Are you a high school student ready to embark on an adventure with the outdoors as your workspace? Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers (RFOV) invites you to apply by April 4 for its popular paid internship program: Youth in Nature. This 12-month internship connects students from Aspen to Parachute to explore public lands, meet new people and work with industry leaders. 

“This program is really successful, bringing together students from different backgrounds and different experiences and building a cohort that can support one another,” said Ben Sherman, RFOV’s education director. “Carly [Valerious, youth education program coordinator] and I have the opportunity to mentor these students and they have the opportunity to learn from outdoor professionals and try on different hats.”

Funded by the Lewis Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to transforming young dream makers into change makers ready to build a just and equal world, Youth in Nature awards $1,500 to 10 to 12 students for the internship’s duration. The application is free to apply and no prior experience is required to participate. Gear, supplies and transportation will also be provided.

“We’re trying to remove as many barriers as possible,” said Sherman. “It removes enough of those questions that students aren’t worried about having waterproof boots or if they can afford ski rentals. They can be present and really take something away from the session that might not have been possible if we didn’t provide some of these things.”

The internship begins in June with a kick-off orientation followed by a hut trip in July. Starting in September and lasting until May, students reconnect one Saturday each month to visit different industry leaders, including Aspen Valley Land Trust, Roaring Fork Conservancy, Glenwood Climbing Guides and Aspen Ski Company. Through experiential learning, students gain meaningful skills and knowledge — such as team collaboration and communication, interviewing, Wilderness First Aid certification, avalanche safety and land conservation efforts —- to create a dynamic internship that can help shape future career paths or interests.

“It’s a really wide breadth of skills that the students are cultivating throughout the year,” said Sherman. “These partner organizations bring really competent, experienced leaders who are excited to share their passions with the students and access to their own facilities and properties.”

As an avid community partner, Farm Collaborative in Aspen offers an opportunity for students to experience sustainable farming practices. Together, students grow food, spend time with the animals and help with harvesting and weeding. Corina Person Minniti, Farm Collaborative’s education director, said students also discuss environmental stewardship and how to provide farming space for the community.

“Having youth come to the farm to work, we are able to show how farming can be done in a positive and regenerative way that leaves the soils and ecosystems better than they were before,” said Person Minniti. “It also allows youth to get their hands dirty and really connect with the soil and to see how their work is benefiting our organization and the community.”

As to why the Farm Collaborative partners with Youth in Nature, Person Minniti said their missions align and students can explore their interests while offering service to their community.

While community partners are the driving force of formal educational opportunities, Sherman said students bring a mix of experience to empower one another throughout the internship. He added that he and Valerious step in as needed, but the students often shine as peer leaders by providing words of encouragement and beta.

“It’s been really rewarding to watch these students go from a group of shy strangers to a really supportive team that stays in touch beyond the program. They form meaningful connections,” Sherman concluded. “I believe and certainly hope this program is empowering for the students to gain some perspective, put technology away, meet new people and ask questions about what they want to learn, pursue and how we can support them.”

Applications for Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers Youth in Nature internship are due Friday, April 4. To apply visit www.rfov.org/youth-in-nature