NTBG offers a wide range of educational courses. Course curriculums have been developed to interface with established standards of learning. The courses and ongoing programs described below are usually offered annually. NTBG expands its educational reach further through other collaborative courses with other institutions of learning.

Nature Adventure Camps - Keiki o ka `Āina & Kuleana

Keiki o ka `Āina (KOKA) and Kuleana (Beyond Keiki o ka `Āina) are nature adventure camps 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, with some optional or mandatory overnight opportunities dependent upon the camp age group.

Garden As Classroom - Kaua`i gardens

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.

School Program - Kahanu Garden

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.
No files currently posted for this course

Junior Restoration Team

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.
No files currently posted for this course

Kōkua `Āina Youth Initiative

NTBG’s Kōkua `Āina Youth Initiative is a collaboration with the Hawai‘i Community Foundation’s Youth Matters Network, designed to provide a “green collar” career pathway experience to participating Kaua‘i high school students. A main programmatic aim is to empower local students (ages 14-19) to discover career options within the fields of horticulture/agriculture, conservation, small business, community development/social entrepreneurship, and traditional Hawaiian knowledge. Additionally participants learn how to navigate today’s competitive job market, and the nuances of successful interview preparation.
No files currently posted for this course

Horticultural Internship Program

The Horticultural Internship Program is a work-study experience offered to college- and university-level students interested in horticulture, botany, ethnobotany, conservation, or science-related fields. The course covers a wide range of innovative topics and provides experience that will help guide students in making informed decisions regarding their future academic and career paths. Classes and practical experience are conducted at NTBG Headquarters, its Hawai`i gardens, and other appropriate sites. This internship is currently offered for late summer through fall each year.

Tropical Botany - The Kampong

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

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.

Archaeological Field School - Kaua`i

The Archaeological Field School held on Kaua`i is offered by NTBG and the University of Hawai`i at Mānoa Anthropology Department. This is an accredited course which integrates archaeology, paleoecology, and natural history. Program includes excavations, surveys, lectures, seminars, laboratories, and multiple field trips on Kaua`i. Course is usually offered in summer.
For 2012: see Kaua'i Archaeological Field School
No files currently posted for this course

College Biology Professors’ Fellowship

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.
No files currently posted for this course

Environmental Journalism Fellowship

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.

Physicians’ Course
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.

Applications are in PDF Format. For more information on educational opportunities available with the NTBG please contact: education@ntbg.org













