Student Conservation Interns enjoy a day of kayaking. — Student Conservation Interns Connecting Newton County students with the natural world. © Alyssa Nyberg/TNC

Indiana Nature Notes for September

By Alyssa Nyberg, Restoration Ecologist | Last updated September 01, 2024

Alyssa Nyberg Restoration Ecologist

Learn, work, get credit, have fun!

It’s September, and it’s back-to-school time for many students and families, like my own! My 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 11^th and 12^th 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, staff from Kankakee Sands mentor four high school students during the school year session and another set of four students during the summer session.

Enjoy the Sounds of the Prairie

Visit Kankakee Sands

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.

Student Conservation Interns in Action

Interns have many opportunities to explore many aspects of conservation agriculture and natural resources conservation.

Student Conservation Interns work in the Kankakee Sands greenhouse.

SCI Interns: SCI Interns Kedzie Kmiec, Karalyn White, Analise Cooper and Wormie sowing seeds in the Kankakee Sands greenhouse. © Alyssa Nyberg/TNC

Student Conservation Interns visit TNC's Indianapolis office.

SCI Interns: SCI Interns visit TNC's Indianapolis office. © Trevor Edmonson/TNC

Student Conservation Interns at Newton County's Earth Fair night.

SCI Interns: SCI Interns River Smart, Sam Lipsky, Dakota Dyer and Shaylee Marks at the Newton County Fair Earth Night. © Alyssa Nyberg/TNC

Student Conservation Interns in an agricultural field at Kankakee Sands.

SCI Interns: SCI Interns interns visiting an ag field at Kankakee Sands that will be planted to prairie this winter with the seeds they collected this summer. © Alyssa Nyberg/TNC

Student Conservation Interns journaling at the Kankakee Sands prairie.

SCI Interns: Student Conservation Interns identifying plants at Kankakee Sands © Alyssa Nyberg/TNC

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.

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.

Alyssa Nyberg

Restoration Ecologist, The Nature Conservancy

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 make them successful in the workforce—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 that 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 11^th or 12^th 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.

Interested to learn more about the program and support the work? Contact the Jasper Newton Foundation at 219-285-5899 or info@jasperfdn.org.