Scholarship Programs – Summer 2026

CITY GARDENS CLUB SCHOLARSHIPS For New York City Public School Educators
The application for the Summer 2026 Scholarship Programs is now open.

Programs

What Did a Plant Ever Do for You?

Explore the beautiful gardens and collections at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and gain an
understanding of the value of plants in natural and human history. Through an inquiry-based
approach, we will discover how plants are built, how they work, and how they interact with the
living and nonliving components of the diverse environments they inhabit. Emphasis is placed on
experiential, authentic learning that participants can readily bring back to their classrooms.

Fee includes curriculum materials and resources, plant and potting-up supplies, and access to
the Garden.

The CGC scholarship for this Brooklyn Botanic Garden program covers the $250 fees for the
course and all necessary materials, as well as the $125 fee for the “P” in-service credits. You
must register for both the class through BBG and the P credits through ASPDP. CGC
Scholarship application deadline: April 17, 2026.

If you have any questions about the program, please contact Judith Hutton, at [email protected].

Program Provider: Brooklyn Botanic Garden http://www.bbg.org/
Program Location: Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 990 Washington Ave., Brooklyn, NY
Intended Audience: Pre-K to grade 12 teachers
Date and Time: In person , August 17 -August 21 ,2026 8:30-5:00pm; two self-paced
asynchronous sessions: final assignment is due by August 26, 2026.
Credits: 45 hours – 3 “P” credits through ASPDP

Program information is the best available at the current time, and may change pursuant to
institutional/government/health/safety guidelines.

Sharing Nature: An Educator’s Week

During this action-packed week, learn approaches, methods, and activities for engaging both children and adults with nature.  Our goal is to empower you to improve access to the outdoors in your own community. 

Participate in a host of classic Audubon Camp field trips, including a boat trip to the restored Atlantic Puffin and Tern colony on Eastern Egg Rock, intertidal explorations, and hiking through Hog Island’s unspoiled spruce-fir forest. In a beautiful outdoor setting, these experiences provide a wonderful opportunity to learn new methods of teaching to bring home to your students. Some workshops may include incorporating art, journaling, and social-emotional skills into science lessons and techniques for teaching outside in any environment.

The CGC scholarship for the Hog Island Audubon Camp program covers the $1,525.00 tuition fee. Tuition includes meals, a standard shared room (with two twin beds), a shared bathroom, instruction and all field trips. Participants must arrange transportation to and from the Audubon dock in Bremen, Maine, at the start and end of the session. CGC Registration Deadline: April 17, 2026

You must register through the Hog Island Audubon Camp. If you have questions or for further information about the Hog Island Audubon Camp, please contact Rosy Tucker  at 207-360-7733 or [email protected].

Provider: National Audubon Society, Hog Island Audubon Camp
Course Location: Hog Island Audubon Camp, Bremen, Maine
Dates: August 9,10,11,12,13,14, 2026

Seedlings Summer Institute: Nature and Science for Early Childhood and Elementary Educators

Learn how to use plants and nature to engage children in science across the curriculum, with connections to literacy, math, and art. Created for teachers of Grades Pre-K-2, the Seedlings Summer Institute provides a weeklong immersion in nature and plant science. Explore the unique resources available at NYBG. 

The CGC scholarship for this New York Botanical Garden program covers the $250 fees for the course as well as the $125 fee for the “P” in-service credits.  You must register both for the class through NYBG and for the credit through ASPDP.  CGC Scholarship application deadline: April 17, 2026.

If you have questions about this program, please call 718-817-8140 or email [email protected].

Course Location: New York Botanical Garden, 2900 Southern Blvd., Bronx, NY
Program Provider: The New York Botanical Garden
Intended Audience: Pre-K-2 grade teachers
Date and Time: Monday, July 13 – Saturday, July 18, 2026, 9:00 am – 5:30 pm
Credit: 45 hours – 3 “P” credits through ASPDP.  

Program information is the best available at the current time and may change pursuant to government/health/safety guidelines.

The Art of Science

Discover ways to help students experience the wonder of the outdoors through art and science. Hone observational skills and ask questions using the backdrop of the garden grounds and exhibition as inspiration.

The CGC scholarship for this New York Botanical Garden program covers the $100 fees for the course as well as the $45 fee for the one “P” credit.  You must register both for the class through NYBG and for the credit through ASPDP.   CGC Scholarship application deadline: April 17, 2026.

If you have questions about this program, please speak with the NYBG professional staff at 718-817-8140 or email [email protected]. 

