculture and Natural Resource concepts. It is offered to a cross-section of 9th through 12th graders during the spring and fall trimesters for science credit. The focus of this class is to engage students, through hands-on experience, in the gardening process and help them develop stronger connections with the land and their community. Class concepts include soil biology, germination, photosynthesis, native plants and their uses, nutrition, and organic gardening techniques.
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Garden Apprentice Program: YGP is sponsored by AmeriCorps, a national service program. Each summer ten youth have the opportunity to serve at the garden in our Apprentice program, where they learn every angle of operating and managing a production garden, as well as the entrepreneurial skills of marketing and creating value added products. Apprentices also assist as mentors during our other summer programs. Apprentices earn a living stipend and financial award for higher education.
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Garden Classrooms: First through sixth grade students visit the garden during the spring and fall trimesters for fieldtrips that explore basic gardening and science concepts related to what students are currently studying. This experiential opportunity builds on classroom learning to strengthen the students’ understanding of science.
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Pluggin’ In: In cooperation with the Seventh District Juvenile Court, the Pluggin’ In Program provides Grand and San Juan County juvenile offenders who have received court-ordered community service hours an encouraging environment to repay their community. Youth work with YGP mentors on tasks around the garden and within the community on service projects. This program has proven to instill confidence in youth, build self-esteem and develop a strong work ethic. It has also reduced the amount of youth that return for a second offense, as noted by Bill Engle, former Chief Probation Officer of the Seventh District Juvenile Court.
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Summer Garden Day Camp: The YGP Garden Summer Day Camp was created in response to the communities’ need for a fun and recreational summer-time program for children that included responsible, adult supervision. This is a full day, five-day a week summer garden camp that captures the fun in learning through teaching elective topics while in the beauty of the garden. Camp activities include art lessons, theatrical productions, plant ecology experiments, reading, journal writing, and team building games, with field trips to nearby National Parks for nature hikes and the Moab Swim Center for swimming lessons. The Kids’ Summer Camp is provided to Grand County youth in partnership with the City of Moab, G.C.R.S.S.D, B.E.A.C.O.N, and Canyonlands Field Institute.
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After School Programs: Instead of finding Grand County’s intermediate and middle school children at home watching television and playing video games, you’ll find them getting dirt under their nails, starting plants from seed in the greenhouse, transplanting tomatoes into freshly turned rows, harvesting organic produce, learning to turn vegetables into snacks and meals, and creating crafts created from garden produce.
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Canyon Country Outdoor Education (CCOE): In partnership with the National Park Service, YGP AmeriCorps members serve at CCOE, providing science-based outdoor education experiences for Grand and San Juan County first through sixth graders through field trips in the National Parks and other recreation areas surrounding Grand County. CCOE is designed to engage participating students in science through fun and entertaining means and to demonstrate the proper and responsible ways in which to enjoy our National Parks and public lands. Field trip topics include plant adaptations, simple machines, food chains and ecosystems, and local geology.
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Teen Center: YGP AmeriCorps members serve at the teen center site to provide recreational programs for Grand County youth at an adult supervised site. The teen center also offers drop in programming, tutoring and homework assistance.
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Canyonlands Field Institute: New In 2008, a YGP AmeriCorps member serves at Canyonlands Field Institute providing outdoor education to youth ages 11-18 to increase understanding of, connection to, and care for the natural world.
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Grand Area Mentoring: New in 2008, a YGP AmeriCorps member will serve with GAM to match a carefully screened adult volunteer (Mentor) with a child (Mentee) in a school environment. Building a positive, new friendship helps to strengthen a Mentee's self-esteem and school performance. It provides a mentor with the chance to re-experience the adventure of childhood while contributing to the well being of a child.
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Family and Community Events: Communities need fun and inspiring events! YGP hosts a number of events so that families and community members can make connections and have FUN!

• Weed and Feeds from May-October: In an effort to promote community service, YGP prepares healthy organic meals in exchange for a few hours of light garden work. Held every other Wednesday.
• Chocolate Lovers’ Fling in February
• Pumpkin Chuckin’ in October.
• Movie Nights: Bring a blanket and enjoy organic popcorn while watching a movie al fresco! Movies are projected on the side of the Shafer Home and begin at dusk.
• Harvest Celebration and other Local Foods events.
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