Youth Gardening Programs

at Terra BIRDS

Based out of Northern Arizona

School Gardens
BIRDS@Work
Become a Volunteer

What’s behind Terra BIRDS programming?

At Terra BIRDS, it is our belief that nature is our oldest teacher and our richest classroom. We provide schools, teachers, and community partners in Flagstaff, Arizona with garden programs that engage young people as the stewards of their school grounds, urban habitats and garden spaces.

In addition to our robust School Garden Program, we offer job training and employment opportunities to local at-risk youth through our BIRDS@Work Program. This internship program provides sustainability and garden education-oriented jobs to young people in order to help them learn how to grow food in our high desert environment, restore urban habitats and rewild green spaces, and gain important job skills that will empower them to participate in the sustainable job sectors of our economy.

Not only do we help grow healthy food in our school and community gardens, we grow healthy kids, empowered youth, and a strong community.

Learn More About Our Organization
Meet the Team at Terra BIRDS

Children today play outside for an average of only four hours a week. In Flagstaff, we like to think that our kids spend more time outdoors exploring and seeking adventures. However, many children in our community either lack the opportunity or the family encouragement to spend time outside. All kids need access to quality experiential and environmental education, regardless of their socio-economic status or access to open space.

Through our School Garden Program, Terra BIRDS provides gardening education on school grounds for Flagstaff Unified School District (FUSD), Coconino County Accommodation School District (CCASD), Grand Canyon School District, and Page Unified School District students in grades K-12, emphasizing sustainability, stewardship, and community wellness. Each year, we guide 2,000 students in growing food and creating habitats for native plants and pollinators on school grounds and in community gardens. This program ensures that Northern Arizona youth receive continuous, age-appropriate, nature-based garden education; inspiring a generation to care about nature and grow their own food.

School Garden

Programs

School Garden Program Community Impact Statement:

  • Offered programming to 14 schools throughout Northern AZ (Flagstaff, Grand Canyon, & Page)

  • Served 2,221 students and provided 363 hours of garden education

Space Salad

Terra BIRDS Illustrator, Robert Chambers, developed a three-part series comic book, Space Salad, that blends hydroponic growing principles with STEM skills, in an imaginative sci-fi world. Space Salad tells the epic adventure of Flagstaff bird people (aka the BIRDS) who are on a mission to pilot their spaceship, the Olyf, from the launch site and Buffalo Park all the way to Mars to deliver supplies to the BIRDS terra forming the red planet’s rocky landscape into a verdant and lush biome. Space Salad embeds lessons on the care of the classroom hydroponic grow towers in the BIRDS escapades and foibles as they head out on their next space mission.

Hydroponic Grow Towers

Terra BIRDS and the Coconino County Education Service Agency (CCESA) have partnered to bring gardening indoors for year-round growing by installing hydroponic towers in classrooms in 33 schools in Flagstaff, Page, and Grand Canyon. The grow towers provide enhanced environmental and garden education, emphasizing contextualized Math and Science learning with hands-on activities.

School Garden Program FAQS

  • Our School Garden Programs are available to Flagstaff Unified School District (FUSD) schools, teachers, and students in grades K-12. If you are a teacher, administrator, garden club leader, or staff member interested in bringing garden education to your school, you can reach out to us using the form on this page.

  • No garden? No problem! We work with schools that are starting from scratch as well as those that have existing gardens. We can help build new garden beds, restore existing ones, or bring mobile hands-on garden education directly to your students.

  • We offer a wide variety of garden-related projects based on your school’s needs and interests, including:

    • Building and maintaining raised garden beds

    • Pollinator habitat creation

    • Hands-on lessons connected to your classroom curriculum (science, art, sustainability)

    • Art projects like murals and garden signs

    • Lessons on food systems, composting, and sustainability

    • Custom projects (we're open to creative ideas!)

    You can let us know what you’re interested in when you fill out the School Garden Inquiry Form.

  • Thanks to generous community funding and grants, many of our programs are offered at no cost to schools or students. If funding is needed to cover specific materials or extra services, we will discuss options and help identify potential sources of support. There’s also a space on our form to let us know if your school has funding or is seeking in-kind support.

  • To get started, please fill out the School Garden Inquiry Form. We'll need basic information about your class, your school, and what kind of project or lesson you’re interested in. Once we review your request, a Terra BIRDS team member will reach out to you to discuss next steps.

  • Program availability depends on the time of year, current bookings, and staff capacity. Filling out the School Garden Inquiry Form is the best way to start the process. We recommend reaching out early in the semester or before the growing season to schedule your ideal dates.

  • We offer flexible options depending on your needs. Some schools choose one-time visits for a specific project, while others work with us for recurring lessons over several weeks or the whole semester. You can let us know what frequency you’re hoping for when you fill out the form.

  • Absolutely! Our garden programs are designed to integrate with classroom lessons and support learning in science, art, sustainability, and social studies. Let us know what themes or standards you’re working on, and we’ll tailor activities to align with your goals.

  • Yes! We love working with volunteers. If you or your school community is interested in helping out—whether for a specific project or ongoing garden maintenance—please visit our Volunteer Section to learn more and sign up.

BIRDS@WORK

Terra BIRDS provides at-risk youth in Northern Arizona with a paid internship opportunity through our BIRDS@Work Program. Youth who participate are primarily from Ponderosa High School (PHS) and the Coconino County Juvenile Detention Center Transition School (JDCTS). Through this program, young people are able to develop valuable job skills through hands-on work addressing critical environmental challenges. This program offers educational and vocational training for underprivileged 15-to-22-year-olds, preparing them to engage in meaningful work in habitat restoration and urban agriculture. Participants, who come from diverse backgrounds—including 44% Native American, 39% Hispanic, and 17% White—often face significant life challenges, such as poverty, homelessness, substance abuse, or histories of incarceration.

Through garden education and habitat restoration, the program empowers these youth to build skills, confidence, and a sense of purpose, while making a positive impact on their community and environment. We strive to give real-world, sustainability-oriented job experience to at-risk youth, helping to build a diverse community of informed and active young people who advocate for our planet, combating climate change, habitat loss, and promoting diversity in green jobs and environmental sustainability.

BIRDS@Work Program Community Impact 2024

  • 20 out of 35 from total participating students this year say this was their first job

  • 76.5% of participating students were unemployed prior to their internship

  • 85.3% of participating students relied on this internship for meaningful income to positively impact finances for them or their family

If you know of a youth who would benefit from the program or would like to apply yourself please reach out to info@terrabirds.org for access to our online application process.

BIRDS@Work FAQS

  •  BIRDS@Work is open to youth ages 15-22 in Flagstaff. We primarily work with students from Ponderosa High School (PHS) and the Juvenile Detention Center Transition School (JDCTS), but we welcome inquires from other schools or community members working with youth who could benefit from the program.

  • Youth in BIRDS@Work gain real-world job experience through hands-on environmental work, including:

    • Garden building and maintenance

    • Growing food in school and community gardens

    • Pollinator and wildlife habitat restoration

    • Sustainability and conservation projects

    Participants work alongside trained mentors to develop skills in land stewardship, teamwork, and leadership while contributing to healthier ecosystems and community spaces.

  • Yes! All youth participating in BIRDS@Work are paid for their work thanks to grant funding and community support. This is a real job, not a volunteer position, and participants are compensated for their time and effort.

    Pay is the current Flagstaff minimum wage rate.

  •  We typically hire 11-12 youth each season.

    • Ages 15-22

    • No prior job experience required — this is a great first job and learning opportunity!

    • We strongly encourage youth from diverse backgrounds to apply.

  • There are two ways to connect:

    1. Youth who are interested can fill out our "Youth Application Form" on this page.

    2. Teachers, mentors, or community members who know a young person that might benefit can submit a "Youth Referral Form" ("Have a youth in mind?").

    Once we receive the form, a team member will reach out to talk more about the opportunity.

  • Youth receive on-the-job training and work closely with Terra BIRDS staff and mentors. Training includes:

    • Garden and habitat restoration techniques

    • Basic job readiness skills (punctuality, teamwork, leadership)

    • Environmental education and sustainability practices

    • Personal growth support (confidence building, goal setting)

  • We strive to keep youth engaged in our broader community efforts. After their paid program ends, youth may be invited to volunteer, mentor other students, or apply for other roles when available.

  • BIRDS@Work operates seasonally during the main growing season and based on project needs. We recommend inquiring for more information.