San Bernardino County Museum Earth Sciences Volunteer Program
San Bernardino County Museum's Earth Sciences volunteer program lets students age 15 and up assist in the museum's active fossil prep lab, digitize and inventory the paleontology collection, and interact with visitors about fossils. It is a free, ongoing volunteer opportunity requiring at least 6 hours per month after a background check and orientation.
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Center for Land-Based Learning FARMS Leadership Program
A year-long program for Sacramento-region high schoolers combining field days on farms, ranches, and agricultural businesses with leadership training, mentoring, and a student-led community action project in sustainable agriculture.
EarthCache
A free, worldwide geology-focused offshoot of geocaching, developed with the Geological Society of America. Participants use GPS coordinates to visit geologically significant real-world sites, answer earth-science questions about what they observe, and can complete self-paced EarthCache Academy lessons on topics like geologic time, fossils, and earthquakes.
East Bay Mineral & Lapidary Club Youth Membership
An East Bay (Oakland-area) nonprofit rock and mineral club offering a discounted youth membership for students 17 and under. Youth members get full access to lapidary workshops, cutting/polishing classes, field trips to geological sites, and the club's annual gem and mineral show, alongside an accompanying adult member.
San Francisco Habitat Stewards – Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy
Weekly drop-in coastal habitat restoration program at Fort Funston, Lands End, Baker Beach, and the Presidio of San Francisco. Volunteers remove invasive species, plant natives, and learn coastal ecology alongside Parks Conservancy staff; no experience necessary. Volunteers ages 15-17 need a signed parent/guardian approval form.
Santa Clara Valley Gem and Mineral Society Junior Membership
A San Jose-based rock and mineral club offering junior memberships (under 18) to students interested in geology, mineralogy, and lapidary arts. Junior members attend monthly meetings, field trips, and hands-on rock/mineral activities alongside sponsoring adult members.
Earth Science Week Contests (AGI)
Annual national contests held during Earth Science Week (mid-October), sponsored by the American Geosciences Institute. Students enter the photography, video, visual arts, or essay contest with work tied to that year's Earth Science Week theme.