When I started my AmeriCorps position with Green Mountain Conservation Group, I expected to solidify my passion for aquatic ecology and limnology. The time spent on the water was incredible, and learning about various sampling techniques only deepened my appreciation for these fields and my commitment to pursuing education and work in watershed science. While I have found myself extremely interested in and passionate about the lakes and RIVERS monitoring we are doing, I’ve found myself equally drawn towards the educational programming GMCG offers.
Throughout the summer we ran programs at local camps to inspire kids to develop a broad interest in science. This fall, we have shifted into teaching in classrooms and conducting field trips to local rivers to teach students about macroinvertebrates in a program called VBAP! As a bug enthusiast at heart, I was thrilled to “dive” into stream sampling for macros. I found myself enthralled with teaching the elementary school students about the insects in our streams and the importance of keeping water clean and the critters happy and healthy.
This shouldn't have come as such a surprise – I’ve been a camp counselor and volunteered in elementary schools before – but something was uniquely exciting about teaching both in and out of the classroom. Perhaps it was the subject matter or the enthusiasm of the kids, but this experience truly shifted my trajectory towards more environmental education roles. Through our macroinvertebrate program, I realized how much I would have cherished this opportunity as a child and how it might have helped me discover my passion for the environment much earlier. Hearing a child exclaim, “I love science!” or “I found something cool!” as they rush over with a rock to show me a fascinating critter is an experience unlike any other.
GMCG equally fostered my interest in water quality and beautifully blended it with environmental education, providing me with a five-month experience like no other. Waking up each morning in Effingham and embarking on a new set of adventures every week was incredibly rewarding. During the peak of VBAP, we were also conducting RIVERS testing. One morning, another team member and I sampled four different RIVERS testing locations, held a successful VBAP field day (complete with wet socks and freezing feet), traveled to a different school for a VBAP classroom previsit, and then back to the office for processing RIVERS samples and the microplastic grab samples the kids got from the stream. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
This is the kind of schedule that truly energizes me. I am so glad I chose to come serve with LRCC at GMCG; the experience has been incredible. Huge thanks to all the staff and fellow AmeriCorps members at Green Mountain for supporting me throughout these past five months. Effingham has been a beautiful place to spend this time, and I am deeply grateful for all the experiences I have had here. My hope is to find a position that allows me to blend my passion for educating others with my scientific background, much like my service at GMCG. I can’t wait to see what my next adventure holds after leaving LRCC. The opportunities that have opened up for me through this service term are truly remarkable. Thank you, AmeriCorps!
Ellie will be finishing up her half-term with GMCG in November. In her free time you can find Ellie relaxing by the lake with a good book, tossing a frisbee with friends, or collecting rocks to add to her collection. Learn more about her here!