Garden Educator

Service Position Summary: The Garden Educator’s main focus will be on education surrounding food literacy in the local schools. They will assist with in-school lessons and out of school programming and create community outreach events focusing on nutrition, food production and resource conservation. They will be increasing capacity for food distribution and community outreach through educational events. When serving in the schools, the AmeriCorps members will focus primarily on elementary aged students, with an occasional visit to middle schools.

AmeriCorps members will serve together in a team implementing programming alongside our Educator Director, Production Director and Executive Director. During harvest and planting season, more time will be spent in the MSTFP school gardens and during the winter, more time will be spent teaching and planning programs. The duties are very seasonally-dependent and follow the school year, so time will be split up to reflect these ebbs and flows. When planning community events, members will be expected to collaborate as a team, and during teaching, they may be together or be split up to assist another member of the MSTFP team.

1. Essential Functions (Primary Responsibilities): Team Up AmeriCorps members serve directly at their Host Site organization to develop, implement, and enhance programs, projects, and activities through direct and indirect service.

MSTFP Duties:

– Maintain school gardens with the guidance and support of MSTFP staff

– Harvest, wash and distribute garden produce during the growing season

– Coordinate with MSTFP volunteers and community partners

– Organize and host our Friday program at the Mancos school garden

– Develop and implement new lesson plans aligned with our mission

– Be the lead educator at the Mesa School garden in the Montezuma-Cortez school district, which is a new addition to the MSTFP

• Team Up AmeriCorps Duties:

– Track host site and AmeriCorps data

– Attend Team Up AmeriCorps regional trainings, cohort connection days, and Days of Service

2. Marginal Functions (Secondary Responsibilities):

• Create social media posts using photos taken by AmeriCorps members and staff members
• Assist in planning community events and pioneer new events to engage the community with our mission
• Assist in teaching weekly or monthly garden lessons to students in Pre-Kindergarten through 5th grade within the Cortez and Mancos districts utilizing the garden classrooms alongside host site staff
• Assist in teaching MSTFP school garden curriculum lessons that are aligned to the Colorado State Academic Standards and Next Generation Science Standards alongside host site staff

Physical, Emotional, and Intellectual Demands:

• Willingness to learn, adapt, and grow in a position
• Ability to serve independently, take initiative, and be motivated by the projects they are doing
• Compassion and awareness: self-awareness, awareness of cultural differences, social differences and understanding of implicit bias

Desired Qualifications:

• Ethic of national and community service and a strong desire to create positive change
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing; computer literate
• High School Graduate required (GED accepted,) college graduate or equivalent work experience preferred
• Ability to pass criminal history check
• Applicants are required to have a reliable vehicle they are willing to use for service & proof of auto insurance
• U.S. Citizenship or lawful permanent resident status required

Training and Support Provided: Team Up AmeriCorps members receive significant training and experience in community engagement, project implementation, leadership, diverse populations, and more. Up to 20% of total hours served may be spent in applicable, approved trainings. Members will be supervised and supported by MSTFP’s Director Sorrell Redford sredford@mstfp.org, as well as by Team Up AmeriCorps program staff. The PY 26-27 cohort of Team Up AmeriCorps members serving throughout the region will also act as additional resources and support for each other.

Location and Service Conditions: This position is based out of MSTFP’s warehouse located at 30 N. Beech St, Cortez. This space has an attached educational garden as well as a mobile kitchen. The member/s will also spend significant time at MSTFP’s school gardens at the Cortez Middle School, Kemper elementary, Mesa elementary, Mancos elementary and Mancos Early Learning Center. Occasional off-site engagement and partnership activities, meetings, etc. will be required.

Benefits:

• A living allowance of approx. $1,115.63/per pay period (twice per month). Taxes are deducted and the living allowance is distributed by direct deposit to the member’s bank account.
• An education award of $7,395 upon successful completion of the term of service.
• It is possible to temporarily postpone repayment of qualified student loans through forbearance while serving as an AmeriCorps member
• Mileage reimbursement for travel to required AmeriCorps trainings and gatherings
• Non-tangible benefits including extensive training, valuable experience, networking, and the opportunity to serve the local community in a crucial area of need
• Access to fresh produce from MSTFP’s school gardens
• Access to Good Sam’s food and resources at no cost
• Host site-specific benefits: Gas stipend of $50/month provided directly from host site

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