2025 TWIG Program – June 11th - July 31st
Application Deadline-Friday, April 11th at 11:59 PM MST
Internship and Volunteer Summary
TWIG volunteers and interns will have the opportunity to work alongside RBGA horticulture professionals in one of our various horticulture crews for hands-on garden experience. We will be accepting nine lucky applicants into the program and conducting interviews as part of the selection process.
TWIGs spend most of their time outdoors, behind-the-scenes, with Red Butte Garden staff, other volunteers, and Garden guests. TWIG participants will acquire valuable job skills working as part of a team, gain horticultural experience and knowledge, build references, and learn in a hands-on, unique, and educational environment.
The TWIG internship track has been approved to fulfill internship requirements for AMES (Academy of Math, Enginering, and Science) and is an unpaid position.
Training Opportunities for TWIG Interns (meeting 40-hour AMES requirement) and TWIG Volunteers
Mandatory Training Session/Orientation for all TWIG participants:
- Date: Wednesday, June 11th
- Time: 10:30 AM - 2:00 PM
- Details: This session is mandatory for all participants.
Optional Training Sessions (required for interns):
- Brown Bag Training (Topic to be announced):
- Date: July 8th
- Time: 1:30 PM
- Additional learning experience dates and times TBA
- Details: These sessions count towards internship hours and are beneficial for those aiming to meet the 40-hour internship requirement.
Additional Assignments for TWIG Interns:
- Requirement: TWIG interns are required to complete additional hands-on projects/homework assignments that will take place on your own time. This project is to be submitted and approved for meeting required quality standards by the end of the program.
- Note: Regular TWIG volunteers are not required to complete these assignments.
Internship & Volunteer Responsibilities
Duties include but are not limited to:
Horticulture Crew
- Horticulture crew TWIGs must complete at least 30 hours through three-hour shifts every week for seven weeks (Weds or Thurs 9AM-Noon)
- Applicants will be able to apply for whichever day will work best with their schedule, and the Volunteer Office and Horticulture Crew Leads will determine through the interview process if an area may be a good fit.
- TWIG participants will be invited to attend several other learning experiences at different times—typically Tuesdays—throughout the seven-week program.
Horticulture Crew Shifts Include:
- First Impression Gardens – Wednesday 9 AM - noon or Thursday 9 AM - noon
- Natural Area – Thursday 9 AM - noon
- Rose Garden – Wednesday 9 AM - noon
- Water Conservation Garden – Wednesday 8 AM - 11 AM
- Terrace Gardens – Thursday 9 AM - noon
Qualifications
- Volunteer and internship positions are open to high school students entering Grades 9-12 (ages 14-17, must be age 14 before your first shift)
- An interest in plants, the environment, and/or horticulture
- Must be flexible and able to work both independently and as part of a team
- Must be able to meet the physical demands with or without reasonable accommodation for prolonged kneeling, weeding, raking, pruning, and standing on uneven surfaces.
- If applying for a summer internship, please provide a letter of recommendation from a teacher or mentor, and two references
Application Process
Application Deadline: Friday, April 11th at 11:59 PM MST
TWIG volunteer and internship candidates please complete this application.
After submitting your application, we will reach out to schedule an interview sometime in April or May.