Washington Academy – Farm and Garden – Student Support Specialist

Grow food and community – teach students in a thriving campus garden, fight food insecurity, and help a diverse residential community connect through sustainable agriculture.

Washington Academy’s campus garden donates from 1-2,000 pounds of food a year to a local food pantry to combat food insecurity and increase access to fresh, healthy produce. Roughly 5,000 square feet of outdoor space and a small unheated greenhouse are used to cultivate. In addition, our campus serves over 80 residential students from over 15 different countries and students who are members of the Passamaquoddy tribe. Through surveys of students in the sustainable agriculture class and community members who frequent the food pantry, the crop offerings are ever-evolving. Through the garden’s integration into the student experience in science classes and the Sustainable Agriculture class, it fosters continued belonging in the community and student exposure to traditional gardening practices as well as a variety of fresh vegetables, fruits, herbs and other flowering plants.

The position itself will require facilitating a hands-on class period in which students work the garden and learn about gardening/farming practices. The smoothest transition will be for members with at least 6 months to one year of gardening and/or farming experience with vegetable crops as well as project management facilitation or mentorship work with adolescents. The work will be completed alongside other master gardeners both on campus and in the community, two of which are in the science department. The member will also work closely with the site supervisor, the Assistant Head of School, to ensure the student experience is in keeping with the school mission and that partnerships with the local food pantry, with the kitchen staff, and the science department are strong to support the longevity of this project and this position. The final expectation is to facilitate service projects, ongoing sustainability club participation in the garden, as well as providing opportunities for residential students to have more consistent time in the garden.

GoodHealth Works AmeriCorps places members with community organizations in Maine to address CDC-determined public health needs for the most underserved populations. It is preferred that the member live in the dorm to raise awareness of the garden, integrate it into student life, and better understand student needs in nutrition, cultural engagement around food, and how the garden can support their learning and community goals. Duties include working with students in the garden, communicating needs to the Healthy Acadia liaison and Assistant Head of School, assisting classes and after-school clubs, and coordinating produce delivery to the food pantry. By performing resident responsibilities, including chaperoning weekend events once a month, and providing supervision one evening each week, members receive room, board, and internet at no charge! This role may be adapted to part-time or full-time capacity depending on the candidate. Start and end date may be flexible.

In addition to AmeriCorps benefits, including a stipend, education award, and health insurance, site benefits include housing in exchange for 1 night a week and 1 weekend a month of duty rotation in the dorm setting, and 6 professional development days alongside faculty and staff.

Already have a MyAmeriCorps account and want to apply for this specific role? You can find that listing on MyAmeriCorps here.