Guidestone Colorado - Garden Educator

Service Description 

Farm to School (F2S) AmeriCorps Members are part of a team that works with Guidestone Colorado Farm to School staff and volunteers to connect youth to the earth, to their food, and to the community as part of our district-wide Farm to School program, bridging gaps that enable partner organizations to be more efficient and effective at providing nutrition, health, and garden-based environmental education to rural youth.

F2S Members engage youth and community members to build, maintain, and expand school gardens and community gardens through a start-to-finish growing season. Programs include farm field trips, guest visits, summer camps, and youth farmers markets. Members provide outreach and engagement at community events to promote Farm to School and the organization’s programs and mission. Members gain exposure to organic agriculture, curriculum development, program planning, volunteer engagement, and participate in ongoing professional development.

AmeriCorps Member Primary Responsibilities

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Build, maintain, and expand school gardens through a start-to-finish growing season.
• Design and deliver hands-on curriculum on nutrition, gardens, food sources, environmental science, cooking, and sustainability with student’s grades K-12, in school garden classes and summer camp settings.
• Introduce fresh local foods through tastings, summer programs, and other activities.
• Lead the Youth Farmers Market, selling produce from the Community & School Farm with kids from the Boys & Girls Club.
• Community outreach/engagement, such as expanding volunteer involvement in the school gardens, organizing events, developing promotional strategies, coordinating, and leading community workdays.
• Support production activities at the Community & School Farm in the spring and fall, and as needed on an emergency basis.
• Support City of Salida Community Gardens at garden sites through community engagement, education, technical support and partnership development.