Keiki o ka `Āina (KOKA) is a nature adventure camp offered for children living on the island of Kaua`i. They provide a wide range of activities which primarily take place in NTBG's gardens in the Lāwa`i Valley. The goal of the camps is to teach children about natural resources and Polynesian culture through outdoor recreation that includes nature activities, environmental games, and garden exploration. Camps are usually five-day sessions.

The Garden As Classroom (GAC) Program provides opportunities for school children on the island of Kaua`i to study tropical plants. The course promotes enthusiasm and excitement for science and uses the extraordinary living collections of the NTBG. Curriculum is designed to closely match the content standards mandated by the Hawai`i Department of Education and NTBG Education staff work closely with teachers both in the classroom and in the garden. The course is currently held at NTBG’s Kaua`i gardens.

The School Program at Kahanu Garden is offered by request to classroom groups from public and private schools throughout the State of Hawai`i. The course focuses on the botanical and cultural resources of the Garden. All visits are designed around the specific goals and needs of the individual class, working with the respective teacher(s). This program is available for all grades - preschool through college.

The Junior Restoration Team program builds on the fundamentals established in the Garden As Classroom program and takes conservation education to the next level of hands-on participation. This program brings middle and high school students to selected sites to participate in ecological restoration projects. The students come periodically throughout the school year to complete all phases of the restoration project. Emphasis is on teamwork: group problem-solving, cooperation on physically demanding tasks, and open discussion of the concepts and results. The program is currently held at NTBG’s Kaua`i gardens and preserves and other selected project sites.

NTBG’s Kōkua `Āina Youth Initiative is designed to provide a “green collar” career pathway experience. The programmatic aim is to empower local students (ages 19-21) to discover career options within the fields of horticulture/agriculture, conservation, small business, and community development/social entrepreneurship, and to gain traditional Hawaiian knowledge. Additionally participants learn how to navigate today’s competitive job market, and the nuances of successful interview preparation. Click here to apply online for 2013

This work-study internship is designed for college- and university-level students and other adults interested in expanding their knowledge of horticulture for career purposes. Interns will work side-by-side with staff caring for and learning about the plant collections. Schedule includes on-the-ground introduction and training, lectures, or workshops by NTBG staff faculty on plant propagation, plant records/mapping, botany, ethnobotany, restoration ecology, conservation, and other plant-related topics. Late Summer through Mid-Fall.
Review announcement and complete application either as print-and-mail or online. Online application at: HIP Online Application

The Tropical Botany Course provides advanced students and/or professionals with a detailed coverage of the systematics, phylogeny, diversity of structure, and economic botany of tropical vascular plants. Academic credits can apply. Jointly sponsored with the University of Florida's Department of Botany, the course is usually held in the summer.

Science Teachers’ Enrichment Program enhances teachers’ knowledge of current information about tropical biology and equips them with innovative techniques using an inquiry-based approach, thus inspiring greater student interest in science education. Teachers construct instructional modules and devote significant time to preparing “science kits” consisting of classroom manipulatives and inquiry-based learning activities. The training is conducted in partnership with Kaua`i Community College of the University of Hawai`i system and is currently held at NTBG headquarters, its Kaua`i gardens, and other appropriate sites. Usually offered in June.

The College Biology Professors’ Fellowship is designed to invigorate teaching in introductory biology classes at the undergraduate level. The course shows instructors how to use examples from tropical plants in discussing issues of form and function, evolution, and conservation. Fellows will develop teaching modules to be shared and implemented in the introductory biology classroom. The course, when offered, is at NTBG’s Florida garden, The Kampong.

The Environmental Journalism Fellowship provides specialized working journalists in broadcast, print and online media much-needed information about tropical ecosystems, providing deep background in tropical ecology to enhance the accuracy of reporting on science and environmental issues. The focus of the fellowship is immersion and not advocacy. The course is usually held in August or September at NTBG headquarters, its Kaua`i gardens, and other appropriate sites.

This course is for all physicians and health care professionals. The purpose of the course is to give important knowledge to the participants for the care of their patients, many of whom currently use herbal remedies derived from plants. Held at The Kampong, NTBG's South Florida garden; usually in February.