About the Program
The Youth Landscape and Hardscape Team (YLHT) program is an eight-week program that provides steady, paid summer employment, on-the-job training, and workplace skills coaching to prepare metro-Atlanta high school students attending Title I schools for the adult workforce.
The program will provide students with the opportunity to gain occupational and leadership skills and multi-career exposure while caring for the landscapes and hardscapes of a historic site. Working alongside Historic Oakland Foundation landscaping and preservation professionals, program attendees will learn basic landscaping and horticulture skills or basic preservation and masonry skills. All YLHT students will be paired with mentors in their primary field of interest.
Team members will attend weekly classes designed to cultivate workforce preparedness by teaching financial literacy, resume writing, and communication skills. Through partner organizations in each field, team members will also learn about career pathways in landscaping/horticulture and hardscaping/masonry.
Real-Life Skills and Real-Life Projects
YLHT will conclude with a group capstone project designed to showcase their newly acquired skills. Students who successfully complete the program will be invited to apply to the YLHT Leadership Track, a summer program where they will learn supervisory and leadership skills, project management, and small business fundamentals while co-managing a first-year cohort. Leadership track participants will also gain access to relevant certifications and exposure to additional career pathways specific to their chosen track.
Is the YLHT Right for You?
Applicants to the Youth Landscape and Hardscape Team should be between the ages of 15 and 18 at the time the program starts and currently attending a City of Atlanta, Fulton County, or Dekalb County Title 1 high school.
Team members should be prepared to work outside for 15-20 hours per week and will be compensated at the rate of $12 per hour. Supplies including proper uniform attire and equipment will be provided.
How to Apply
Application to the program is a three-step process, including a written application, group interview, and individual interview. Those hired for the program will attend a two-day training and team-building session before beginning work.
Interested students should submit the following by April 26, 2024:
- YLHT application
- Two letters of recommendation from teachers
To apply for Historic Oakland Foundation’s Youth Landscape and Hardscape Team, please click below and complete the form.
If you prefer, you can print this application and mail it in. Click here to download the form.
Additionally, please submit two letters of recommendation from teachers to cbuckholts@oaklandcemetery.com. Please ensure that your full name is on the letters. You may also mail the letters of recommendation to Historic Oakland Foundation, c/o Charvis Buckholts, 273 Oakland Ave. SE, Atlanta, GA 30312.
How to Apply
Application to the program is a three-step process, including a written application, group interview, and individual interview. Those hired for the program will attend a two-day training and team-building session before beginning work.
Applications are now open with a deadline of April 19, 2024. Interested students should be prepared to submit the following:
- YLHT application
- Two letters of recommendation from teachers
Thank you for your interest!
Support this Program
Funding for this program comes from generous foundations and supporters. Help us serve more students through the Youth Landscape and Hardscape Team workforce development program. Make a donation today.