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After-school and
Camp Programs:
College First

Program Highlights

Participation and Transportation

College First in the News

Education — Center for Teaching and Learning

College First: Science, College, and Careers —
Learn & Earn!

College First is a dynamic paid internship program for eligible Chicago Public High School students consisting of career mentorship, field ecology and conservation science, and college prep and assistance. Students in the program spend their summers in the Garden's beautiful setting exploring a vast array of potential science careers and using the Garden's resources to learn about native ecosystems and plants. For eight weeks each summer, students spend a portion of each day being mentored by a Chicago Botanic Garden staff member and the other portion in group instruction. During the summer, as well as at monthly meetings over the school year, emphasis is also placed on college as a pathway to any career and guidance is given to the students, who are often the first in their families to attend college.

Program highlights College First students showing off their river samples

Learn about the program College First students with the pile of invasive buckthorn they removed from Beaubien Woods

College First in the news College First students learning about native plants and their pollinators

What past interns have to say:

• "I enjoyed my summer each day because there was always an activity or job I planned or
  decided for myself."
• "The hands-on activities, field trips, and one-on-one attention were strategies that were effective
  and fun."
• "Instruction at the Chicago Botanic Garden was more effective than regular 'school' instruction.
  It was more hands-on, which taught me more than traditional lessons."
• "Everything was amazing!"

 

College First is made possible with the generous support of the Toyota USA Foundation, the Sheridan Foundation, Bertha Lebus Charitable Trust and the Lloyd A. Fry Foundation.

Additional support for the Center for Teaching and Learning Department is provided by HSBC–North America, The Brinson Foundation, and the Kemper Educational and Charitable Fund