Anathoth Community Garden

Applications are now available:
Deadline is March 22.  There are six spots available, and the crew will
be set by April 1.

Click the following links to download both documents (note: you may have to click twice):
2013 application form
2013 essay questions

STEPS TO COMPLETING THE APPLICATION:
1.) Fill out the form.

2.) Answer the essay questions on the next page on a separate piece of paper,
and attach that page to the application.

3,) Ask one person (no family members please) to write a recommendation letter
for you. Your recommender has the following options:

           -Email the letter to anathothgarden@gmail.com
           -Mail the letter to PO Box #138, Cedar Grove, NC 27231
          -Return it to you to attach to the application.

Click on the following link for more information about this year’s Open Hands program (note: you may have to click it twice).  Open-Hands-Gardening-Program-for-Teens

ABOUT 2013 PROGRAM:

WHAT:  Educational, empowerment, and service opportunity at Anathoth Community Garden for ages 15-19 to learn gardening, culinary, and community building skills while serving  the community.

WHEN:  April 6-October 12, 2013. Saturday mornings during the school year, weekday mornings during the summer. Pizza party information session on Saturday, March 2, at 1pm at Anathoth.

WHY:  With 175 hours of service out of an available 260 hours throughout the season, teens will receive a certificate of completion and a scholarship fund of $1,250. Enhance your resume, college application, scholarship essay, or count hours towards school-required community service.

FAQ:

Could you provide me with a detailed agenda.  Is this every Saturday?  Do you have a list of the dates?  What if you miss 1-2 sessions?

Our agenda will vary day-by-day, according to what needs to be done in the garden,
as well as what learning opportunities will arise throughout the summer.

Our work hours are open for teens in the program at different times throughout the season:
during the school year, we are open on Tuesday evenings from 5-8pm and Saturday mornings
9-1pm; during the summer, we are open from Tuesday-Saturday mornings from 9-1pm.
This way, teens are able to pursue other opportunities in the afternoons during the summer
(when it is very hot after 1pm) and still get the hours they need. (Note: There will also be ongoing community workdays on Tuesday evenings that the teens can participate in too).

There will be sign-in sheet and we will keep track of hours throughout the season. Each teen
(and we will accept 6) will need 175 hours to complete the program. I believe there are something
like 225 available hours throughout the season. This means that teens will also have time to take
days off, or a week or two, throughout the season if they need to rest, go on vacation, etc.  

In general, our workdays will consist of the following…

9-9:30: Morning huddle up: a time to put a task list together on the chalk board and delegate
the work. Teens will work closely with each other and our summer apprentices, who are college-age.
9:30-11: Garden work: planting, weeding, harvesting, packing boxes, mulching, feeding chickens, collecting eggs, etc.
11-11:15: Water break
11:15-12:45: Garden work
12:45-1: Clean up and put tools away.

There will also be times that we play games, stop and learn how to do particular garden tasks together
as a group, as well as the philosophy behind why we do things the way we do. And, with parent/guardian permission there will also be times that we take mornings to visit other local farms and gardens, or go to Cedar Grove United Methodist Church and can/preserve vegetables in the kitchen.

On Saturdays, the Open Hands crew will put the HarvestShare CSA boxes together that will be distributed around the community. There is also a potluck lunch after the workday on Saturday that the teens are encouraged to stay and share with or without their families.

Who should I get to write a reference letter for me?

We ask that reference letters come from non-relatives only. This includes but is not limited to teachers, coaches, pastors, scout leaders, employers, etc.

Do I qualify if I turn 15 after the program starts?

Yes, but please understand that this program is designated for older teens this season. Therefore, only those who are 15 and older, or are turning 15 before the program ends in October will be considered.

Can I still participate if I have an intellectual or physical disability?

Yes, we are seeking a diverse group of teens this season including those with disabilities. However, we will ask that you provide us with all of the information we need to accommodate your participation, in order to make this experience safe and affirming for everyone. Therefore, please be prepared to give us a detailed information about how we should take your disability into consideration this season (where applicable, i.e. prescriptions, allergies, particular people or situations that might trigger a reaction, and of course emergency contact information).

Can I still participate if I’m graduating from high school this year?

Yes, absolutely, and congratulations. The only caveat is that if you have Fall plans that are not local (i.e college), then you will need to complete 175 hours before you leave in August in order be awarded the $1,250 scholarship fund.

PROGRAM HISTORY:


Anathoth has depended on the service of teenagers since day one. Originating as a partnership with  Orange County’s Volunteers for Youth Juvenile Community Services and Restitution Program , which  ”works with young people who have been court ordered to complete community service hours in order to pay back the community for inappropriate behavior,” we have worked to empower youth with the skills and knowledge to make healthy lifestyle choices and be leaders for peace in their own community.                                                                                  
  
While some of the teens in the Volunteers for Youth program would return to the garden after their mandated service, many would leave and never come back–turnover was constant and consistency was stifled.  In 2008, a generous grant from Heifer International, enabled us to expand our effort to empower teenagers by granting us the money to start Open Hands (formerly Manos Abiertos). 

Check out the story by clicking this link.

For the past three seasons Open Hands has hired teens, paid them fair wages, and given them scholarships to pursue education or careers after graduating from high school–all while they have learned how to grow and prepare food, business marketing skills through managing a Community Supported Agriculture program, personal finance management with bi-weekly paychecks, and how to work collaboratively with a diverse group of people. Additionally, Open Hands teens have attended a national conference called Rooted In Community for teens involved in food justice work, where they have hosted workshops including how to install a ”food forest” and have co-drafted a Youth Food Bill of Rights demanding a more just food economy for their generation.      

Since the beginning of the garden, we have worked with well over a hundred teenagers from Volunteers for Youth; and since 2008, we have worked with over 40 youth in the Open Hands program, including a first generation Mexican-American who is the first in his family to attend a four year college, an African-American who was one of the few in his family to graduate from high school and several others who have sought out sustainability alternatives in college. 

Today, we are seeking out more creative ways to engage and empower youth, including those with intellectual and physical disabilities. For the time being, with limited grant funding, we are offering Open Hands as a season-long, service-learning opportunity. This spring, 2013, we will post applications on our website (by March 3) and hold an interview process for this opportunity, awarding certificates at the end of the season to those who are accepted and satisfactorily complete the required amount of service-learning hours.