Baldwin Hills Greenhouse Program
Since 2008, the Baldwin Hills Greenhouse Program has served hundreds of local high school students.
This after-school program incorporates environmental science and research, community leadership, hands-on habitat restoration, and art to address local environmental issues. Students have contributed thousands of hours towards habitat restoration and outreach in Baldwin Hills Parklands and the wider watershed. They collaborate with environmental professionals and receive support with the college application process. The program’s legacy is carried forward each year by students and alumni who care about nature and community.
Some of those alumni are now program staff members.
The application for the 2024-2025 school year is OPEN!
Please click the button below to go to the online application.
“Through my year as an intern in the Greenhouse Program it really helped solidify my interest and I ended up pursuing a degree in wildlife. It really helped lay the groundwork in what I wanted to do in my future career and inspired me.”
Our alumni go on to pursue a wide range of career tracks, from STEM to the arts.
We support students’ college and career goals.
Past students have been accepted to Stanford University, Amherst College, Brown University, Smith College, Williams College, UCLA, UC Berkeley, and other UC system schools, Cal Poly Humboldt, CSU Long Beach, West LA College, Santa Monica College, and many other institutions. Other alumni have entered the armed forces or launched successful careers in trades or vocations.
We are proud of what Greenhouse Program students go on to do after high school: they are artists, scientists, urban planners, culinary professionals, journalists, educators, caregivers, veterans, nonprofit professionals, international consultants, landscapers, informed community members, and advocates for urban nature.
Check out some student work below!
CDC Foundation Youth Health Action Corps Project
Over the summer and 2023-2024 school year, students in the Greenhouse Program and Summer Fellows Program collaborated with medical students from the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine at Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook on a series of summits. These gatherings focused on the shared experience of connecting with the natural world and included collective art projects and directed discussion. Aiming to tease out themes of stillness and movement in nature and its impact on health and community resilience to climate change, the summits were followed by opportunities to participate in community habitat restoration events at the park. For the students, the experience moved beyond simply visiting the space; it transcended the physical into the symbolic, allowing for deep reflection and application. A publication of student writing and artwork will be the culminating product of this year-long grant.
The Spanglish Ecology of the Baldwin Hills: A Student Podcast
Intern Azul created a podcast exploring the topics of local nature, community, and our response to the pandemic.
Fellow Greenhouse students Jake and Vera composed and recorded the beautiful soundtrack.
Writing and visual arts are important components of the Greenhouse Program.
Check out this beautiful compendium of student work. It is the result of a three-year project conducted by Intern Brandon Kim - he coordinated, compiled, and designed this publication when he was in high school.
Students in action and select project posters:
