YOUTH GARDEN PROJECT

Programs

Summer Service Program
In summer, teens volunteer up to 120 hours each to the Youth Garden Project's Summer Service program. Small groups of teens work hard to keep up with the labor demands of summer production. All food grown by the teens is donated to local food aide providers such as the South Corvallis Food Bank and St. Mary's Stone Soup.

The Summer Service program is divided into 4 theme-based units - each with a designated learning topic. Topic choices include the likes of "Farming with the Wild", "Saving Seed", "Garden Art", and "How the World is Used - One Bite at a Time".

Much time is spent on reflection, getting feedback, identifying priorities for work and learning, sharing ideas, and building relationships that result in positive teamwork. The rewards are great, and some are unique.
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Lincoln Elementary Garden Club
New in 2006, the Youth Garden Project provides a gardening after-school club to K-5 students at Lincoln Elementary's famed Community Academic and Enrichment Clubs (CAEC). Students use the school garden as a basis for learning about natural ways of growing food, resource use, wildlife, and as an excuse to play in the dirt. Construction and maintenance of a worm compost bin allows students to see the process come full circle--their waste is eaten by worms, and then turned into a rich compost for their garden.
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School-year In-Service Programs
During the school year YGP offers Service Learning opportunities to area schools and youth service agencies. Involvement in these activities allows young people to apply academic knowledge to real world experience, to gain skills and confidence unknown in the classroom, and to connect with community in ways that encourage responsibility and citizenship.

Scheduled in-service programs are posted here throughout the school year and posted at area schools and at the CEC office downtown on Monroe Street between 2nd and 3rd.

Though we make an effort to provide opportunities for teens when school is out, we are unable to schedule garden programs for all in-service days. Please check this site or call the CEC office (753-9211) for information on scheduled programs.
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Art Reaching Youth at Risk
Beyond the focus on food, the Youth Garden Project recognizes the value of positive work experience and the powerful effect of working for a common good.

Each year, YGP collaborates with The Corvallis Arts Center and local youth service agencies to offer a creative building project for youth-at-risk. Working from a theme of Functional Garden Art, these collaborations have created several masterpieces for gardeners and park goers to share.

In the year 2000, girls from transitional housing, with help from the Benton County Juvenile Department work crew, were guided by local artisans in the design and building of a cob oven. The girls worked through a process of cooperative design, work strategizing, and building. The result is a cheerful sculpted hog used all season long to feed volunteers and friends with garden fresh pizza.

In 2001, a similar group worked the production garden while learning many details of the nearly lost art of timber frame building. Coached by a professional woodworker, 7 girls from transitional housing practiced woodcarving and design. Again with Benton County help, the group helped assemble and erect a timber frame shelter for the oven sculpture. The girls then adorned the shelter with their carved creations.

2002 and 2003 were spent designing and working on stages of an ambitious plan to create a Bike Path Wayside garden area for passersby using the city bike path along the Youth Garden and adjacent community gardens. The result is a 14 foot diameter stone mosaic connecting winding gravel paths inviting detours off the bike path to a botanically rich garden spot complete with 'hitchin posts' for storing bikes during a long rest.

For many at-risk teens, these projects are a first positive involvement with community, and offer important social and vocational skills. These teens thrive in a healthy, open work environment and they appreciate the opportunity to learn from community professionals.

Link to schedule