Category: Service Learning

Take the $5 a month Pledge!

Dear BTN Supporters, (Volunteers, Members, Advisory Council, Board, Donors), We NEED YOU! Without your financial support mpo007, this could be the final year of Back to Natives Restoration. Have you volunteered with Back to Natives? Interned? Served on the Board of Directors or Advisory Council? Back to Natives Needs YOU! Funding is tight, and we have projects that need staff to lead and train volunteers to perform…

All good things…

Dear Back to Natives, I never imagined when interviewing for this position just a few short months ago that I would come away with the knowledge I now have about the Orange County wildlands. This summer internship has taught me not only a lot about the various native plants of the Orange County area, but additionally about the operations of a non-profit. When first applying for this internship, I did so because I really bought into the message of restoring and conserving the…

What I learned from Back to Natives: So many moving parts!

Interning for BTN has been a very educational experience. I have developed a knowledge of Native Plants that is more expansive than what I had before becoming involved in BTN. I wish to continue to strengthen my understanding of native plants as I move forward outside of the organization as I, now more than ever, understand their importance to our communities. I spent most of my time in the nursery and this allowed me to gain a lot of knowledge on plant care and consideration of what needs keeping plants…

Giving back to those who give so much

by Andrew Soto, BTN Communications Intern Internship programs provide college students with the opportunity to learn new skills supplementing their education with real world experience. Oftentimes, internships are unpaid and offer experience as the only form of compensation. It takes true dedication to complete an unpaid internship. This is why it is imperative for students to research and determine whether or not their internship employer has their best interest in mind. When I started searching for places to meet my internship requirement for graduation at California State University, Fullerton I wanted…

The Untold Benefits of Volunteering

by Andrew Soto, Communications Intern There is a growing body of research examining the health benefits of volunteering. A connection between volunteering, social psychological factors and social networks can be described as the “social integration theory.” According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, this theory holds that an individual’s social connections, typically measured by the number of social roles that an individual has, can provide meaning and purpose to his or her life, while protecting him or her from isolation during difficult periods….

Tuesday to Tuesday in the Life of a BTN Intern

by Kerry Martin, BTN Intern After watering all the plants in the nursery on Tuesday, we were off on another landscape maintenance adventure this time in Santa Ana (coastal sage zone) with Reggie leading the team (Ryan, Kennedy and I). This particular front yard was designed by Lori and installed by the BTN team the first quarter of this year. I was blown away by how fast the native plants had grown in and how the different foliage textures and colors created such a harmonious feel. In addition to installing a flowing…

Fostering the Growth of much more than Native Plants

by Andrew Soto, BTN Communications Intern The Association of American Colleges and Universities (AACU) believes internship programs are critical for student success. The AACU believes providing a physical location outside of a school setting in which students can test out theories and methods they have learned in the courses they have completed, fosters much more than academic growth. (aacu.org) It fosters learning rich with real world experience working as industry professionals. There is no better time to explore the wide range of professional and community experiences available,…

I don’t want my kid to volunteer…he should be studying!

Guest blog by Allison Henderson from The All About College Blog A few years ago, I was chatting with a family about a student’s  ‘brag sheet’ or ‘resumé’. When I asked whether the student had participated in any volunteer activities, the Mom shot back “you know, I don’t understand why everyone thinks volunteering is so important….we never got any help from anyone. Everything I have I…

Spectacular Service Learning Program!

Back to Natives has a highly successful service learning program, which includes numerous internship opportunities to help students prepare for a career in the “green collar” field. Available internships include Horticultural Intern(Nursery Assistant), Landscape Design Intern, Habitat Restoration Intern, Communications Intern and Administrative Assistant Intern. Here is a little info about the great Interns who are working with us right now: Trina: “I am a graduate from the University of California, Irvine with a Bachelor of Arts in…