Position Title: Environmental Literacy Fellow VISTA 

Organization: Catalyst Public Schools

Service Location: Bremerton, Washington 

Timeline for Service: Start Date TBD – Estimated October 2025 (32 hours per week) 

Teaser:

Are you passionate about empowering students and educators to connect with the environment? Join Catalyst Public Schools as an Environmental Literacy Fellow VISTA and help build sustainable environmental education programs that foster stewardship and ecological awareness among youth and adults!

Program Description:

Catalyst Public Schools is a Kindergarten through 12th grade public school, free of tuition and admission requirements, serving the greater Bremerton region. At Catalyst Public Schools, we are committed to fostering a nurturing and innovative learning environment where every student can thrive. Our focus on holistic education ensures that students are not only academically proficient but also emotionally and socially equipped to face the challenges of tomorrow.

As part of a broader collaboration with Great Peninsula Conservancy, the Environmental Literacy Fellow VISTA will help expand environmental literacy and sustainability education within the school community. This member will work closely with educators, students, and community partners to develop and implement educational programming that integrates environmental concepts aligned with state standards and community values.

Member Duties:

The Environmental Literacy Fellow VISTA will build capacity for Catalyst Public School’s K-12 environmental education through curriculum development, outreach coordination, and by fostering connections between students, educators, and the broader community. The VISTA member will write standards-based curriculum; partner with teachers to integrate hands-on, outdoor education into classroom learning; coordinate outdoor excursions; promote student participation in environmental stewardship; and pursue additional resources to support the VISTA project. Under the guidance of Catalyst Public Schools’ High School Principal, the VISTA member will build capacity for the school to better integrate environmental literacy lessons into its core curriculum. The VISTA member will also work closely with local land trust Great Peninsula Conservancy (GPC) and its team of VISTA Fellows to support the growth of the Land Labs Program (a conservation education program implemented in Catalyst Public Schools). Collaboration with GPC Fellows will include attending team trainings and professional development opportunities guided by GPC staff.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Assist in developing and refining environmental literacy curriculum and resources aligned with educational standards.
• Support teachers and staff in delivering environmental education programs.
• Organize and promote environmental and sustainability-themed events and activities for students and families.
• Facilitate partnerships between Catalyst Public Schools, Great Peninsula Conservancy, and community stakeholders.
• Track program participation and help measure the impact of environmental literacy efforts.

Qualifications: 

• Passion for Catalyst Public Schools’s mission and vision.
• High degree of initiative and spirit of service.
• Strong interest in environmental literacy and sustainability.
• Strong writing, communication, and organizational skills.
• Preferred: understanding of education standards.
• Preferred: experience working in outdoor environments.
• Preferred: experience teaching or working with adult and/or youth learners.
• Preferred: valid driver’s license and personal vehicle.

AmeriCorps VISTA: 

This Catalyst Public Schools VISTA position is funded by the Corporations for National and Community Service and will serve within the AmeriCorps VISTA program. AmeriCorps VISTA is the national service program designed specifically to fight poverty. Each VISTA member makes a year-long, full-time (32-hour work week) commitment to serve on a specific project at a nonprofit organization or public agency. To learn more about the AmeriCorps programs visit americorps.gov. 

Compensation:

In return for their service, AmeriCorps VISTA members receive a modest bi-weekly living allowance of $957.46 (effective September 8th, 2024), health benefits during their service, and have the option of receiving an AmeriCorps Education Award of $7,395.00 (current through September 30th, 2024) or post-service stipend of $1,800 after completing their service. A relocation travel and settling-in allowance may also apply if they are moving. In addition to AmeriCorps’ standard benefits, GPC provides VISTA members with a housing stipend of $4,000, reimbursement of work-related outdoor gear purchases up to $250, reimbursement of professional development and training opportunities up to $300, and coverage of costs for the member to obtain Wilderness First Aid certification.