The End of the Service Year
Many of you already know our two AmeriCorps Members, Abby and Tori, who have organized and hosted a number of fun events for Skagit Land Trust. From work parties to school field trips, our AmeriCorps members help Skagit Land Trust connect with and educate the community. Normally, when our AmeriCorps members move on we host a volunteer appreciation picnic to recognize the hard work of our volunteers and allow them the chance to bid our AmeriCorps farewell. Given the unusual circumstances of this year, we wanted to give them a chance to reflect on their year of service with Skagit Land Trust and with all of you as they wrap up the 2019-2020 service year. July 15th will be their last of work!
Abby
| Abby Weaver is serving as our 2019-2020 Community Outreach and Engagement AmeriCorps member. Originally from Virginia, she moved to Washington a year ago after earning her B.S. in Environmental Biology and conducting research on trees in the Great Dismal Swamp in southeastern Virginia. We asked Abby a few questions about her year with Skagit Land Trust and AmeriCorps below: |  |
How has this position influenced your career?
Throughout her AmeriCorps position with Skagit Land Trust, Abby says she has rediscovered her love of citizen science. She hopes to pursue a career engaging and teaching people of all ages and abilities about science while supporting local research efforts.
What has been the most rewarding thing about your time as an AmeriCorps member?
Abby says the students she worked with are the best part about her position. “I have never worked with High School students before. It is challenging but very rewarding and I learned so much from my students”. She is grateful to have been able to engage them outdoors and see them learn about the natural world.
What’s next once your 2019-2020 AmeriCorps term ends?
After her term ends on July 15th, Abby will be taking a long road trip to Virginia to see family and visit some National Parks along the way. If all goes well she hopes to be on the road for the remainder of the summer! Then, in September, she will return to Washington where she will serve as Skagit Land Trust’s new 2020-2021 AmeriCorps member. This position will focus more on stewardship, and Abby is very excited to use her background in science and learn more about the flora and fauna of Washington.
Tori
| Tori is serving as our 2019 - 2020 Stewardship Events Coordinator AmeriCorps member. Tori is from Vancouver, Washington and has lived in Bellingham for the past four years after moving North to finish school. Tori earned her degree in Environmental Studies and has had several internships in Bellingham with the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association. We asked Tori about her time with Skagit Land Trust and AmeriCorps below: |  |
How has this position influenced your career?
The opportunity to work with volunteers made Tori realize how much she loves educating others about the natural world and spaces around them. This inspired her to get her Masters Degree in Environmental Education - to continue teaching others how to steward natural spaces.
What has been the most rewarding thing about your time as an AmeriCorps member?
Tori says that she really appreciated the opportunity to pursue a wide variety of projects and work with community members in stewardship. Working with volunteers is inspiring and keeps her excited about the work that she does. “I love my volunteers and seeing the community come together to learn and better the environment!”
What’s next once your 2019-2020 AmeriCorps term ends?
Tori is moving on to get her Masters in Environmental Education at Southern Oregon University in Ashland, OR. She will be living and doing community engagement and stewardship work in Yreka CA, where she gets to live in a little cabin in the woods! She is very excited for her next big adventure.