AgCorps Community Ag Educator

Service Position Summary:

Missoula is a city of about 80,000 people that has rapidly grown in the past 5-10 years. This growth has increased the disconnect between many residents and Montana’s number one industry, agriculture. Garden City Harvest’s goal is to decrease that disconnect through providing community members with opportunities to engage in agriculture through farming and gardening, as well as educational programming.

As the AgCorps member for this shared position between Hellgate Elementary and Garden City Harvest, your focus will be on Farm to School educational endeavors. The main goal of the Farm to School programming is to educate children, mainly K-8th grade, about food, farming, gardening, and nutrition in an effort to develop them into empowered adults that are knowledgeable about our food systems. This occurs through in class lessons, educational farm field trips, and school garden lessons.

This shared position will be splitting time working at Hellgate Elementary School (K-8th) and in their school garden as well as at Garden City Harvest farms and school gardens throughout Missoula.

Essential Functions and responsibilities:

• Lead educational field trips for elementary school classrooms at the PEAS Farm spring, summer, and fall
• Teach lessons in school gardens in the spring and fall
• Help maintain school gardens throughout the growing season
• Adhere to program policies and procedures
• Demonstrate the ability to balance service activities
• Demonstrate professional behavior and use of appropriate language
• Demonstrate the ability to be flexible and serve cooperatively
• Demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively and resolve conflicts
• Attendance to mandatory trainings (Orientation, Symposium, mid-service training and end of service training)
• Participation in evaluation and reporting (monthly reporting, bi-weekly timesheet submission and monthly check-in calls)

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required:

• Ability to be on your feet for long periods of time
• Ability to lift 50lbs
• Experience teaching youth is a plus
• Experience farming or gardening is a plus
• Experience driving a stick shift is a plus
• Knowledge of sustainable food systems is a plus
• Valid driver’s license

AmeriCorps Program Benefits:

• Members receive a living allowance to cover basic expenses while serving
• Upon successful completion of service, members receive an education award based on position length.
• While serving, members may qualify for student loan forbearance
• Healthcare/ childcare services are available while serving
• A monthly housing stipend if eligible
• Other benefits include being part of an incredible community, being surrounded by professionals in multiple fields, and job shadowing opportunities
• AmeriCorps alumni benefits include access to nationwide alumni network, many career resources, access to AmeriCorps alumni emails and updates