Program Location: New York Botanical Garden, 2900 Southern Blvd., Bronx, NY
Program Provider: The New York Botanical Garden
Date and Time:  July 23-24, 2026, 9:00 am – 5:30 pm.
Credit: 15 hours – 1 “P” credit through ASPDP 

Program information is the best available at the current time and may change pursuant to government/health/safety guidelines.

Plant, Learn and Grow: Science Concepts in the Garden

Whether your school garden is plants on your windowsill or in the schoolyard, participate in hands-on gardening methods to build your background knowledge. Topics include pest management, soil quality monitoring, pollinator interactions and more. 

The CGC scholarship for this New York Botanical Garden program covers the $250 fees for the course as well as the $125 fee for the “P” in-service credits.  You must register both for the class through NYBG and for the credit through ASPDP.  CGC Scholarship application deadline: April 17, 2026.

If you have questions about this program please speak with our professional staff at 718-817-8140 or email [email protected]. 

Course Location: New York Botanical Garden, 2900 Southern Blvd. Bronx, NY
Program Provider: The New York Botanical Garden
Date and Time: Monday, July 27-Saturday, August 1, 2026, 9:00 am – 5:30 pm.
Credit: 45 hours – 3 “P” credits through ASPDP  

Program information is the best available at the current time and may change pursuant to government/health/safety guidelines.

The Anywhere Garden: Learning Spaces Inside and Out

Advocate for, plan, create, or revive a school garden or indoor planting system. Hone skills for designing, budgeting, and incorporating the garden across the curriculum, utilizing the resources of the school community.

The CGC scholarship for this New York Botanical Garden program covers the $200 fee for the course as well as the fee for the “P” in-service credits.  You must register both for the class through NYBG and for the credit through ASPDP.  CGC Scholarship application deadline: April 17, 2026.

If you have questions about this program, please speak with our professional staff at 718-817-8140 or email [email protected]. 

Program Location: New York Botanical Garden, 2900 Southern Blvd., Bronx, NY
Program Provider: The New York Botanical Garden
Date and Time:  Monday, August 24-Friday, August 28, 2026, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm.
Credit: 30 hours – 2 “P” credit through ASPDP 

Program information is the best available at the current time and may change pursuant to government/health/safety guidelines.

Foundations in Education for Sustainability 2026

Spend five rich days with colleagues from around the country at an informative and restorative
experience that will give you the opportunity to deepen your understanding of Education for
Sustainability (EFS). This program is held at Shelburne Farms and is part conference, part
workshop, part retreat.

Designed to be dynamic, democratic, and interactive, Foundations offers teachers the time and space to develop meaningful projects and curricula while learning from colleagues and other leaders in the field of EFS. Foundations features a blend of learning journeys around Shelburne Farms; workshops by EFS educators and partners; hands-on learning experiences; large and small group discussions; individual work time; and peer-to-peer feedback.

The CGC Scholarship for Shelburne Farms program covers the $750.00 tuition with light
breakfast and lunch and the four nights $300.00, double-occupancy accommodation fee. You must register for the course through Shelburne Farms. CGC Scholarship application deadline: April 17, 2026.

If you have questions about the program, please contact the Director of Professional Learning,
Jen Cirillo at [email protected] or 802-985-0315. For registration, contact
[email protected]

Program Location: Shelburne Farms, 1611 Harbor Road, Shelburne, Vermont
Intended Audience: Pre-K to grade 12 teachers
Course Provider: Shelburne Farms 
Date and Time:  Monday, July 6, 2026, to Friday, July 10, 2026 

Program information is the best available at the current time and may change pursuant to
institutional/government/health/safety guidelines.

Herbal Wisdom: Exploring Food, Family & Culture

An On-Line course

Herbs have long been central to food, medicine, ceremony, and wellness, carrying cultural meaning and offering nourishment for both body and spirit. In this fully virtual course, participants will meet each morning for a synchronous session focused on botany, nutrition, culture, and climate resilience. These sessions will include demonstrations, guided discussions, and examples of hands-on activities to build familiarity with identifying, growing, and using herbs. 

After each morning session, participants will work independently, asynchronously to complete activities that explore how herbs can enrich curriculum and support culturally responsive education. Assignments may include observing or sketching plants, researching cultural uses of specific herbs, planning school garden care routines, or designing student-centered lessons. Daily assignments will be submitted in the evening, and office hours will be available for additional support and collaboration. 

