In 2025, the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Outdoor Youth Corps (OYC) program celebrates its 10th anniversary. For a decade, OYC has been connecting St. Louis’ young adults to green career pathways.
What is outdoor youth Corps?
Outdoor Youth Corps is a paid education and workforce development program that connects St. Louis young adults to green career pathways.
Designed for ages 16 to 20, OYC focuses on stewardship projects and four learning pillars: conservation, horticulture, sustainability, and community engagement.
Annually, the program engages over 40 youth through four different cohorts: Spring Weekend Work Series, Fall Weekend Work Series, Alternative Spring Break, and the Summer Crew.
These cohorts directly engage in stewardship projects, field trips, and experiential learning activities. These experiences create valuable opportunities for young adults to gain professional skills for college and career readiness.
Intentional partnerships with Missouri Botanical Garden staff and community organizations provide an inclusive and hands-on learning environment. Stewardship projects include urban farming, community beautification projects, invasive species removal, tree pruning, rain garden maintenance, creative reuse strategies, and more.
“Working outdoors has made me appreciate the work that goes into maintaining natural spaces and therefore made me more grateful for the outdoor spaces I do have.”
– 2023 Outdoor Youth Corps Participant
Field trips and outdoor recreational activities such as float trips, behind the scenes tours of sustainable facilities such as a local wastewater treatment plant, and hands-on learning activities round out the OYC experience.
The Origin of Outdoor Youth Corps
The first Outdoor Youth Corps cohort formed in 2015 with the generous support of an anonymous, private donor. At that time the program was known as the Summer Youth Garden Program.
As part of the Youth Garden Program, five teens from the St. Louis region designed, built, planted, and maintained the Baden Community Garden. Their work supported the Baden Enrichment Center Summer Camp. The program continued to invest in the Baden Garden space focusing on planning, designing, beautification projects, and maintaining the garden.
Expanding the program for career development
In the following years, the program evolved into the Outdoor Youth Corps we know today, focusing on a wider variety of community green space and stewardship projects.
This evolution allowed OYC to expand its cohort capacity, creating openings for 10 youth and multiple cohorts for program opportunities. In response, partnerships grew to engage the participants with professionals all over St. Louis. There, professionals could speak on their own career paths and highlight their work for the young adults.
The Garden has added more learning opportunities to the program. These additions support further professional growth through mock interviews, career panels, resume/cover letter building, and professional etiquette.
Summer Internships
In 2019, the Outdoor Youth Corps developed a Summer Internship position. This internship allowed program alumni interested in leadership opportunities to continue growing.
The interns continue developing professional skills by creating and facilitating lesson plans, collaborating with the participants, shadowing Garden staff, and planning and implementing a final project.
Connecting to the Outdoors Virtually
In 2020, Outdoor Youth Corps continued to evolve, even in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, OYC continued its work virtually, continually offering opportunities to young people.
In 2021, the program returned to the great outdoors.
The Outdoor Youth Corps Today
From 2023–2025, Outdoor Youth Corps has curated its four annual programs. The goal is to provide a variety of stewardship projects and professional development experiences for our participants.
By providing intentional outdoor experiences, our participants feel more confident and comfortable being outside and exploring career paths they may otherwise have not.
Participants go on to volunteer in their communities and get jobs in the green industry in St. Louis and beyond.
Two OYC alumni have moved into the OYC sister program, Outdoor Leadership Corps, which launched in 2022.
Outdoor Youth Corps’ Impact
In the past 10 years, over 140 youth have participated in Outdoor Youth Corps. Since OYC began in 2015, the program’s greatest strength is its dual impact on both the participants and the community.
“The most important thing is anything that you do, the littlest, smallest stuff, can affect somebody else’s habitat.”
– 2018 OYC Participant
By experiencing these stewardship projects, educational trainings, and professional development sessions, participants are more likely to choose green-focused career paths.
Crew members, like 2024 OYC alumni Fern Rutlin, say their participation has had huge impacts on their future career pathways.
“My participation in OYC has influenced my decision to take part in the Garden’s Youth Fellowship program and SIFT,” Rutlin said. “I have also made my own experience through my school that allows me to actively carry out restoration work in the north St. Louis area. OYC has influenced my decision to major in an environmental major in college.”
OYC empowers young people to become environmentally conscious leaders and active contributors to their communities. This is done by fostering both personal growth and professional development.
“The skills of learning to advocate for yourself in the workplace; there is such a stigma against knowing your worth, but we got so much affirmation and difference between hard and soft skills to bring out in an interview,” said Quinn Swope, another OYC alumnus. “I learned that my personality is important. This work has provided me with experience and networking connections to make my career dreams happen!”
61% of OYC participants reported having a strong sense of comfort and enjoyment spending time outdoors. Nature provides many lifelong benefits to physical and mental health, and academic competency. OYC has certainly seen participants benefit from their time in the great outdoors.
“I have always been very comfortable with being outdoors, and my experiences with OYC made me feel like I was exactly where I was supposed to be.”
– Mikayla Jones, 2024 OYC alumnus
The future of Outdoor Youth Corps
In 10 years, Outdoor Youth Corps has already made a lasting difference in the lives of participants and our community.
OYC has inspired a generation of future leaders passionate about preserving nature, promoting sustainable practices, and strengthening their communities.
As we begin to look ahead to the next 10 years of OYC, we will continue to evolve and adapt to the needs of the next generation of participants. With an ongoing commitment to participant-driven programming, intentional partnerships, and community connection, OYC continues to enhance its ability to inspire and equip young people for green careers and leadership roles in St. Louis and beyond.
Currently, OYC is developing a stronger alumni network to stay connected with participants and follow them through their career journeys. The heart of OYC is rooted in the strength of our community and meaningful personal connections that have helped shape the program over the years.
“I really enjoyed being engaged in improving the environment, helping the community alongside a like minded and supportive group.” Sophia Huang, 2024 Fall Weekend Work Series participant.
We hope to see many OYC alumni as peers, working in green jobs and carrying “green” thinking to other industries in St. Louis and beyond. Together, we will be the change our community needs to create a more sustainable, equitable future.
Get involved in outdoor youth corps
Are you or someone you know interested in joining or learning more about one of the Outdoor Youth Corps programs? Visit our website www.mobot.org/outdooryouthcorps to learn more and fill out an Interest Application to be notified when applications go live.
Questions? Are you an alumni wanting to reconnect? Email: outdooryouthcorps@mobot.org
Fletcher | Community Programs Supervisor
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