The Children’s Aid (CA) helps children in poverty to succeed and thrive. We do this by providing comprehensive supports to children and their families in targeted, high-needs New York City neighborhoods.  In 2003, CA launched a number of programs aimed at preventing and slowing the rates of childhood obesity in the communities we serve. The programs come together under the umbrella of Go!Healthy, a comprehensive nutrition education initiative that engages children from birth through adolescence, as well as parents and staff. 

Go!Healthy’s garden program enables children to experience plant-based foods from seed to table.  Every gardening lesson is hands-on, providing children the opportunity to plant, tend and harvest food which is then used in cooking classes to make delicious and healthful snacks and meals.  The garden program also integrates movement, inquiry-based science learning, arts and crafts, reflection and journaling.  This program is a complement to our Go!Chefs program, a nutrition education and cooking curriculum for elementary, middle and high school youth. Since 2005, Go!Chefs has introduced youth to the pleasures of growing, preparing and enjoying "real food" that is both nutritious and delicious - an essential step toward health and well-being. Our core goals are for children to embrace fresh fruit and vegetables, increase their food literacy and, build skills and self-sufficiency in the kitchen and garden.

The Children’s Aid Go!Healthy program is seeking dynamic instructors to lead spring garden programming during afterschool for the 2018-2019 school year. Garden instructors will work during afterschool hours 1-4 days per week, and must be available to conduct classes through the end of June with the possibility of conducting summer programming garden classes as well.

Responsibilities include:

• Effectively implementing our curriculum, which includes gardening, plant science, journaling, and tastings
• Managing and ensuring safety for approx. 15 elementary, middle and/or high school students
• Collaborating creatively with Go!Chefs cooking instructors
• Communicating with site directors about program progress and needs
• Managing all aspects of garden maintenance
• Reporting to the Gardening Program Manager
• Comply with all privacy laws including HIPAA, etc.

Candidate must be:

• A dynamic teacher with significant teaching experience and knowledge of gardening and plant science
• Personally committed to wellness and healthy eating
• Highly organized and able to work independently
• Energetic and self-motivated
• Extremely reliable
• Good communicator
• Bilingual (English & Spanish) a plus but not mandatory