Kalkaska Conservation District Hires New Community Engagement Specialist
By Renee Penny
The Kalkaska Conservation District is pleased to announce a new addition to office staff, hiring Sarah Schroeder to fulfill the duties of Community Engagement Specialist.
In this role, Sarah will work to coordinate a portion of the District outreach efforts, particularly with school personnel, after-school organizations, and community groups to conduct field trips that meet educational objectives. Sarah comes to the District with a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics from Michigan State University.
Upon moving to Northwest Michigan in 2021, she most recently ran the Communities In Schools after-school program at Kalkaska Middle School before accepting her position with the District.
Mark Randolph, the KCD Manager, says “We’re most excited that she’ll further develop Conservation Tours and Farmer to Community fundraisers with our local schools”.
Both were programs that prior Huron Pine AmeriCorp Service members piloted with Cherry Street Intermediate classes and Forest Area SEEDS After School Programs.
Sarah will also be picking up projects that the District partners with the Kalkaska Public Library on. The most important (and timely to her hiring) project will be the Seed Library Project. This project was piloted last year with great success. Library patrons and community members can ‘check out’ seeds and grow them completely free of charge, sponsored by the District. Those folks could then collect seeds from their garden, and return them to the library for sorting and sharing the following year. This process creates stronger plants that are adapted to growing in Kalkaska County. Keep an eye out for future events related to the Seed Library project, Sarah is organizing things as we speak. After all- seed starting season is right around the corner!
Sarah has also already started a partnership with the Rapid City Elementary School. She will work with SEEDS After School program where she can bring in past work experience from serving as a FoodCorp/AmeriCorp member in Flint. There is also interest to bring back the school garden and install native plants around the school grounds.
Once the garden has been revitalized, Sarah will work with SEEDS on various programs and activities throughout the school year relating to the garden and veggies. She mentioned it’s exciting to work with RCE, especially because what she loved most at FoodCorps was teaching children about fresh produce and forging a connection to where their food comes from. She said, “It was so rewarding to see them find the courage to try new fruits and veggies that they never had before.”
Learn more about other staff and current District events or say hello to Sarah at: sarah.schroeder@macd.org