Background: Eagle Eye Institute is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Peru, MA, with a mission
to empower urban people from underserved communities, especially youth of color, to play an active
role in caring for our environment. Eagle Eye offers hands-on learning programs in nature that raise
environmental awareness, develop responsibility, and cultivate leadership.
Location: The Residential Summer Internship takes place at MountainStar Forest, our 220-acre forest
site in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts. The mission of the site is to protect the spirit of the
forest and conserve and enhance its beauty and health by engaging people of all ages and cultural
backgrounds in its stewardship, so that future generations of all life can flourish.
Description: The Residential Summer Internship is a unique experience for college students to live and
work outdoors for six weeks, practice sustainable living, and connect with themselves, others, and
nature in a beautiful forest environment. Eagle Eye’s site is equipped with tent platforms, solar panels,
trails, outdoor kitchen, fire circle, and organic vegetable gardens. Interns camp and prepare all meals
outdoors, live in a low-impact way that utilizes few resources, and work collaboratively in a small
community.
The internship offers a dual experience: to develop hands-on land management and outdoor skills and
gain outdoor education and mentoring experience with youth and teens ages 8-18. Interns work on land
management projects, including carpentry and building, trail work, firewood production, shrub and
flower planting, hand weeding, weed-whacking, and organic vegetable gardening. Interns also help plan
and lead summer youth programs and are trained in Eagle Eye’s program model, which incorporates
hands-on learning with natural resource professionals, games, teambuilding, and stewardship. Interns
mentor urban teens in week-long teen internships and play a leadership role in summer events,
including the Eagle Eye Family Retreat.
Interns have the opportunity to develop an independent project based on their interests and skills,
which contributes to the site in some way. Past projects have included a mobile library, trail map, and a
bench. Interns will also benefit from a variety of workshops with professionals over the course of the
summer, including Nature Painting, Forest Health, and Stonework.
Testimonials:
“Working with Eagle Eye this past summer was one of the most impactful experiences I have been lucky
enough to have had. When I was an intern at Eagle Eye, I gained so many life skills, underwent personal
growth, and made life-long connections with very special people. The internship helped me to realize that
I want to pursue a career in education, especially within an urban community.”
-Madi, 2019 Residential Summer Intern
“Working with Eagle Eye was a literal breath of fresh air that took me away from a very fast-paced and
stressed-out life. Having a routine everyday was something that made me feel secure, and I loved
working on Eagle Eye’s site. The tight-knit community gave me a security that I could not find
elsewhere.”
-Gabi, 2019 Residential Summer Intern
“Working at Eagle Eye provided me with an experience like no other. It was refreshing to be surrounded
by a tight-knit community that worked together towards a common goal. I had invaluable experience
working hands-on with youth and peers. Being able to use my hands everyday to improve the landscape
and the lives around me was a humble way to live. I learned so much throughout the summer from
communication and facilitation skills to masonry and carpentry skills. Eagle Eye is a place like no other.”
-Eli, 2019 Internship Coordinator
Timeline: The internship lasts for six weeks, July 6th-August 14th, 2020 . Interns work M-F for 30-40
hours per week with weekends off, except for special events, like the Eagle Eye Family Retreat, July
18-19. Interns must leave site on the weekends and arrange their own transportation , a necessity to
reset during this intensive residential experience. The opportunity to carpool with other interns may be
available. Interns are required to attend an on-site orientation Wednesday, July 1st, 10 am to 2 pm.
Daily Schedule:
6:45-7:00 AM Morning meditation
7:00-8:00 AM Breakfast and cleanup
8:00 AM-12:00 PM Land management projects with Site Manager
12:00-1:00 PM Lunch and cleanup, break
1:00-4:00 PM Garden and trail projects, Independent projects
4:00-6:00 PM Free time, Journaling, Waterfall
6:00-8:00 PM Dinner and cleanup
OR on youth program days:
6:45-7:00 AM Morning meditation
7:00-8:00 AM Breakfast and cleanup
8:00-9:00 AM Ready site and walk up to meet group
9:00 AM-4:00 PM Learn About Forests™ youth program
4:00-6:00 PM Free time, Journaling, Waterfall
6:00-8:00 PM Dinner and cleanup
Supervision & Evaluation: Interns are supervised by the Internship Coordinator, Program Director, and
Site Manager and receive additional mentorship by the co-founders of Eagle Eye. At the start of the
internship, we set expectations with an Intern Assessment, which interns will use to self-evaluate at the
halfway point and end of the internship. Interns are given regular journal prompts and are expected to
track their experience throughout. We conduct journal shares and group check-ins on a weekly basis.
Compensation: This is an unpaid internship. Room and board are provided M-F, a personal stand-up
Eureka tent and plant-based meals.
Qualifications:
● Current college student or recent graduate.
● Personal transportation.
● Proven work ethic, energetic, self-motivated, and self-advocating.
● Able and willing to work outdoors in all conditions, including heat and rain.
● Able to work well independently and in a small team.
● Open-minded approach to a sustainable and intentional lifestyle.
● Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
● Able to give and receive feedback and engage in productive dialogue.
● Community-minded, cooperative, and open to sharing personal stories.
● Generally tidy and mindful of shared spaces.
● Demonstrated commitment to racial, social, and environmental justice.
● Flexibility for weekend events.
Preferred Qualifications:
● Food prep and cooking experience.
● Familiarity with vegan or vegetarian diets. *Note that we are a plant-based site. All food brought
in or prepared must be plant-based: no meat or dairy.
● Education, youth development, or mentoring experience.
● Prior work with diverse individuals and communities.
● Manual labor, trail, or garden experience.
Application: The deadline to apply is Friday, April 17th, 2020 , with applications reviewed on a rolling
basis. To apply, please submit a current resume, letter explaining your interest and experience, and the
names and contact information of three character references. In your letter, state why you are
interested in the internship, what skills you have to contribute, and what you would like to gain from the
experience. For more information and to apply, contact Cass Pastorelle, Program Director, at
[email protected]
Eagle Eye Institute is an equal opportunity employer. We do not and will not discriminate against
employees and job applicants on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender expression, sexual
orientation, age, nationality, economic or marital status, disability, or military status.
We encourage people of color and individuals from underrepresented communities to apply.
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