Farm to School Educator

JOB POSTING

Farm to School Educator 2025

Do you enjoy working with kids and spending time outside, gardening and exploring nature?

Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture is currently looking for an enthusiastic person to join the Youth Education team!

Founded in 2009, CCUA works to enhance our community’s health by connecting people to agriculture and the land through hands-on learning opportunities from seed to plate.

Description: Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture’s Youth Education Program engages youth in hands-on experiences that emphasize the connection between food, health, and the environment. CCUA’s Youth Education Program experiences take many forms, with the overarching goal being to provide hands-on experiential learning to develop a deeper understanding of the social, cultural, environmental, and economic impact of food in our communities. School, civic, and community groups learn about the connection between food, health, and the environment through school gardens and at the Agriculture Park. We work to empower and inspire learners to take skills acquired through the Youth Education Program and implement them in their homes, schools, and/or communities.

The Farm to School Educator (FSE) is a full-time, year-round position and will begin in Summer 2025, with the ideal start date being in mid to late June. The FSE, reporting to the Youth Education Program Manager, will work alongside the Youth Education team, Columbia Public Schools’ Farm to School Coordinator, and other community partners to meet the goals of the department. The FSE will provide educational experiences in a variety of locations within Boone County, primarily Columbia, with the use of a CCUA vehicle. This role will also spend extended stretches of time working at a computer in CCUA’s office.

Breakdown of Time Spent on Farm to School Educator Tasks:

50% delivering educational programming like lessons, field trips, and other activities with youth

35% on administrative tasks like attending meetings, training, planning and prep time, emails, and data entry

15% spent on school garden maintenance

Responsibilities of the Farm to School Coordinator include:

• Work collaboratively and independently to develop educational activities for indoor and outdoor classroom settings.
• Design lesson plans and activities that align with CCUA’s goals and community partners’ goals.
• Facilitate lessons, field trips, and other educational activities with youth learners in gardens and indoor classroom settings.
• Help maintain the outdoor classrooms and garden beds at CCUA’s main site- Columbia’s Agriculture Park
• Collaborate with team members to plant, maintain, and support the school gardens in the Farm to School program.
• Provide support to teachers, staff, and parents engaging with the school gardens.
• Adhere to administrative and recordkeeping guidelines to support accurate program documentation (data collection, surveys, pre- and post-tests).
• Join all of CCUA’s staff to host CCUA’s annual event, the Harvest Hootenanny
• Other duties as assigned
• Required Qualifications:
• At least one year of experience with place-based, outdoor, and/or experiential education
• Experience designing lesson plans and/or kids’ activities
• Experience growing vegetables in a garden setting
• Outgoing personality with charisma and an ability to engage and lead a group of kids
• Comfortable collecting and recording data
• Be able to work 40 hours a week
• Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to be adaptable
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively with others
• Moderate to Strong writing skills
• Strong verbal communication and public speaking skills
• Personal qualities of integrity, reliability, adaptability, and commitment to the mission and values of CCUA
• Experience working with individuals and groups who have a variety of lived experiences and backgrounds
• Ability to work some weekends and evenings
• Valid Driver's License and a reliable means of traveling to the worksite (CCUA vehicles can be used after arriving on-site)
• Successfully pass a background check
• Maintain a current status as one of the following: US citizen, national, or legal resident

Required Physical Qualifications:

This position requires completing a variety of physical tasks in different weather conditions; the ideal candidate must be able to complete all physical requirements of the job with or without a reasonable accommodation. Requirements include:

• Able to safely carry 50 lbs at variable distances (generally via push cart or wheelbarrow)
• Ability to withstand repetitive movements including: bending, reaching, shoveling, and typing
• Frequently mobile, with or without the use of ambulatory assistive devices, for long periods of time in spaces that have a variety of surface variations and ground conditions
• Withstand being outdoors in a variety of weather conditions, including high and low temperatures and rain
• Remain in a stationary position, including standing or sitting, for extended periods of time
• Comfortable with the typical distractions of a bustling, open office environment
• Ability to use voice for long periods of time and frequently project voice in an outdoor setting

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bilingual, preferably Spanish/English
• Experience with classroom management and conflict resolution
• Experience designing lesson plans and/or kids’ activities that align with Grade Level Expectations
• Familiar with incorporating scaffolding, scope, and sequence into planning and design

To Apply:

Don’t wait to apply! This position will be open until we find the right candidate, with the goal of hiring before the end of June. We will begin reviewing applications starting May 27, 2025. Fill out an online application and submit your resume here: https://columbiaurbag.dm.networkforgood.com/forms/farm-to-school-educator-job-application

Questions can be directed to CCUA’s Programs Director, Katie Molitor Katie@ColumbiaUrbanAg.Org