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AmeriCorps Food Educator Job at Oxbow Farm and Conservation Center in Washington State - 2018 Corps
OXBOW’S MISSION
Our mission is to inspire people to eat healthy, sustainably grown food and to steward our natural resources for future generations.
WHAT WE DO
The Center is located on 230 acres of forest and grassland bordered by Western Washington’s Snoqualmie River. We use this mixed landscape to:
Produce food. We cultivate 30 acres of mixed vegetable crops using agro-ecological principles and engage in research to inform conservation farming practice.
Grow native plants. We operate a native plant nursery that produces plants for habitat restoration projects, educational gardens, and urban landscapes, and conducts research on native plant propagation using sustainable growing methods.
Connect children to nature. We offer environmental education programs for children pre-K thru high school to build their comfort in the outdoors and provide them with opportunities to learn about the links between agriculture, conservation, and the environment.
Restore and sustain habitat. We carry out conservation projects and research to learn how humans can use land to our benefit while protecting biodiversity.
FOOD EDUCATOR POSITION OVERVIEW
When kids eat better, they learn better, act better and feel better. Eating habits formed when children are young are strong indicators of lifelong eating behaviors. Making healthy food the easy, accessible, and joyful choice for children increases the likelihood of them making healthy food choices as they age and decreases the likelihood of food related illness such as obesity and diabetes. Many children across Washington State do not eat a healthy enough diet, which in turn negatively impacts multiple areas including children’s health, behavior, and ability to learn in school.
Oxbow is partnering with other organizations across Washington to form a Statewide Food Education Mega-Team to connect kids to healthy food from seed-to-table through growing, preparing, and eating healthy food. Corps members applying to be part of this new statewide initiative will have the opportunity to apply to serve at one or more of the service sites across the state. Our partners include Common Threads in Bellingham (the organizational “host”), Lower Columbia School Gardens, Walla Walla Farm to School, Coupeville Farm to School, and Farmer Frog in Woodinville. Each site is leading their own recruitment so you will need to send a cover letter and resume to the site (or sites) you wish to be considered for service. The interventions will vary somewhat from site to site, but common activities across all of our partner sites will include cooking and gardening with kids in either schools or community settings and engaging families through volunteer opportunities and community events.
Food Educators are the “boots on the ground” that make it possible to connect kids to healthy food from seed to table. Each corps member will do some or all of the following (depending on service site): lead garden lessons during Spring and Fall; lead cooking lessons during Winter; lead or support after school gardening and/or cooking clubs; lead camp-style programs during Spring Break and Summer; lead efforts to maintain/improve school gardens at assigned school(s) or community site(s); assist with the recruitment, supervision, and appreciation of volunteers; collect and track data; support special events and other relevant food education opportunities for families as they arise; share stories of impact with words and photographs.
AMERICORPS FOOD EDUCATOR JOB RESPONSIBILITIES
At Oxbow Farm & Conservation Center, the Food Educator Corps Member will:
- Lead Fall, Spring, and Summer Farm Adventures Field Trips for elementary school students (exploring seasons, plant parts, plant lifecycles, interdependence, and natural processes such as decomposition)
- Lead Winter In-Class lessons for elementary students on EE and farm-related science subjects (such as: worms and decomposition, seeds, pollination, bird adaptations, and stormwater)
- Work with partner elementary school to support outdoor classroom installation and garden-based EE lessons
- Build connections between the school cafeteria, outdoor classroom, and EE lessons
- (Possibly) develop education programing for summer free lunches
- Deliver environmental/farm education programs to all age groups at weekend Kids’ Farm tours, seasonal festivals and special events
QUALIFICATIONS
Corps members will be passionate, committed and creative; have a solid background working with kids/teaching; have experience gardening, farming and cooking; love long hours, being outside in all weather, and be ready for curve balls from kids and adults. Specifically, we are looking for the following qualifications:
- College Degree or equivalent experience in the fields of education, environmental studies, sustainability, food systems, and agriculture.
- Experience working with children, especially early learners, and delivering Environmental Education programming
- Experience farming or gardening and/or a strong desire to learn
- Comfortable speaking in front of large groups
- Consistent attention to detail
- Ability to take direction, ask for help/clarity when necessary, and accept constructive feedback on work and technique
- Clear, consistent communication
- Ability to work independently and within a team
- Positive leadership skills
- Ability to perform work in inclement weather, standing, sitting, bending over or kneeling, to lift heavy & awkward objects, up to 50 lbs., and to perform physical work such as digging and planting
- Proficiency in Spanish is a plus
Additional desired qualities include: environmentally conscious, detail oriented, self-motivated, energetic, and professional.
The Oxbow Education (OxEd) is part of a larger non-profit organization. A commitment to Oxbow’s overall mission and working as part of a team is critical.
COMPENSATION
$1,307 pre-tax monthly stipend, plus End-of-Service Education Award of $5,920
REPORTS TO: OxEd Program Manager
TO APPLY FOR THE AMERICORPS FOOD EDUCATOR JOB
Please note, incomplete applications will not be considered. Email a resume, letter of interest, and 3 references to:
Megan Boyce-Jacobs
Finance & Operations Manager
Oxbow Farm & Conservation Center
thedirt@oxbow.org
Please write AmeriCorps Food Educator in the email subject line and include where you found this position in the message body.
AmeriCorps application is also required and can be found here: https://my.americorps.gov/mp/listing/viewListing.do?id=71272&fromSearch=true
Deadline to apply for an AmeriCorps Food Educator job is Sunday, July 15, 2018 Applications will be processed as they are received
To see this job posting, and our other open jobs, on our website, click here.
To learn more about farming jobs and internships or to post an opportunity on beginningfarmers.org, go to: http://www.beginningfarmers.org/internship-and-employment-opportunities/