Bay Point Garden Summer Internship helps students build teamwork, gardening and environmental protection skills

In MDUSD’s Bay Point Garden at Riverview Middle School, 17 high school students recently completed a four-week Expanded Learning Program internship that included outdoor projects such as improving the paddle cactus garden; painting a mural; creating arts and crafts such as soaps and terrariums; and taking field trips to Mount Diablo and the Challenge Sonoma Adventure Ropes Course. The students from Mt. Diablo and Ygnacio Valley high schools celebrated the end of their internship on July 2 by sharing their experiences with friends, family, District staff and community members.

Hailey Franco said she had fun making soaps with the other interns, laughing and being creative together. "This internship has been an incredible experience," she said. "I've learned so much and met new people. Thank you for giving me this chance."

Maile Sarmiento said she was grateful for the opportunity to create arts and crafts such as the "nature loom," which she made using cardboard, yarn and flowers and leaves. She thanked program coordinators Franchesca Hendryx, Jen Byrd and Anthony Martin for their leadership. "You made it fun and a blast and very memorable," she said. 

Samira Kilicheva said she and other interns were challenged to climb trees up to 50 feet high and walk on ropes or whiz down ziplines during the Challenge Sonoma field trip. "It was super cool and required a lot of mental and physical strength," she said, adding that interns had to go outside of their comfort zones and overcome fears of falling. "Overall, I really loved this field trip because it bonded us even closer than we were before." 

Xavier Colon said working in the cactus garden was hard, but it was rewarding carrying and shoveling materials in wheelbarrows, and putting tarps and logs around the cactuses to make sure no weeds or other plants would grow there. "I used my hands and I enjoyed spending the time working with the people here and getting to know each and every individual," he said.

Program Manager Franchesca Hendryx said the student-run garden area was created 24 years ago. It includes hay benches  in an outdoor amphitheater under a large willow tree, along with smaller trees, plants and a classroom. "The main purpose is to expose students to potential careers in the outdoors and gardens," she said, adding that the students learned to preserve 159 small native trees in protective tubes on a Save Mount Diablo field trip. Their shared experiences also helped them to work together and appreciate their differences. "They started as a team, but they ended as a family," she said. "It's just so nice to see that bond." 

"You grew together and proved that the strongest things we grow aren’t always found in the garden," Hendryx told the teens, before presenting them with internship certificates of completion. “Watching each of you discover your strengths and become such an incredible team is one of the greatest rewards of this program. You grew as people and made a lasting impact on our school and community. While this internship is coming to an end, your growth does not stop here. Keep believing in yourself, supporting each other and planting the seeds of kindness wherever life takes you."

The garden interns will join the rest of MDUSD's Summer interns for a celebration with their internship hosts at 4 p.m. Thursday, July 31 at Mt. Diablo HS in Concord.