Sustainability Spotlight: Internships
The Sustainability Team has been providing internship opportunities for university students since 2016. These internships not only provide hands-on experience for students, they have also been a great help to our various programs. The team is gaining 3 new interns to support efforts throughout our district during the 2022-23 school year. We are very excited to have more support and expertise to grow sustainability efforts in your building.
Jackson Farho is our first intern dedicated to school gardens and outdoor learning. He is currently a sophomore at UNL majoring in environmental studies and was interested in joining the LPS team because he was looking to help community organizations with sustainability. “I was excited about this position because I am able to work in school gardens, and help students and staff realize the benefits of outdoor learning,” said Farho.
Throughout the summer, Farho has acted as a resource for schools with existing gardens and has helped buildings dream up their first outdoor learning space. Interested in revamping your school’s outdoor spaces? Contact our expert!
“My favorite part of being an intern for LPS Sustainability is being able to experience all different forms of sustainability, from waste management to gardening.”
Jake Duffy has also joined the sustainability team and is currently a senior at UNL majoring in environmental studies and german. This summer Duffy spent his time working in Colorado with Conservation Legacy doing various projects including trail building. However, he was glad to be back in Lincoln for the school year. “I’m excited to make an impact on the community here and have a chance to work with kids,” said Duffy.
This fall he will have the opportunity to lead a student club at Calvert Elementary focused on pollinators from the Nebraska State Arboretum. “I’m looking forward to working with my hands and gardening with kids to help restore some of the land around Calvert,” said Duffy. Following graduation, Duffy is looking to pursue a career in land conservation and management.
Grace Kollars is the final addition to the team and is currently working towards a dual degree in environmental studies from UNL while simultaneously taking graduate classes for a masters degree in public health through UNMC. Kollars wanted to be an LPS sustainability intern because she has always been interested in sustainable practices. “I have done a lot of work and research on sustainable living, dealing with waste, water, energy, etc. This internship will allow me to put my research into use and help influence the younger generation to make sustainable choices,” said Kollars.
Following her internship with LPS, Kollars hopes to put her degrees and experience to use and has been looking into careers like environmental education, and environmental consulting.
“I am hoping to gain real world implementation and experience from this internship. I have taken a lot of classes and given presentations on the environment and sustainability, but now I can put those to use."
Internship tasks range from conducting construction waste management inspections to giving Garbology presentations in kindergarten classes, to writing stories for our monthly newsletter. Feel free to contact the Sustainability Team to see how our team can support your building’s sustainable efforts!
Updated August 30, 2022