Throughout the course, we will focus on selecting, planting, maintaining, and harvesting herbs suited to New York City school gardens, with an emphasis on hardy, drought-tolerant, and climate-adaptive varieties. Participants will also explore the historical and cultural significance of common herbs while developing classroom activities that honor students’ diverse backgrounds and lived experiences. Demonstrations will include making herbal body care items (such as salves, face masks, and calming room sprays) and preparing culturally rooted herb-centered foods like curries, Guasacaca, and Chimichurri, as well as crafting teas and other herbal wellness preparations.  For the final project, participants will design an herb garden featuring at least six culturally meaningful herbs and create five learning activities connecting science concepts to students’ everyday lives. 

The CGC scholarships for The Horticultural Society of New York programs cover the $225 fee
for the program and related materials, as well as the $125 fee for the “P” in-service credits. CGC
Scholarship application deadline: CGC Scholarship application deadline: April 17, 2026.

If you have questions or need more information about the programs, please contact the Director
of Education, Pamela Ito at 917-886-1707 or [email protected].

Course Location: On Line with synchronous time daily from 9:30-noon and asynchronous time in the afternoon.
Course Provider:  The Horticultural Society of New York
Intended Audience:  Grades 3-5 teachers
Dates:  Wednesday,  July 15, 2026-Wednesday, July 22, 2026
Credits: 45 Hours – 3 “P” credits through ASPDP

Program information is the best available at the current time, and may change pursuant to
government/health/safety guidelines.

Urban Agriculture: Science, Justice and Sustainability

This fully virtual and asynchronous course introduces The Hort’s practical, sustainable, and culturally responsive methods for growing vegetables and herbs in New York City public schools. New session content will be released at 9:00 AM, and participants will complete the work independently, with assignments due the following day at 5:00 PM to support steady progress. The course includes demonstration videos featuring best practices developed through school-based programs and at the Denny Farrell Riverbank State Park Greenhouse Education Center, along with optional virtual office hours for questions and support. 

Participants will explore optimal planting schedules, climate-smart soil amendments, small-space growing techniques, efficient watering practices, pest management, and harvesting methods that encourage student engagement. They will also curate a collection of nutritious, culturally relevant recipes to promote wellness in their school communities. By the end of the course, participants will design a sustainable fundraising plan to establish or expand a school garden and create cross-disciplinary lesson plans that honor and reflect the diverse identities of their students. 

The CGC scholarships for The Horticultural Society of New York programs cover the $225 fee
for the program and related materials, as well as the $125 fee for the “P” in-service credits. CGC
Scholarship application deadline: CGC Scholarship application deadline: April 17, 2026.

If you have questions or need more information about this program, please contact the Director
of Education, Pamela Ito at 917-886-1707 or [email protected].

Course Location: On-Line with new session content released at 9:00 AM and assignments due the following day at 5:00 PM.

Course Provider:  The Horticultural Society of New York
Intended Audience:  Grades 3-8 teachers
Dates:  Monday, July 6. 2026 – Thurs July 23, 2026
Credits: 45 Hours – 3 “P” credits through ASPDP

Program information is the best available at the current time and may change pursuant to
government/health/safety guidelines.

Climate Education: Integrating Themes of Energy, Water, Waste into your Classroom

Participate in a unique opportunity to delve deeper into global environmental issues on a local level. Situated within the setting of a sustainable hydroponic greenhouse, the course focuses on themes of water, waste, and energy to facilitate learning about current environmental concerns through a blend of technology, discussion, self-reflection, and hands-on projects. In addition, guest speakers, informative tours, videos, and educational games offer a holistic approach to learning about real world environmental problems and how they affect different cultures.

The CGC scholarship for NY Sun Works covers the $450 fee for registration and
materials. You must register for the class through NY Sun Works and credit through ASPDP.  Note: CGC Scholarship application and recommendation deadline is April 17, 2026, but registration for the course does not open until June. CGC has reserved slots for attendance in this program.

If you have any questions about the program, please contact Liz McKoy at
[email protected].

Program Provider: NY Sun Works https://www.nysunworks.org/
Program Location: Manhattan School for Children, 154 West 93 rd St., New York, NY
Intended Audience: K- 12 teachers
Date and Time: 45 hours; mix of in-person synchronous, remote synchronous, plus an additional 15 hours asynchronous work; July 20- 25, 2026; 9:00am-2:00pm.
Credits: 3 “P” or A+ credits/45 hours CTLE through ASPDP

Questions about programs should be directed to the program providers noted in the program descriptions above. Questions about the scholarships themselves may be sent to [email protected].