Goodbye from Trudi: 2021-22 AmeriCorps Member

As I near my last week serving as the AmeriCorps member with Clark County Green Schools, it's been uplifting to look back on my year and recount all that I've experienced. In total, I conducted 12 school outreach visits, led 7 classroom lessons and 1 waste audit, and wrote 17 (now 18!) blog posts. These numbers, however, cannot capture all of the inspiring conversations I had, challenges I worked through, and wonderful people I collaborated with.

The ability to support environmental stewardship in Clark County schools and educate the community on the importance of waste reduction has been extremely rewarding. Perhaps my favorite aspect of my service term has been the opportunity to interact with a wide variety of individuals and empower them to become sustainability champions. I was able to help ambitious teachers channel their motivation and spearhead waste reduction initiatives, talk to students about why composting their food scraps really does make a difference, and even work to convince skeptics that sorting cafeteria waste in schools is important.

From watching students excitedly dig for decomposers in a worm bin, to chatting with them about their favorite superheroes, I have gained so much from this year of service. I have gotten to dip my toes into the world of solid waste management, learn what it is like to work for a local government, build a professional skillset, and come to understand first-hand the importance of community outreach and education. I will carry all of these lessons with me as I begin my next journey, which will take me up to the Kitsap Peninsula of Washington to serve as a Sustainability Coordinator AmeriCorps with the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group.  

Thank you to all of the Clark County school staff and students for your hard work and dedication to sustainability during an unusually difficult year! It has been a privilege to learn from and connect with you all. And thank you to the Green Schools team, Sami, Ellen, Camille, and Liz, for your unwavering support and inspiring passion for this work.