Internships & Experiential Learning Collaborations
High School - Higher Education

Internship inquiry form

The Ayers Foundation hosts a variety of interns every year, utilizing Hillandale Farm in Westerly, RI as a primary training site. Our affiliate farms may be used as training sites on a case-by-case basis. Interns from high school, college level and beyond are invited to develop valuable skills in the science of soils, animal husbandry, agricultural best practices, fulfillment of retail orders and business acumen through on-the-job training. Our internship program incorporates science, technology, engineering, and math where applicable, and will even integrate the arts and humanities as appropriate. The Ayers Foundation provides such a robust experience that some interns have decided to stay for up to three years! Students from local high schools may use the farm experience in order to fulfill service hour requirements as well.

Although most internships are on a volunteer basis, the Ayers Foundation and the Tri-County Community Action Agency have collaborated to provide some paid internships. Contact us to discuss your unique internship needs and availability.

Past and current internship partnership organizations include (please note that this list is not exhaustive):

• CHARIHO High School in Wood River Junction, RI
• Middlebridge School in Narragansett, RI
• Johnson & Wales in Providence, RI
• Westerly Public Schools’ Transition Academy in Westerly, RI
• University of Rhode Island in South Kingstown, RI

Please contact us to explore what’s best for you or your students, and let's collaborate in tailoring a program to your needs and those of your students. Areas of particular focus can include, but are not limited to:

• Operating a Small Farm - Developing and practicing common skills required in farming (carpentry, electrical services, plumbing, preventative maintenance, farm safety and use of power tools, fencing, brush management, restoration of historical stonewalls, etc.)
• Organic Agriculture - Immersion in all aspects of organic agriculture (seeding, transplanting, soil management, plant care, cover crops, intercropping, Integrated Pest Management, bio-control, plant nutrition, crop rotation, energy conservation, etc.)
• Invasive species management - Learning and practicing techniques for managing invasive plant species.
• Sustainable forestry - Ecosystem-based management of the land - taking all of its elements into careful consideration, which include water, soils, wildlife, timber, non-timber specialty products, biodiversity, scenic beauty and more. Students will help collect data in the forest and may even participate in the composition of management/stewardship plans.
• Woodlot management - Sustainable and even flow of fuel wood. Program focuses on safe and environmentally sound cutting and extraction of logs for processing into firewood.
• Animal husbandry - Caring for goats, cows, and other ruminants to maintain animal wellness and production.
• Aquaculture - Learn the basics in the burgeoning industry of shellfish farming. Come to understand the important economic and ecological role of RI salt ponds and how "best practices" are self-sustaining.

Testimonial by an Ayers Foundation/Tri-County Community Action Agency intern.

Internship inquiry form