Hildene Youth Corps
Summer 2026: Creating Animal Enrichment
July 6 – 17, 2026
Those interested in being a member of the Hildene Youth Corps must complete the application that will go live on this page on February 3rd and submit it to Hildene either by email or mail to Kyle Turner, Youth Corps Coordinator.
CLICK HERE to email Kyle Turner.
The Hildene Youth Corps is designed for eight highly motivated young people who will be entering seventh and eighth grades in the fall of 2026. First and foremost, the program is intended to be fun. Under the surface, it is also designed to begin the process of allowing these young people to start the transition from childhood to a world in which they have responsibility to others. Our goal is to create a sense of ownership, accomplishment, and caring about the wider world.
Those participating in the Hildene Youth Corps will, on one hand, be closely supervised. But they will also feel a sense of freedom and of being an insider – a little like being a member of the Hildene staff. We want those who participate to fondly remember this experience for the rest of their lives. The team will be led and mentored by a Hildene Youth Corps counselor.
The 2026 Project
The 2026 youth corps team's main project will be building a new climbing structure for the baby goats. Goats have an instinct to climb, and a new structure will provide our goats with cognitive exercise as they traverse to new heights. The youth corps team will also continue the legacy of earlier years through adding to and repairing previous projects. During the construction of these projects, the Youth Corps team will develop basic carpentry skills. While mornings will focus on the projects, the afternoons will be spent learning about and exploring Hildene, helping with chores at the goat dairy and Hildene Farm in the Dene, researching nonprofit organizations, enjoying crafts and playing games.
At the end of the program, those team members who have shown up every day and interacted well with their teammates, our guests and the Hildene staff, and have fully participated in the experience will be awarded $50 for their hard work to donate to a nonprofit. They will be able to choose from a list of nonprofit organizations committed to ecological conservation. They will have an opportunity to research these organizations to help base their decision. The goal is to deepen their understanding that organizations doing good work need financial support and to give them the satisfaction that comes from doing so.
The Details
The Hildene Youth Corps program will run weekdays from Monday, July 6 through Friday, July 17. Their days will be from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. The last day will end with a celebration of the work they have accomplished. Families will be invited to join in the celebration.
The cost of this two-week program for each Youth Corps member is $450 for Hildene members and $525 for non-members. (Please see below if the cost is an issue for you.)
How to Register
Registration begins on February 3 for members and March 3 for non-members. To be fair to everyone, we will only begin taking registrations on these dates.
Those interested in being a member of the Hildene Youth Corps must complete the application that will go live on this page on February 3rd and submit it to Hildene by mail to Kyle Turner, Youth Corps Coordinator, or click the button below to email.
Acceptance is based on a first come first serve basis, in addition to calling teachers for references, and a meeting with the candidate and their guardian(s). We need to know that the prospective Youth Corps member truly wants to be here and is committed to the Youth Corps goals. Upon acceptance into the program, the slot will be assured when Hildene has received full payment.
If you think your child would benefit from this program, but find the cost an obstacle, please email Kyle using the button below or call, 802-362-7983.
Youth Corp Project Legacy
Our Youth Corp participants leave behind a project legacy of lasting impact.
2017 – ADA accessible bird observation platform
2018 – Vernal pool boardwalk
2019 – Bridge over the fen
2021 – Apiary fence
2022 – Woodland trail boardwalk
2023 –Picnic tables and benches – a gathering place in the dene
2024 – Raised propagation beds, demo milking cow, moveable trail boardwalks
2025 - Youth Corps was on pause,
