It’s September, and it’s back-to-school time for many students and families. My own kids are headed back to school, and as a mentor for our Student Conservation Internship team, I am going back to school, too!
I am thrilled to be a part of the Student Conservation Internship (SCI) which connects Newton County 11th and 12th grade students with the natural world. Together with staff from the local Newton County Soil and Water Conservation District office, LaSalle Fish and Wildlife Area, and Willow Slough Fish and Wildlife Area, we mentor four high school students during the school year session and another set of four students during the summer session.
During the paid 300-hour internship, student interns get the opportunity to explore many aspects of conservation agriculture and natural resources conservation, gain valuable professional skills, and develop a strong appreciation for the county in which they live. Students can also apply for school credit as part of the program. And you better believe that one of our goals is for the students to have fun.
As part of the SCI, we dive deep into the many ideas, concepts, and work that encompasses conservation locally: using cover crops for soil health; conducting soil surveys on family farms; banding doves, wood ducks, and geese on DNR properties; monitoring state endangered regal fritillary butterflies; assisting with a vegetation and a bird survey in our bison pasture; assisting with woodland, prairie and wetland land management; collecting and drying native plant seeds; creating fliers and outreach materials on conservation-related programs and events in the county; and assisting with nature-based family-friendly outreach events like Earth Night at the local county fair.
Networking opportunities for the interns are phenomenal. They have met so many people during the internship! Last summer, the interns visited TNC’s Indianapolis office. This summer, interns visited the DNR’s Indianapolis office to meet staff in many different departments and to visit DNR Urban Conservation projects in the Indy area. Interns attend a variety of county, board, partner and staff meetings for exposure to a variety of meeting styles and formats. You better believe that all interns have perfected their handshakes and eye contact!
Student Conservation Interns also take part in workshops to help them succeed in the workforce—on everything from communications, resumes, cover letters, and story writing to Excel spreadsheets, equipment, and power tools.
The Student Conservation Internship program is funded by a generous grant from the Jasper-Newton Foundation and the Newton County Economic Development Commission. We are grateful to the funders, the students, school guidance counselors and all the folks who are supporting and cheering us all along!
As a mentor, I am learning all about this awesome next generation of amazing humans who WILL change the world with their passions and work ethic, and will make a positive impact locally and globally. I am sure of it!
Know any 11th or 12th year student that might want to be a Student Conservation Intern? Send them our way!
Interested to learn more about the work that the interns do during the internship? Read the interns personally written stories, posted on the Jasper Newton Foundation page.
Are you interested in learning more about the program and supporting its work? Contact the Jasper Newton Foundation at 219-285-5899 or info@jasperfdn.org.
The Nature Conservancy’s Kankakee Sands is an 8,400-acre prairie and savanna habitat in Northwest Indiana, open every day of the year for public enjoyment. It’s an exciting year for Kankakee Sands, as we are making major improvements to popular areas within the preserve. If you plan to visit, please check our Facebook page to see if any of the areas you want to see will be impacted by the construction. For more information about Kankakee Sands, visit www.nature.org/KankakeeSands or call the office at 219-285-2184.
