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Green Seeds Internship program

​In the fall of 2020, CEI launched what is now known as our Green SEEDS (service, experiential education, & design for sustainability) student internship program. The program mission is to provide experiential education and work experience for high-school, college, and graduate students across a range of social and ecological themes. The goals of the internship program are to:
  • Offer students an opportunity to transform academic and career knowledge and interests into solutions to various community challenges.
  • Connect environmental, agricultural, and community building strategies that contribute to the successful operation of Freetown Farm to academic and career development.
  • Strengthen understanding and respect for personal discovery, connection to nature, food security, and land stewardship.
In 2022, 35 high school and college students interned with CEI. They helped install nourishing gardens in the community, worked with HCPSS Project SEARCH students, saved milkweed seeds from the pollinator garden, cared for the gardens at Freetown Farm, and began work on a historical walking tour of Freetown Farm. 
"I discovered CEI during the pandemic while looking for opportunities to earn service hours. I quickly learned that CEI provides ample opportunities for youth like me to work on projects that involve organization, planning, problem-solving, financial management, communication, science and math skills. Spending time at CEI surrounded by nature is not only good for our physical and mental health, it also teaches us how to be part of the community and show compassion and empathy through care for all living things."
The winter session is from January 24th - March 16th and is open for applications at this time!
Second Friday Fires!
New this summer (2023) with support from the Howard County Youth Engagement grant, we are excited to offer fireside gatherings on the second Friday evening of each month, starting in August! We are looking forward to enjoying fireside sunsets at the farm with our interns, volunteers and team members as well as youth (14-21) in our community that would like to connect with the Community Ecology Institute and learn more about what we do at Freetown Farm. On the second Friday of every month, we will gather an hour before sunset around a campfire at Freetown Farm and will provide some snacks and drinks for people to enjoy as well as a casual activity. This is a free event and requires advanced registration: