Youth Programs

CGCI Junior Gardeners CGCI Youth Garden Program

California Garden Clubs, Inc. members have been helping to support youth gardening groups in California with leadership, knowledge, supplies, awards and scholarships since 1931.

We know what it takes to create great gardens.
We know what it takes to raise great kids.

This year we are putting all our knowledge and experience together to make the best youth garden club program ever!. Be part of the team and as we build a new and exciting youth gardening program.

JOIN US!

There are only a few requirements:

First, a Youth Garden group must be sponsored by a CGCI federated garden club or District.

(That's a really good thing because the sponsoring CGCI garden club will help to provide support to help you establish and maintain a quality youth gardening program.)

The youth groups can be organized in schools, churches, recreational and after-school programs, Scouts, 4-H, FFA, FHA, Campfire, and similar groups.

Second, the Leader of the group work directly or indirectly with the sponsoring CGCI garden club AND with the CGCI Youth Program volunteers. That's it!

Purpose:

The purpose of the partnership is to build programs that introduce young people to gardening, conservation, protection of wildlife, recognition of plants, trees and shrubs, basic flower arrangements, and a love and appreciation of nature. The goal is to help teach youth to be responsible and capable citizens with greater self-expression, dignity, integrity and knowledge of their environment.

Signing up is EASY!:

(click here for a doc form)

(click here for a pdf form)
and we will contact you soon.

Questions:

Email Maryanne Lucas for general questions or Linda Riddle for questions about awards.

The Smokey Bear Woodsy Owl Poster Contest

California Garden Clubs, Inc., through National Garden Clubs and the U.S. Forest Service, has participated in the contest for over fifty years. The contest has drawn as many as 34,000 entries.

Last year, Vaibhavi Patankar of Woodland Hills, Calif., was named the top winner in the 2011 Smokey Bear & Woodsy Owl Poster Contest in the whole nation!

The fourth-grader received a trip to Washington, D.C., with her family to collect her trophy and a framed copy of her poster from the Forest Service during a special ceremony at the National Garden Clubs Inc. annual meeting.

To read "Golden Smokey Award Honors 50 Years of Partnership"– click Here to see view the full story.

Maybe you know the next winner!!!!

You can't win if you don't enter.

Get contest details!
Click here.

Enter the 2011-12 CGCI Youth Awards Program

Information on the Youth Awards Program is now available. Earn recognition, pride and a few dollars for your youth gardeners. Check to see if there are any categories that may interest your group. The Essay and Poster contest deadline is December 1. Most other entries are due January 10.

For more information, click here.

The CGCI Scholarship Program

"Click here for information and application."
Information about scholarships available for California college students studying horticulture, environment and related studies.